In our comprehensive apartment search guide we’ve already given you plenty of tips for the journey. But what if it still won’t work out and you simply can’t find an apartment in Hamburg?
From the question of where you want to live to the question of who you want to live with. Own apartment or flatshare, and everything in between – the apartment search is often a long process, and these questions are only the beginning. In a big city like Hamburg you often have to sacrifice months to finding the right apartment and can reach your limits in the process.
Here are a few pieces of advice you should consider if your apartment search now seems hopeless:
Do NOT raise your rent budget
Don’t make the mistake of setting your rent budget higher and higher over time just because you don’t immediately find a suitable place. Be realistic with your budget by following the standard rent-affordability calculation:
Your income should be at least three times your monthly rent payment.
That way you avoid overburdening yourself with rent or paying more rent than you can really afford.
Think in boroughs rather than districts
Don’t limit your desired area to individual districts, but at most to boroughs. Take Hamburg Altona as an example – the first districts that probably come to mind are ones like Altona-Nord or Ottensen. But Altona is huge, and less trendy districts like Eidelstedt or Lurup also have great apartments and good connections into the old town.
Once you’ve done that, you can start exploring the neighbourhoods within the boroughs.
Also consider other boroughs you hadn’t paid any attention to before. They may be cheaper and less sought-after, but they greatly increase your statistical chances of finding an apartment.
Consider up-and-coming districts
The advantage of up-and-coming neighbourhoods is that they typically offer low rents, plenty of apartments and major development.
The disadvantage of up-and-coming neighbourhoods is that they may still be affected by whatever classified them as less desirable in the first place. For example crime or lots of construction sites.
Districts in Hamburg that are genuinely interesting but tend to be seen as insider tips are: Wilhelmsburg, Hamm and Rothenburgsort. All three are super central and well connected to wherever you need to go in everyday life.
Avoid popular moving periods
Although apartment availability rises for tenants during popular moving periods, the increased demand also drives rents up considerably. Make sure you understand how seasonality affects the rental market.
Consider the location where you want to live. Are there universities nearby? In areas close to colleges and universities, tenant turnover is highest between semesters. Especially in summer.
Tenants tend to avoid moving in bad weather, so most moves happen during a region’s most weather-stable seasons. So less in winter.
The middle floor
Rents tend to be higher for units located on either the lower or the upper floors of a building. People love both a great view and easy access to their apartment. Lower floors are, of course, also very popular with older people.
Be prepared to have a not-so-perfect view and to take the stairs or the lift.
Conclusion: sticking with it pays off
Finding an apartment in Hamburg can be frustrating. But with a clear budget, a bit of flexibility on location and realistic expectations, you can significantly improve your chances. Sometimes it helps to try new approaches and question the familiar.
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