househunting is no fun...for now

Well, here are some things to learn about when you househunt in Germany.

1.) The Germans build up, not out, so most rooms are at the bottom or top of a house.
2.) Most people in Germany have kitchens the size of a small closet
3.) And, in Germany, it is the custom to literally "take the kitchen with you" whereever you go! So when the realtor says one house, that is all you get...four walls. They take out the cabinets, the appliances and even the freaking sink! So you have to get your own stuff for the kitchen or buy it from the previous owner or renters.
4.) there is no such thing as "closet space" here. You have to buy something called a shrunk or a armoir to keep your clothes and shoes in. I particularly don't like that, but hey, it makes it fun when you go shopping at antique market places for furniture!
5.) As with the kitchen, you don't get light fixtures in your home either, unless the people there before you left them, but I don't think they are allowed to do that. So I have to go shopping for some of those.
6.) The electricity outlets are of a different voltage so with our stuff we need adapters. Not bad at all when you can get them at the thrift store.
7.) One is hard pressed to find a place on one level-not so good when you have children.


So we went looking at houses yesterday. Our realtor, Mya, speaks wonderful German and that is good because the owners speak very little English. The two we looked at were ok, but neither one really practical for us.
The first was too small and way to much of a commute for us. The second place had many rooms but they were up two flights of stairs that there was no way we were going to get our American furniture up and it didn't have a living room. Just a kitchen and bathroom and than, up up and up.
So we are going to keep looking, but we are hopeful something will come through that is right for us!