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I live in a different but still expensive Germany city and rent a apartment from a city-owned public housing company. The rent of the landlord's apartments is 2
by tjansen 8y ago
I live in a different but still expensive Germany city and rent a apartment from a city-owned public housing company. The rent of the landlord's apartments is 20-30% lower than what you would pay in the free market, and in my neighbourhood I can get a pretty good idea of what people do to get one of those highly desired apartments. It's just crazy. I have heard everything short of bribing the person responsible for selecting renters. Calling her daily, flowers, pity stories.. another way to get into a highly coveted apartment is to get a recommendation from a renter who's leaving, basically taking over their contract. Often that involves paying absurdly high sums to the previous renter for floors and furniture left behind, or doing renovations for them.
By the way, getting into the best kindergartens and schools appears to work like that as well. Many German cities are so overcrowded that you need to network like in socialism to get what you want, as there are things that money can't buy (or at least only a lot more money can buy). Those who are not well connected have a hard time to get the city's services, or at least will end up with worse facilities.
The demand is just higher than the supply, and if the demand can not be controlled by increasing the price, people will find other ways to fight for what they want...
- snarf21 8y agoThanks for sharing, I found that very interesting.
- snarf21 8y agoWow, weird. I wasn't being sarcastic. It was interesting to learn about it from someone who lives there. I guess that deserves a downvote.
- hawski 8y agoYeah, apartments is one part of it all. I'm trying to find a place in a kindergarten and it's hell. In Berlin kindergartens are free for some time and there are no free places. My wife today tried to find a place in a private kindergarten, no luck even in one for 800 EUR/month. If we knew German language and customs better maybe it would be easier. But then I would probably just think about creating our own. We're getting desperate. If anyone knows about a place in a kita in Berlin for a 2 year old, please let me know! Private or whatever, or some kind of coop.
- orangeplanet 8y agowhy not learn to speak German?
- hawski 8y agoI'm learning, but can't do this in a day or a month you know? Ich kann Deutsche sprechen, aber ich bin langsam und nicht so gut. Leute haben oft keine Geduld, wenn man langsam ist.
- tjansen 8y agoSorry, can't help for Berlin. My only advice is to speak to as many parents as possible. Ideally you talk to the Kita before the spots become officially available. Then you don't have to compete with 50 other parents, and they don't have to do deal with 50 applications...
- matt4077 8y agoI doubt speaking German helps much. Or, at least, I know plenty Germans here with the same problem. If I ever have a child, I would probably join the church across the road just to get a spot for them. Sorry for not being able to help! I hope Berlin treats you well otherwise.
- jk4930 8y agoSent you an email (from my sometimes blocked alumnus account, if it doesn't appear, let me know).
- 5166cc9c39fa61 8y ago> Many German cities are so overcrowded that you need to network like in socialism to get what you want, as there are things that money can't buy (or at least only a lot more money can buy). Similar situation in New York City for the past decade: https://www.thedailybeast.com/stuck-in-new-york-city-private-school-wait-list-hell https://www.thedailybeast.com/stuck-in-new-york-city-private...