Apartment Hunting

This week has been super crazy trying to find apartments! Thankfully we have had help from HR to phone places, talk with landlords and read leases: basically to help us with the different language. Yesterday I went out to Roedelheim and saw two places, but again they were so disappointing. Both places were being renovated, which on the website looked like a good thing. However the first one it looked like they got behind schedule and then just gave up because there was no kitchen! The second one the availability date had been pushed back. Then today I went out to Steinbach and looked at a very nice little apartment. It is owned by the couple living in the house, and they rent out a little apartment in their upstairs. Anyway, I loved it so signed the contract! I will post pictures when I move in tomorrow. Another lucky thing, this apartment comes with no provision. In Frankfurt many apartments you have to pay provision, which is basically a commission for the real estate agent. This costs you 2.38 months rent! And you don't get any of it back, it all goes into the agents pocket. You also have to pay about 3 months rent as kaution (deposit). All in all this means that to get an apartment you often have to put down more than 6 months rent! Luckily I just had to put down 3 1/3 (I only have to pay 1/3  for the rest of July). The couple is so nice, tomorrow they are picking me up from the hotel because they said I must have so much luggage! Which is definitely true :)