Expats moving to Frankfurt will find that locating an apartment or flat is a bit easier than in some other European cities. Nearly all of the city's neighborhoods have spacious apartments available for rent, with the exception of the downtown area. With a bit of research, it is possible to find a two bedroom flat for about 500 Euros, although prices are quite a bit higher in the downtown area, and in upscale neighborhoods such as the Westend.

Your transition to living in Frankfurt will be much easier if you locate and secure an apartment or flat before you leave your home country. You will need to establish your residence in Frankfurt to be able to qualify for a residence permit, and register your residence with the local authorities.

If you will be working for an international company that is transferring you to the city, find out if they offer any services to help you locate an apartment or flat. Doing this will save you quite a bit of time, and possibly save you the expense of using a rental agency as well.

There are numerous rental agencies in the city that can help you find an apartment, but keep in mind that the finder's fees charged by these agencies can be steep. Rental agencies understand that establishing a residence is critical to obtaining your residence permit, so it is not uncommon for them to charge as much as 4000 Euros to help you find an apartment. If you need to find a place quickly, though, the additional expense may be worth it.

You can contact one of the agencies popular with expats at frankfurtrentals.de.

There are other methods for locating an apartment before you arrive in Frankfurt. One of the websites frequently used by expats is www.immobilienscout24.de. This website contains listings of available flats and apartments, and includes pictures to help you get a sense of what your new living space will look like. Keep in mind, though, that the website is not available in English.

Another method is to check the listings in one of Frankfurt's more widely read newspapers, the Frankfurter Rundschau – you can access the rental listings at www.fr-online.de. Like Immobilien, Frankfurter Rundschau is only available in German.

A third option is to share a flat with someone already living in Frankfurt. This can help you minimize your expenses when first moving to the city, and can also be a good way to find a local to help you find your way around and experience the culture of Frankfurt. If sharing a flat or apartment appeals to you, visit www.easywg.de to find listings.

Expats tend to congregate in the downtown area, as well as a few other areas of Frankfurt. Sachensenhausen and Bornheim are two popular neighborhoods, because they are a bit removed from the busy activity of downtown. Bockenheim, a district filled with ethnic groceries, shops, and restaurants, is also a favorite of expats.

The Westend district, although pricey, is a favored destination of expats working in the banking and finance industries, largely because of its close proximity to the banking district.

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