Info and advice on acquiring a visa

If you aren't already doing so, I'd suggest seeking testing the market by putting your CV online (do a search for the appropriate job boards) and opening a profile on xing.com to at least begin to gauge the market's potential level of interest. Also, do not limit yourself to Berlin no matter how much you may be enamored of the city. The idea of learning some German prior to employment is, IMHO, a good one; however, you should balance the desire and need to do so with the potential damage to your career of having a significant break in employment.

No one can say for sure if you will be able to get an employer to sponsor you for a work visa (let me stress that I am in no way suggesting you cannot or would not) and you are no doubt aware that industry hiring conditions can be fluid sometimes. For these and other reasons, I would suggest making any decision to sell your apartment independent of your desire to work in Germany. Be sure to look into any German tax implications of the sale of your apartment- specifically, you will probably find it optimal to sell it in a year in which you are a resident for tax purposes of Germany for less than 183 days and one of the US for at least 183 days (ask a tax advisor specialized in these types of issues for US expats here in Germany for advice customized to your personal situation).

Be sure to get as many written references from former and (now) current employers as possible and certificates of any training you have done or transcripts of your formal education before you come over here.

Good luck...

That all makes sense.

one other question, how much does it cost to sponsor an individual for a work permit?
I ask because, what are the chances I can find some form of interesting but simple work, like at an art gallery?
If the work visa is very expensive they are going to be unwilling to pay, if it's not so much maybe it could work out.

I would like to avoid going to a large corporate job unless I really need to.
Part of my desire to leave nyc is because I don't like the long stressful hours of finance.

thanks!

I'd be completely shocked if someone would be willing to go to the trouble of requesting a work permit for someone with your qualifications to work in an art gallery, or anything outside of your area of expertise. Then, I'd been even more shocked if one were approved. I think you can safely discard that idea!

SPIEGEL:

'RETALIATORY MEASURES'

sadly, that makes a ton of sense