Tag Archives: Moving

Housing market in Berlin, Stuttgart and Munich

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At most German Universities the winter term (Wintersemester) will start in October.

This means, thousands of students are moving from their home town to their university town. They all are looking after flats or rooms in shared flats. The situation becomes critical in the housing property market in the main towns of Germany. Thousands of flats are missing in cities like Berlin, Stuttgart and Munich.
It’s a very hard procedure. If you identify a flat online, you have to arrange an appointment for flat viewing. You must have all your paperwork with, otherwise you will not have any chance. Then you stand in line with more 50 interested persons, waiting to get a view on flat.

The housing market in Berlin, Stuttgart and Munich is really becoming worse.

Berlin gets ready for digital future

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The new ” Einstein centre Digital Future”  in Berlin will create a multi collaboration and interdisciplinary research environment for increasing digitalization. Scientist from all over the wolrd will work about digitalization.
By now are round about 75.000 people employed in digital economy in Berlin.

Berlin gets more than 50 new It – professors. They should help to promote Berlin with the subject of Digitization further about the new “Einstein-Zentrum für digitale Zukunft” (Einstein’s centre for digital future). The scientists should build up networks to other disciplines: from medicine to archeology, in clothes integrated chips up to researches to the digital town. Furthermore, the effects of digitalization i.e. world of work should be investigated. Christian Thomson, president of the University of Technology Berlin said, “such a concentration in It research, as it will be situated in Berlin then, will be unique in Germany and a big chance for Berlin as science location”. The scientists should start to work 2017.

Right now first calls for tendering are puplished.

Successful and sustainable integration

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A new beginning in Germany might be a big opportunity. What does such a new beginning mean especially for migrating people? – A new job? New surroundings and new social contacts? How can one ensure a successful new beginning?
Many people have these hopes and succeed in finding a new job and handle even the sometimes extremely difficult subject of house hunting. However, they are confronted with new challenges and stumbling blocs on a daily basis, which complicate full integration and starting life at the new home.
Many people forget that a new beginning in a new country goes beyond finding a job and a place to live. It’s a complexity of various challenges. Learning the new language is not enough in order to integrate completely.

The online relocation portal gohelpy offers in cooperation and coordination with Agentur Ahrens an extensive preparation and integration. Relocation stands for support in completing all necessary steps – administrative, formal as well as organizational – in the most efficient and comfortable order. In coordination with intercultural training and coaching and successful as well as sustainable integration is the result.

To take the chance of a new beginning in life does not mean finding a job, but finding friends and being integrated at the workplace and in the new social environment.

Flat or holiday apartments Berlin

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New decision concerning holiday apartments in Berlin!

About 16000 flats are now allowed to be rented as holiday apartments as they are used only rarely by their owners. The administrative court of Berlin decided that secondary residences may be rented out to tourists and are not covered by the “Zweckentfremdungsgesetz” (law of misappropriation).
What consequences does this decision have for the already tense housing market?

Berlin’s housing market is tense since several years and will be tense in future. It needs to be awaited whether and how the decision influences the market. However, only flats which are used as secondary residence are allowed to be rented out, and are only allowed to be rented for several days or a few weeks a per year. The owners need to proof their own usage of the flat. Hence, the flat wont be on the housing market, even without the decision.

New City, new country: Relocation – do it yourself!

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This entry is part 3 of 6 in the series Relocation

You want to move with your family?

First, there is a difference between moving with infants and moving with teenagers. However, no matter how old your children are, you get child benefit in Germany.
For infants it is important to join a kindergarten, after moving to a new country. This makes it easier for them to integrate and to find new friends. They learn the new language fastest while playing with children of their age.
In Germany it is compulsory for children between the age of 6 and 16 to attend school.

If you are moving with teenagers – involve them in decisions from the beginning. It will be difficult for them to leave their friends behind; therefore, they need to identify themselves with the decisions taken related to the move.

Important decisions for them are:
Which school to attend?
Where to live?
What sports to do?
Other leisure activity clubs to follow?

Your integration will be successful only, if your children feel integrated as well.

