Pick-A-Day

June 2010
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On Apartment Hunting in Berlin Germany

If you were anywhere near me today, I must apologize: I was behaving like an idiot.

It happens to me every once in awhile—in Germany it’s when I am apartment hunting: I suddenly don’t know what to think, say, or do. I become a blubbering idiot.

I realize that I am starting my search quite late in the game and that I will have a limited selection of apartments if I am going to make only one move this year—so I hit the apartment hunting websites with vigor today and, after about an hour and a half, was reduced to cleaning my office in what I can only identify as “apartment hunting avoidance.”

This is what I want in my future apartment:

  1. a fully functional kitchen: if I have to buy a fridge, I will, but I do not want to buy an entire kitchen;
  2. somewhere along the U2 bahn line as that will allow me to visit either of the major gayborhoods in Berlin without problem. Living along the U1 would be an acceptable alternative
  3. no Soviet housing monstrosities;
  4. wooden floors that have been maintained;
  5. a reasonably modern bathroom without an inspection shelf style toilet;
  6. at least two room; three would be super awesome, however each room much be large enough to do something in.

Nollendorfplatz

Optimally I would like to live somewhere between Wittenbergplatz and Nollendorfplatz, south of the U-bahn line. North of that and the architecture gets really cold and uncomfortable.

My second choice is Kreuzberg—in the vicinity of, but not directly on, Oranienstraße.

Anke told me this afternoon to just give up and not look again until Sunday night, that I need time off: she’s right, but I’m still looking, to be honest.

7 comments to On Apartment Hunting in Berlin Germany

  • Why Sunday night? Is there a VRBO in Berlin?

  • best of luck with your appartment-hunting. it’s rather nice that i’ve heard of all most of the places you mentioned. i remember walking between Nollendorfplatz and Wittenbergplatz.

    no idea where the gaybourhoods are in Berlin tho!

    t!

  • starman1695- it’s about taking a break and being ready to contact people Monday morning.

    torchy! – the area between Nollendorfplatz and Wittenbergplatz is one of the major gayborhoods–not directly on that main street, but just south of it.

  • I stayed on the Oranienburgstraße during a whirlwind trip to Berlin last month. Live there. It’s very arty-trashy. In a good way.

  • tqe | Adam on the road

    Alas the whores are of the wrong gender!

  • Ted

    True, you’ll make more money in Berlin but you will also need more to get by. The bigger the city the more the rent. I remember a National Geographic piece on the Anarchist lifestyle in Berlin. It was complete with photos of people sunbathing nude near a large swimming pool. Some of them should have reconsidered going bare but others were young and let’s say proud of their appendages. The nightlife is supposed to be the best in Europe. Enjoy!

  • I remember when I was in Wiemar those Soviet era apartment blocks looked depressing from afar. I can imagine actually living in one would give a guy a suicidal ideation.