In russian fairy tales wicked witch Baba Jaga is living in a house with legs. So this house could move around the forest by its own. In real life, unfortunately, you need a new place every time you move. So, I started looking for a new apartments in Dresden, and there are couple unusual things about it.
Empty house
In Russia, Ukraine and even Poland we saw apartments without kitchen utensils or without some furniture, but in Germany it’s absolutely empty apartments, even without kitchen cabinet.
From one side it’s nice that you can choose your own style and quality. I was sleeping so long on a cheep beds that can really appreciate that I can choose mattress on my own. But from other side kitchen cabinet alone costs 3000 euro. So to purchase furniture for entire apartment is quite expensive
Very good quality
My first apartment to see was a 1970s panel building and I expected to see a shabby walls inside the building, skewed windows frames and elevator with broken buttons. But in fact it looks better then our five year old apartments in Balashiha. Everything is kept in excelent condition, everything is clean and nice and Otis elevator is new and very modern. So about apartments itself. After previous renter the owner is doing renovation and you can enjoy clean and well-functioning housing
Landlord is the main
Apartments are in huge demand across the Germany. With lots of immigrants and refugees from different places, from Syria to Algeria and from Ukraine to other post Soviet countries. So it is a Landlord who can choose the tenants. After apartments overview I received a list of documents I need to provide. And it’s even bigger then to get a Visa to Germany: from salary slips and work contract, to bank details, credit history and certificate from current place. And you need to pay three to four months safety deposit on top of this checks.
Talking with my colleagues I was surprised to know that most of them were born in Dresden, got a degree here and working here for entire life. Now, as I know how hard it is to move, I am not surprised any longer.