Outlook for the next part of the series: Relocation with a Blue Card EU

Opening Bank account in Germany

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The European Parliament has decided to introduce the basic account between the start of 2016 and September 2016 at the latest. A non-discriminatory application should then legally be possible for every EU citizen.

To date it has not been possible for every citizen to obtain a current account in Germany. There had to be fullfilles some condition until the end of 2015:
Stipulation of the permanent place of residence
In order to personally identify yourself, production of an identity document containing your surname, forename, address, date of birth and a biometric passport photograph
Proof of creditworthiness/solvency.

To date there has been no legal right to a current account in Germany! Salary payments, welfare benefits, rent payments, etc. become a problem for affected persons. With effect from 2016, however, EU citizens will have a national right to a current account through the basic account.
What does a basic account include
Objective of a basic account is to fundamentally allow the holder to take part in cashless payment transactions. This will probably involve a current account on a credit basis. You can therefore dispose of the money which is actually in your account.
The basic account will enable you to
– make deposits and payments (salary payments, receipt of welfare benefits, etc.),
– transfer money and make payments by direct debit (rent payments, invoices, etc.).
The cash card with the basic account
You will normally receive a cash card (Maestro or giro card) with your current account.

 

Daylight saving time – summertime

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Daylight saving time – summertime

Daylight saving time in Germany is the practice of setting the clock forward by one hour during the warmer part of the year, so that evenings have more daylight and mornings have less.
Daylights saving time starts on the 27th of March this year, with the time changes taking place at 2:00 a.m. In springtime the clocks are moved forward from 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.

 

Creative City of Berlin

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How become a fellow of the creative City of Berlin

Foreign artists, talents and member of the creative economy moving to Berlin get a chance to get easily in touch with the creative professionals, artists and talents in Berlin.
We show you how to become a fellow of the cutural and creative economy of Berlin.

Berlin stands for an integrated approach to the cultural and creative economy. Launched in 2004, Berlin’s Cultural Economy Initiative (Kulturwirtschaftsinitiative) has evolved into a state-wide, inter-agency and cross-ministerial initiative that enjoys the support of businesses, networks, institutions and political parties. The best approach to learn more the creative city of Berlin is using special platforms.

  • By using the platform Creative City Berlin, you get an overview off all activities Berlin offers to you. You can enter networks, communicate with other artists, get a member of the creative community of Berlin.
  • starting with Kulturprojekte Berlin, you will learn everything about Berlin events (from Berlin Art Week to the Long Night of Museums).   It foster Cultural Education fosters the relationship and transfer of ideas between Art & Cultural Institutions, the wider cultural scene and children, young people and adults from different communities, backgrounds, generations, in various languages.
  • You also can get some information about the creative economy of Berlin on the offical page of Berlin.

Relocation – Settle down in Munich

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You want to enjoy a flying start in Munich?
Ok, what has to be done? You should keep in mind several things.
Munich with many inhabitants is an outward-looking and multicultural place to live. But some organizational duties have to be done first. These are challenging and may be different from your home country.

You´ll have several questions before arriving in Munich
Where do I want to work?
Where and how do I want to live?
How do I find housing?
Which regulatory matters have to be done?
What? How? Where? When?

How to settle down in Berlin

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You want to enjoy a flying start in Berlin?

Ok, what has to be done? You should keep in mind several things.

Although, Berlin is an outward-looking and multicultural place to live, organizational duties have to be done first, these are challenging and a bit different from your home country.
You´ll have several questions before arriving in Berlin,

  • Where do I want to work?
  • Where and how do I want to live?
  • How do I find housing?
  • Which regulatory matters have to be done?
  • What? How? Where? When?

Gohelp.y provides answers and solutions for you.

  • In order to make your steps to your new home in Berlin as easy as possible, we classify and manage them with you,
  • We do not only provide you with information, but we develop an individual road-map for your way as well. This road-map guides you to the whole process, beginning in the country your currently live in until living in Berlin. After moving to your new flat, the process of feeling home in Berlin starts: learning German, finding sports and leisure activities and discovering your new city. We accompany you during this process as well, if you like.

Try gohelp.y’s XpatVisor for free and make your own experiences.