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The hint with the washer/dryer is a good one. It's very similar with the lack of a kitchen in most German apartments. I understand that this is annoying for people that aren't used to it. Here in Germany washer and dryer is something that you take with you. By contrast, Germans would find it very annoying that washer and dryer are already installed in most American apartments. It's not always possible to throw those shoddy appliances away and replace them with your own ones.
Yeah but it seems like in Germany its not rare to find a nice 1 bedroom or studio for under $500 a month... here that would be very rare outside small towns.
But you have to consider what's consi8dered a "nice" 1-br. in Germany vs. in the US. According to a past thread, "nice" in Germany would be around 500 sq. feet. In the US, a "nice" 1-br. apt. would have more than twice that sq. footage. I'm not sure if you're comparing apples to apples in your statement, or not.
Usually the German rent apartments don't have kitchen furniture in them. If the tenants move out they also take the kitchen furniture with them coz they bought it themselves. Seems ridiculous to me but w/e.
Usually the German rent apartments don't have kitchen furniture in them. If the tenants move out they also take the kitchen furniture with them coz they bought it themselves. Seems ridiculous to me but w/e.
By "kitchen furniture", do you mean appliances? Fridge, over/stove? So there's a room, or a space designated as a kitchen, but it's not equipped with appliances?
That's a lot of stuff to schlep around with you when you move. It's expensive to move heavy appliances, and troublesome. The other thing about European apartments is that they usually don't have built-in closets, so you also have to haul around your family's armoirs, as well.
By kitchen furniture I mean kitchen furniture, not just the appliances, also the cupboards, drawers and cabinets.
The Germans are basically kitchen nomads.
By kitchen furniture I mean kitchen furniture, not just the appliances, also the cupboards, drawers and cabinets.
The Germans are basically kitchen nomads.
People dismount the cupboards from the walls, and take the floor cabinet/countertop units with them?? What if they don't fit into the new apartment? Are they designed to be modular, so they fit in any configuration anywhere?
People dismount the cupboards from the walls, and take the floor cabinet/countertop units with them?? What if they don't fit into the new apartment? Are they designed to be modular, so they fit in any configuration anywhere?
o.0
Yes, the cupboards mostly just hang from L hooks or similar mounts. Sometimes you get lucky and your kitchen fits but normaly you have to adapt a bit. A new countertop is usually needed. The basic kitchen units tend to be pretty universal but the more elaborate ones can be a lot harder.
Sometimes you can buy the kitchen from the previous renter. Secondhand kitchens are quite cheap, I got my last one for free with appliances, just had to dismantle and haul away. It was way to big for my place but I used bits and pieces of it to make a kitchen in my apartment. Every move does seem to damage the bits.
It bothered me at first as an American being used to having the kitchen in place but "ändere Länder ändere Sitten" different lands different customs.
Lot's of the small student apartments here in Heidelberg do have a small kitchen included.
Yeah but it seems like in Germany its not rare to find a nice 1 bedroom or studio for under $500 a month... here that would be very rare outside small towns.
Yes, I agree that any apartment in the U.S. under $500/month is not going to be very nice, but an $700-$800/month will be nice with a community pool, and washer/dryer.
But I suspect the German apartment for under $500/month is not going to be very nice either. My wife and I watch a lot of House Hunters International TV shows.....the European houses don't match up well with some American expectations mainly the kitchens and bathrooms. I think the price of a house that an upper middle class American considers nice in a mid-size German city will be more expensive than in the U.S., or at least comparably priced.
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