Net rent
Basic rent without heating, electricity and other ancillary costs.

Warm rent/Final rent/Total rent
Basic rent including incidental costs.

Service charges/operating costs
Costs incurred by the owners of buildings on an ongoing basis. Some of these costs can be passed on to tenants. A distinction is made between cold and warm operating costs, i.e. operating costs without or with the costs for heating and hot water.

For tenants, operating costs are costs that are incurred in addition to the basic rent, e.g. for water, heating, garbage collection, janitorial services.

Deposit
Amount of up to 3 months’ rent, which landlords use to secure themselves against tenants not properly fulfilling their obligations under the lease, e.g. not paying their rent.

Furnished
Equipped with furniture

Renovated / Refurbished
Remodeled and adapted to new needs through renovation, modernization, conversion or partial demolition and new construction

Altbau
Residential buildings that were essentially built using the construction methods that were common until World War II. The end of the Altbau era in Germany is usually dated to the late 1940s.

Neubau
Newly built building

Vorderhaus
Front part of a building, house facing the front of the building

Hinterhaus
Part of a building adjoining a house to the rear, or a house located behind a house or the adjoining yard/garden

Gartenhaus
Regionally, especially in Berlin: a rear house located at a (planted) courtyard. Often the rear house is meant here.

Seitenflügel
Building on the side of a building complex

Hinterhof/Innenhof (Backyard/inner courtyard)
Especially in Berlin: (often sunless) courtyard closely enclosed by rear houses and side wings.

Staircase
Access to all connected levels of a multi-storey building

Ground floor/Parterre
Floor of a building located at ground level

Attic
Floor located inside a roof

Souterrain (Semi-Basement/Walk-Down)
A floor half a story below the normal level of the first floor in a residential building.

Loft/Loft apartment
An open-plan apartment converted from the floor of a factory or the like.

Maisonette or gallery apartment
Two-story apartment, especially in a high-rise building, with its own staircase located within the apartment.

Penthouse
Free-standing residential building on the roof of a multi-story building

Condominium/Condo
Apartment in a multi-family house, which is the property of a private person

Rental Apartment
Apartment in which someone lives in return for rent

Temporary/Mid-term renting
Type of rent where a room or apartment is rented for a medium-term period (3 months or more). Particularly suitable for people who are newly moving to a city or are looking for an apartment only for a certain period of time.

Living space/area
The sum of the chargeable floor areas of the living spaces belonging exclusively to one dwelling unit

Room
Single, enclosed room in an apartment or house. This includes living room, bedroom, study. Rooms that have a minimum area of 4 square meters and a height between the floor and the majority of the ceiling area of at least 2 meters count as such. So-called “half rooms” are naturally lit and ventilated areas of at least 5m2 such as niches, galleries and eat-in kitchens. Bathrooms, storage rooms and kitchens do not count as rooms.

Fitted kitchen (Einbauküche/EBK)
Built-in kitchen equipment that is precisely fitted into the kitchen space.

Elevator/Lift
Elevators are mainly used for barrier-free transportation of persons between floors.

Shared apartment/WG
The living together of several independent, usually unrelated people in one apartment. Bathroom, kitchen and possibly also a living room are shared.

House rules
Rules about behavior in an apartment building that tenants must follow. These include, for example, the agreement of quiet times or maintenance regulations (e.g. cleaning of the staircase, ventilation behavior).

Central heating
A central heating system supplies heat to an entire building from one location.

Self-contained central heating
A heating system for heating individual floors or apartments.

Underfloor heating
A surface heating system that heats rooms by means of pipes laid in the floor.

Balcony
Platform in front of a building facade, accessible from the apartment. A balcony is enclosed by a parapet or railing.

Loggia
Similar to a balcony, but the loggia is found within the floor plan of the building, i.e. it does not protrude from the building. Typically, the loggia is enclosed on all three sides and may have a large window on the fourth side.

Terrace
An uncovered platform, which is located below or on the first floor level.

Garden
Delineated piece of land where plants are grown. Unlike parks, gardens are usually used privately.

Identity card/passport
Official issued document with a facial photograph of the ID card holder, which serves as proof of identity.

Proof of income
Provides information about a person’s financial situation, especially monthly income. It is usually provided via bank statement or pay stub.Proof of income is usually provided via bank statement or pay stub.

Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung
A signed document from the last landlord(s) stating that the tenant has paid rent on time and in full during the lease term.

Lease conract
Contract between the landlord and tenant on the terms of the lease.

Sondereigentumsverwaltung/SEV (Special property management)
The SEV dinstinguishes owners of condos from the “common property”. The latter includes, for example, the corridors, the entrance area, the roof and the communal cellars of an apartment complex – in other words, all areas that can be used by all members of a community of owners. In the case of special property, the respective owners assume responsibility and the costs for maintenance measures, for example.

A clear distinguishment between special property and common property does not always exist. Therefore, this demarcation is usually recorded within a declaration of division.

Apartment handover certificate
Written record of the condition of a rented apartment. It is filled out and signed in addition to the rental agreement.

Property Owner

The owner is the person who legally owns an apartment or house.

Landlord

Person that rents out his/her property to tenants.

Tenant

The tenant is the person who is given an apartment/house by the owner with the conclusion of a rental agreement.

Available from

This is the date from which the new owner or tenant can move into the property, without any previous user still occupying it.

