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One of the first things you have to do when you move to Germany is to find the right kind of housing. Obviously the decision you make depends a lot on where you live and whether you move over all by yourself or with your family.

Often you can start looking for housing before you actually move to the new country. If you know where you are moving to, you can just move to the city's homepage. These sites often provide information about their real estate market. Moreover, you can contact your employer in Germany (if you have one) and ask him to help you find an appartment or a house. Companies that hire foreigner in many cases have a network of landlords they work with or even own some places where their employees can move into.

If you are looking for a place yourself, you should be aware that their are some basic differences between renting in the States and renting a place in Germany.

First of all, most German appartments come without any furniture and applicances. This means: no refrigerator, no freezer, no sink - nothing. This is due to the fact that people simply take everything with them when they move out. If you know that you will live in that place for a longer period of time, the best idea is to go out and buy you own furniture. If you will only stay in one place for a few weeks or months, you should look for "moebelierte Apartments" (furnished places). They are advised in special sections in the local newspapers.

As soon as you have found a place, you should talk with the landlord and make sure that you understand all the conditions of the contract. Ask him whether you have to renovate the apartment, before you move in or before you move out. This is a common practice in Germany. Then you should ask him, which services are included in the rent: cable TV, water, and general utilities for the whole house like insurance, street cleaning and the chimney sweeper are normally included in the rent. You have to come up with the money for your electricity and heat. Ask the landlord, which gas/electricity company he is using. You have to call them yourself and set up a new account. Normally you pay a flat rate per month, and after a year you either get money back or have to make a supplementary payment. Utilities (gas and electricity) can vary between $60 and $120 depending on where you live and how many people live in your apartment.

Another fee you probably have to pay is the fee for phone and internet. The major German phone company is Telekom (www.telekom.de). They provide you with phone and internet service. The basic fee for a phone line is about $20 and the fee for DSL-Internet and flat rate is about $40 a month. If your landlord doesn't include cable tv in the rent and you want to be able to watch BBC and CNN, you have to pay approximately $15 per month for the cable bill.
One last thing you should keep in mind before signing the contract is how much advanced notice you have to give your landlord before moving out. Normally, you have to tell him 3 months in advance. Only if you find someone who would take over your place, can you move out earlier.