Housing shortage in Germany: One in two people are looking for more than a year

Housing shortage in Germany: One in two people are looking for more than a year

For many people, looking for an apartment in Germany is a lengthy process due to high rents and the tense real estate market. According to a study by ImmoScout24, more than half of those surveyed (54.4 percent) search for longer than a year to find a suitable apartment. The increasing number of active search requests leads to greater competition and makes it more difficult to fulfill individual requirements in terms of location, size and rental price.

A survey of 1,183 people shows that 22.7 percent of them spend over two years looking for an apartment. Despite the challenges, 64 percent are confident that they will be successful this year. In contrast, around 16 percent of those planning to move have little hope of quick success.

The managing director of ImmoScout24, Gesa Crockford, emphasizes the tense situation on the housing market and the rising rental costs, which make the process of looking for an apartment more difficult. The German Tenants' Association also recommends not only relying on official housing portals, but also informing the social environment about the search, as many apartments are relet without formal offers.

The personality impressions of apartment applicants play a decisive role for landlords, as an earlier survey by ImmoScout24 makes clear. Compensation payments that are required of tenants in order to maintain an apartment or to persuade the previous tenant to move out are generally not permitted according to the Tenants' Association. Transfer agreements for the purchase of furniture or furnishings, on the other hand, are permitted, but the ratio of purchase price to value must be appropriate in order to be considered legally valid.