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Lars Grosswendt
Berlin - Home Search
I came to Berlin as an expat myself.
I know how challenging it can be to move to a new city, and even I had a home search consultant when I moved back to my home country in 2016.
Furthermore, I worked for bigger companies as a compensation & benefit manager and helped expats transfer from one country to another on paper.
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Supporting expats now in real life, accompanying them to viewings, and helping them settle down in a new environment is making my job life even more interesting and fulfilling.
1. What makes the perfect apartment or house for you?
This is a very individual question. What may be perfect for me may not be so important for my clients. That's why I offer “first calls” where I can find out how familiar my client is with the city.
What are the expectations and ideas of their perfect apartment? How do these expectations fit into the reality of Berlin?
2. Which city or neighborhood in Germany do you find most exciting to live in?
I could live in many other cities in Germany, but as I moved to Berlin in 2016, I would highly recommend this city to any of my friends. And the good thing about Berlin is that I could live in almost any district of Berlin. You just need to know where the nicer streets of that districts are, and here I can see one of the biggest advantages of having me as a home consultant.
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Berlin is not like any other bigger capitals. We have a special history, and this still reflects the different areas and apartment styles. My passion is to explain to my clients how Berlin really works. What can you expect from Berlin compared to where you are coming from?
4. Do you have a favorite project or memorable story from your work?
One of my clients was so happy about the home search that he asked me to become the godfather of his newborn.
5. How do you find the right property for even the most demanding clients?
I spend much time listening to what the client is looking for. If I see that it will be challenging to meet their expectations, I give them examples of apartments in their preferred areas (desired size and budget) and try slowly to adjust their expectations to the real market of Berlin.
6. What tips would you give to expats to navigate the housing search?
In Berlin, most of the landlords and agencies are using the website immobilienscout24.de. It is a good platform to get used to the areas, prices, and sizes. Create your own filter on this website and get push-up notifications about apartments that meet your expectations and criteria. Then use some time and take a look at the surroundings of the apartments you like.
Every vibe of the district is very different from the others. You need to get a more profound understanding of the neighborhood. Is this an area I could see myself living in? Would it be worth it to pay a little more for another area? Do I really need such a big apartment?
7. What motivates you every day as a Home Search Consultant?
To see the look in my clients' eyes when they get the keys to their new home.
8. In which city do you mainly work, and what makes it special for you?
I am specialized in Berlin, and I love this city, as you can live your lifestyle in thedistricts that fit you the best.
9. Is there a place in your city you would recommend new clients to visit?
There are simply too many places to list them all here. I highly recommend riding around on a bicycle to get a better feel for the size of the city and perhaps discover some hidden gems along the way.