How to Find a Room in Berlin That Doesn’t Smell Like Regret and Incense
- Filip
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
So, you want to move to Berlin.
Maybe you fell in love with a DJ. Maybe you wanna become one. Maybe you came for the clubs, stayed for the €3 wine, and are now trying to find a room that doesn’t double as someone’s spiritual rebirth chamber. Welcome to the great Berlin housing crisis: a never-ending cycle of Telegram scams, incense-heavy WGs, and existential dread wrapped in IKEA bedding.
This isn’t just about finding a roof over your head — it’s about decoding the unwritten rules of Berlin flat shares. Whether you're new to the city or six months deep in a “temporary sublet” that’s lasted longer than your last relationship, here’s your no-bullshit guide to actually finding a room in Berlin that doesn’t smell like sage and shame.
The Rumours Are True:
Berlin’s rental market is brutal. You’re competing with 300+ people per listing, half of whom are hot queer Italians with 3D-printed art degrees and a full Le Creuset set. The other half are startup kids who's parents will pay €900 for a Kreuzberg closet.
But you? You’re smarter than that. You’re reading this guide.
Step 1: Where to Actually Look (Without Getting Scammed or Drained)
Telegram Channels
These are raw, chaotic, and weirdly effective — like Craigslist had an ayahuasca trip.
@berlinwggesuchtbot
@BerlinFlatsBot
@BerlinApartmentAlertBot
@BerlinWGBot
Tip: Use search terms like “short term,” “queer-friendly,” or “furnished” to filter through the madness.
WhatsApp Groups
More chaotic, less searchable. You’ll usually get added via friends, ex-lovers, or that girl you met in the Sisyphos toilet line. Ask around. Everyone has a cousin in one of these.
Ask around whenever you're inviting that person for a cigarett.
Don’t be afraid to beg. Publicly. We heard it works, too many time to not include that here.
Facebook Groups (Still Alive, Somehow)
WG-Zimmer & Wohnungen Berlin
Free Your Stuff Berlin (for furniture & emotional breakdowns)
Queer Housing Berlin
Berlin Expats – prepare for German landlords with “big energy” and listings with one blurry photo of a mattress on the floor
Bonus:
www.wg-gesucht.de – still the OG
www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de – now rebranded but still sketchy in that lovable German way
www.immoScout24.de – for full flats and masochists only
Step 2: Surviving the WG Interview Circus
You’ll be invited to a WG-Casting. This is Berlin code for “job interview meets speed dating meets unlicensed group therapy.”
They will offer you lukewarm tea. They will ask what you do “creatively.” They may even judge your astrological chart.
Here’s how to win them over:
Bring a “vibe.” Don’t oversell, but don’t be boring. They want someone who’s chill but won’t cry in the kitchen every night.
Say you clean “intuitively.” This implies you’re tidy but not neurotic.
Mention one plant you haven’t killed. Houseplant survival equals emotional stability here.
Avoid the landlord question. If you ask if it's legal, they'll assume you're a narc.
Most people's living situation is technically a grey area.
Step 3: Types of Berlin Roommates You’ll Encounter
The Witch: Burnt palo santo. Moon water jars. Only eats beets and mushrooms (not those mushrooms).
The Startup Bro: Wakes up at 6AM to run. Has a standing desk. Says "biohacking" unironically.
The Raver: Works 3 jobs. Sleeps in the daytime. Never washes the forks.
The Academic Burnout: Doing a PhD on techno utopias and late-capitalist grief. Possibly in love with you.
The “Just Crashed Here” Guy: He’s not on the contract. He’s been here for 2 years. No one knows his real name.
Pick your battles wisely.
Step 4: Red Flags You Shouldn’t Ignore (Even If the Room is Cute)
“We like to keep the door open for guests” = There’s already three people couchsurfing.
“We don't really use cleaning plans” = The toilet has moss.
“The room’s available, but only until my friend returns from Burning Man” = It’s yours for 2 weeks.
“We don’t believe in WiFi” = You’re living with anarcho-primitivists.
Step 5: Once You Get the Room: How to Keep It Together
Pay rent on time. Even if your bank app is in German.
Replace the toilet paper without a committee meeting.
Show up emotionally, not just physically. Or fake it. That’s Berlin too.
And yes, buy a plant. It makes you look grounded, even when you’re falling apart in the shower.
Bonus Section: Quickfire Survival Tips
Sublet Scams? Always ask for a video call, contract, and Google the address. If it sounds too good, it’s a Swedish guy in Bali trying to rob you.
Want to sign a real lease? Good luck. Learn German. Get a job. Cry into your Bürgeramt appointment.
Desperate? Put out a public call on Instagram. Berlin loves an underdog story.
Finding a room in Berlin is basically dating, but more intense. You’re trying to vibe with a bunch of strangers, hoping one of them offers you a home (or at least a mattress and a window). It’s okay to be picky. It’s okay to feel weird about adult roommates. It’s okay if you end up in Lichtenberg for a bit.
Everyone’s Berlin origin story is messy. Yours just hasn’t been sublet yet.