Help finding housing in Germany
Step by step — in plain language. Free. No registration.
This page helps you find a home in Germany. It shows which portals you can use, what documents you need, and what to watch out for.
Six steps
What are you looking for?
Rental flat, shared room (WG), social housing, or temporary accommodation? Each has its own portals.
Gather documents
Last 3 salary slips, ID, SCHUFA credit check (free once a year), letter confirming you have no rent debts.
The right portals
ImmoScout24, Immowelt, Kleinanzeigen, WG-Gesucht. For affordable housing also local housing co-ops.
Set up your search
Filter by location, size, price. Set up alerts — new listings will be e-mailed to you.
Write your enquiry
Polite, short, with an intro: who you are, your job, who is moving in, from when. Send documents only when asked.
Viewing & rental contract
Inspect the flat, note defects. Read the contract carefully. If unsure: ask a tenants’ association or counselling centre.
If your situation is different
If money is tight
Apply for a Wohnberechtigungsschein (WBS) at the housing office. It gives access to subsidised social housing.
If you are homeless
Contact your municipal homeless service or Diakonie / Caritas locally. Emergency shelter and counselling are available.
If you are new to Germany
Federal Employment Agency and city Welcome Centres offer multilingual help. Migration counselling is free.
Free help is available — these organisations support you:
All of these advise free of charge. The links take you to their counselling services.
Portals for your search
A selection from our directory. They are free for you as a searcher — landlords and agents pay.
Portals in the directory
Portals at a glance — filter by country, category and pricing.
This page is not legal advice. For legal questions, a tenants’ association or counselling centre can help.