In 2013 Svetlana bought an apartment with an area of 45 sq. m. m with two rooms and a balcony in the Berlin district of Spandau. The apartment is located on the first floor of a three-storey apartment building built in 1938. The last renovation and modernization of the house took place in 2010. In addition, the buyer has the opportunity to rent a garden plot near the house for a small fee.
Svetlana talks about her experience of buying an apartment in Berlin:
"Of all the cities I visited, I liked Berlin. After returning home to Moscow, I began to think more and more about buying real estate in this city. I was bribed by the good transport links between Moscow and Berlin - it is not difficult to get in this direction both by plane and by train.
After carefully studying the information about the districts of Berlin, my choice settled on Spandau. This is a green area with excellent infrastructure on the banks of the Havel River. Nearby there are banks, pharmacies, shops and much more. Not far from the house is the center of Spandau, where shopping centers, shops, cafes, etc. are located.
In this area, which is considered the fourth largest in Berlin, I liked the combination of the amenities of the metropolis and the green landscape. The streets are built up with old-style houses, besides the area is located close to the city center.
For me, it was preferable to buy in a low-rise building. The main criteria were – the first floor, so that the apartment had a balcony and the house was next to a bus stop and not far from the metro station, and also that there were supermarkets nearby.
I wanted to meet the amount of 55,000 euros, taking into account the costs of making a purchase. I conducted searches in several directions – I advertised in newspapers, looked for offers from owners and sent requests to several real estate agencies. The last option turned out to be the fastest for me.
I was sent a lot of offers, but some options did not suit me in terms of price, condition or location. As a result, I was interested in one apartment, and together with the real estate agent we agreed with the owner about viewing. I liked the apartment right away, and it met all my requirements. So I decided to buy it.
The real estate agent requested all the documents for the apartment, then a meeting was scheduled at the notary, where we signed the contract. When I returned to Moscow, I transferred the money for the purchase to the notary's trust account. Then the real estate agent met with the seller, who gave me the apartment.
The whole transaction was accompanied by a professional translation into Russian, incomprehensible points were clarified. The real estate agent gave exhaustive answers to all my questions, and also provided all possible assistance. The registration process itself was fast and smooth, like everything in Germany.
The cost of the apartment was 45,000 euros. In addition to the purchase price, I paid 4,500 euros for notary expenses, as well as for the re-registration of property rights in the land court and the tax on the purchase of real estate. The realtor's services amounted to 7.14% of the purchase price, this is the usual amount of the agent's commission in Berlin, which amounted to approximately 3,200 euros, including VAT.
Until the moment of purchase, the apartment was not rented, and the owner moved out by the agreed deadline. I bought this apartment without the help of a mortgage. There was no furniture here, now I'm doing cosmetic repairs and buying furniture. I do cosmetic repairs myself, and also contact a local company, where they do things for me that I can't do on my own. I'm going to use the apartment for my own living, not renting. I spend 230 euros a month on housing expenses.
While everything suits me, I'm starting to get used to a new place, I think that soon I will have free time to visit museums, exhibitions, theaters. I really like my apartment, it is very cozy, I think that soon I can invite my relatives and friends to Berlin. I do not plan to get a residence permit in the country."
HomesOverseas.ru thanks the company West Realtor for the information provided.
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