Moving to Munich - Relocation advice

I will be moving to Munich at the beginning of August. It was suggested to me that I try to find an apartment without using an agent. Would any of you have suggestions on how I go about that? Maybe you are moving and your apartment will be available?
If you are moving this summer, I would be interested in hearing what appliances you have for sale as well.

Any other advice on relocating from the States would be appreicated.

Thank you!

Advertising link by admin: Munich Relocation Services

Come to Munich, it's great!

Best tip I can offer: learn to use the Toytown Munich search feature. A quick search on "moving" would have gotten you the following:

Any advice on moving to Munich

What's the 1st thing to know about moving to Munich

US to Munich moving companies

Good advice. Thank you!

Make sure - BEFORE - you come to Germany that you convert your driver's license to one of the following states:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

If not, then you will have to re-test. From some states you will have to have to do just the written test. Some will require the full driving test. A full official list is at http://www.germany-info.org/relaunch/welco...g.html#american

Check out following sites
www.immscout24.de (few examples)
www.immowelt.de
www.abendzeitung.de
www.tz-online.de

depends what kind of flat you want. In Germany usually the flat are unfurnished (unmöbliert). Some offer flats which are "mobliert" (furnished).

Good Luck

Also open a CITIBANK account in the US if you plan to ever send money home, pay bills in the US or transfer funds for what ever reason. The general account is about 7$ a month and citibank.DE will transfer for free to citibank.US. It is just one of those things you have to do first before coming over and it is a lifesaver for me.
Plus here's a little site with some informative links. Only worked on it for one afternoon so excuse the layout/content/etc.

http://www.mrlodge.de/

These chaps are quite good, a bit pricy though. Can be as much as 20-50% premium on a normal apartment (unfinished, may not even get a kitchen) as far as I can gather but they are furnished.

Good luck

Muenchen.de has some good advice for relocation.

Agent fees are typically 3 months rent for their services - and the few that I've run across have been terrible. I'm sure there are good ones - but I haven't seen them. The advice not to use them could save considerable money. On the otherhand, you don't have much a chance to find an apartment without an agent - unless you are already here to meet with the landlords. So a temporary rental (expensive) can be useful for the first few months.

Here's some reading material you might like to buy and peruse before you come:

http://www.swift-relocation.de/English/eng...ooksandmore.htm

Most of those books are available on amazon.com in the USA too

I have contributed to two of those titles but earn nothing from your purchase. Modesty and neutrality prevents me from telling you which :-)

YL6

You might look on Munich Found also. A friend of mine moved with his company to an unfurnished apartment but found a guy who is leaving to go back to the states and bought his whole apartment for 350€!! Everything!!! Couch, chair, coffee table, kitchen table and chairs, entertainment center, two armoires, the whole kitchen - everything.

Good luck!

nherd,

Welcome to Munich! You're going to like it here I'm sure.

I have to second the suggestion to have your driver's license converted. I've lived in New York, Tennessee, and Texas and none of those states have any reciprocity with Germany. I made a special trip to the DMV in Kansas, however, as getting a license there is laughably easy. I just surrendered my TX, and they gave me a KS on the spot for a whopping $22. This saved me between 2000-3000 Euros,

As for accommodation, post on here, other forums, etc. Yes, unfurnished is much cheaper, and you can honestly furnish a place with used items from Toytown for next to nothing. I'd also suggest staying away from agents as they do nothing but take your money.

Have a relocation service do you residence permit and work permit. When the German gov't asks you for your religion, tell them you have none.

Learn to drink beer.