Common property

These are areas within a property that are used collectively by all residents. This includes spaces like staircases, elevators, parking spaces, and communal facilities like swimming pools.

Real estate agent

Acts as an intermediary between buyers and sellers of real estate. They appraise properties, market them, organize viewings, negotiate prices, and assist with the legal aspects of buying or selling.

Property price

The amount of money set for the purchase or rent of a property. It is influenced by various factors such as location, size, condition, and demand.

Rent index

A list that shows the average rental prices for different types of properties in a specific region. It serves as a reference for tenants, landlords, and authorities to establish or review fair rental prices.

Heritage protection

Refers to the protection and preservation of buildings or monuments that are historically or culturally significant. It includes measures for the care, restoration, and conservation of these objects for architectural, historical, or artistic reasons.

Short-term rental

Refers to the rental of properties, such as apartments or houses, for short periods, often for days or weeks, instead of long-term leases.

Land price

The amount of money required for the purchase or use of a specific piece of land. It is influenced by various factors such as location, size, development, and demand.

Property leasing

The renting of a property for a specified period in exchange for regular payments, without owning it.

Kiez

Particularly for Berlin: Neighborhood/small urban district with its own infrastructure and identity. Not to be confused with Hamburg’s “Kiez,” which means the red-light district of St. Pauli around the Reeperbahn.

Energy certificate

 Similar to an energy-saving label for buildings. It shows how much energy a building consumes and provides recommendations on how to save energy.

Condominium

An apartment in a multi-family building that is purchased by an owner and belongs exclusively to them.

Partial ownership

Refers to ownership of a specific part of a property, such as an apartment in a multi-family building or a particular space in a commercial building.

Rental management

The process of managing rental properties on behalf of the owner. This includes tasks such as renting out apartments, monitoring rent payments, organizing repairs, and communicating with tenants.

Landlord confirmation

A document issued by the landlord confirming the handover of the apartment to the tenant.

Handover of the apartment

The moment when the landlord hands over the rented apartment to the tenant for use.

Property management

Refers to the management and organization of residential or commercial properties by a manager or management company.

Tenant management

The administration of rental relationships and interaction with tenants by a landlord or property management.

Modernization

Refers to the renovation or redesign of buildings to make them more contemporary, attractive, or functional.

Special ownership

Refers to individual ownership of a part of a communal property, such as an apartment in a multi-family building.

Berlin districts
Mitte with Wedding and Moabit, Pankow with Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Lichtenberg, Marzahn-Hellersdorf, Treptow-Köpenick, Neukölln, Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Spandau, Reinickendorf

Berlin’s stretches of waters
Spree, Havel, Tegelersee, Halensee, Königssee, Hundekehlensee, Grunewaldsee, Weißensee, Kaulsdorfer Seen, Müggelsee, Schlachtensee, Krumme Lanke, Wannsee

Berlin’s places of interest
Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, TV Tower at Alexanderplatz, Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom), Humboldt Forum, Museum Island (with the Old and New Museums, Bode Museum, Pergamon Museum, Old National Gallery), Gendarmenmarkt with the German and French cathedrals, Kurfürstendamm, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe), Berlin Zoo, Charlottenburg Palace, East Side Gallery, Potsdamer Platz, Berlin Wall Memorial at Bernauer Strasse

Berlin’s Kieze
In Berlin there are the following well-known neighborhoods:

• Brüsseler Kiez on Brüsseler Straße in the district of Wedding
• Bergmannkiez on Bergmannstrasse in Kreuzberg
• Graefekiez around Graefestraße in Kreuzberg
• Helmholtzkiez around Helmholtzplatz in Prenzlauer Berg
• Nollendorfkiez around Motzstraße in Schöneberg
• Reuterkiez (also called “Kreuzkölln”) in the north of Neukölln
• Sprengelkiez between Westhafen and Leopoldplatz in Wedding
• Stephankiez in Moabit (district Mitte)
• Weitlingkiez in Rummelsburg and Friedrichsfelde
• Wrangelkiez around Wrangelstraße in Kreuzberg

Sustainable construction

involves the use of recyclable and renewable materials, alongside efforts to minimize energy consumption and waste production in building projects. Its primary aim is to lessen the environmental impact of construction activities.

Renewable energy

is energy that comes from sources like sunlight and wind, which are constantly replenished. These sources are abundant and widely available.

Energy-efficient appliances

utilize technologies like advanced insulation, efficient motors, and improved heat exchange mechanisms to minimize energy consumption while maintaining performance.

HVAC systems

HVAC stands for (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) HVAC systems are what keep buildings warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and the air fresh year-round. They include things like heaters, air conditioners, and vents to make indoor spaces comfortable.

LED lighting fixtures

are modern lights that use advanced technology to produce light. They’re energy-efficient, long-lasting, and small in size. LED lights turn electricity into light effectively, making them popular for lighting homes, offices, and other places.

solar panels

are tools that turn sunlight into electricity. They have cells that capture sunlight and change it into usable energy. People use solar panels on roofs or in open areas to power homes, businesses, and other things.

Climate adaptation

means adjusting to changes in the weather to deal with its effects. It involves making changes to things like buildings and rules to handle things like storms and higher temperatures caused by climate change.

Community engagement

is when people in a community work together to talk about issues, make decisions, and do projects that affect them. It’s about listening to each other and working as a team to make things better.