If you're looking to find tenants for your Berlin apartment avoiding using agencies and saving the fees, then going direct is not as difficult as it may seem.
Advertising in the classified sections is the best route, local people use the following papers Die Berliner Morgenpost, which boasts the largest property listings in Berlin and Der Tagesspiegel and Zitty which have web sites for advertisers which are free to people placing classifieds.
Also, people looking for a place in a particular location will often place online and printed adverts in a publication called Zweite Hand
Most private advertisers ensure they cover the following points in their advert;
- "mobiliert" means furnished, as many German apartments come without things like light fixtures, cabinets, and if yours does it is good idea to emphasise this.
- "1MM Kaution" means 1 month deposit, quoting this can imply it is negotiable, Germans prefer a situation where they pay monthly in advance.
- "Warm" or ("WM") means the price includes the cost of utilities, "kalt" means the price is without utilities.
- "OH" means "Ofenheizung" or "oven heating", which is an open fire. Generally in Germany these are not popular and will lessen the amount of rent you can charge.
- "absofort" means "available immediately"
- "WaMa" means "Washing machine" and "spulmaschin" is a dishwasher, if your apartment has these included it well worth emphasising them.
What rental to charge?
Armed with the above information, it is simply matter of looking at the online classifieds in the publications quoted above to see what similar apartments let for.
Overseas Property Centres ROI calculator is also a useful tool you can use to see how competitive you can be and make a return.
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