Moments after our engagement, I started searching for a replacement for my 1.5 room apartment on the Rhine. The goal? finding a place with three bedrooms, which all have doors that close. housing over here is not measured in the number of bedrooms like in the USA, but the number of ROOMS (including dining room, living room) even an atrium counts – they don’t have to have doors even! So I was scouring the online ads for apartments of 4.5 rooms and larger. Every place I looked at had three rooms which could be purposed as bedrooms, but not always with a door! The criteria was the 3 bedrooms, two bathrooms (one half-bath is okay), and Stacy was really gunning for a place in the old city walking district. It also must not be a walk-up, so elevators only (unwavering criteria).

One day in February after my physical therapy appointment I was walking through the main square and I received a notification on my phone that a new apartment listing had just gone live: a 5.5 room apartment on the (selfsame) main square on the top floor of the building. I recognized the building as being the old Baroque House with the bank branch on the ground floor. The ad did not mention an elevator, but I thought to myself, the bank must surely own this building, how can it NOT have an elevator, so I popped over to have a look. Sure enough, right through the front door there was an elevator which I promptly took to the top floor to have a peek. And once back out on the square, I telephoned immediately (but it was a bit loud with pedestrian traffic), luckily I got through to the receptionist who was very friendly and helpful. As per usual I inquired if I could schedule a tour of the apartment and the she said sure, but I would have to contact the current occupant directly in order to schedule a visit, BUT be aware, he’s American and only speaks English, and he only has a American phone number, do you have a pen to write it down? erm…. no, hang on a minute. When searching for a pen and paper, the call was interrupted and we got disconnected 🙁

I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to reach the receptionist again for that American number. Eventually I got it. It was a Long Island (NY) number. Nobody answered. I left a message. So I waited an hour and tried again. Nobody answered. So I waited an hour and tried again. Nobody answered. So I waited an hour and tried again. Nobody answered. So I waited an hour and tried again. Nobody answered. So I waited a day and tried again. Nobody answered. So I waited an hour and tried again. Nobody answered. So I waited an hour and tried again. <—– this went on and on and on ——-> Stacy also started calling as well… Nobody answered. So I waited an hour and tried again. Nobody answered. So I waited an hour and tried again. another voice mail. So I waited an hour and tried again. another voice mail. So I waited an hour and tried again. another voice mail. we must have left dozens of voice mails for this guy.

I was almost to the point of giving up. So I called the real estate agency again and explained the situation. She told me that she would get in touch with him directly. a few hours later he sent me an email. This was the ides of March, 2022.

Good afternoon, 

I apologize for the delay, it has been a hectic few weeks with my work schedule. 

I can likely show the apartment at 19:30 tonight if you need to see it today. Some is coming at 19:00 but can try to make it work if you need it asap.  As for tomorrow, I can show the apartment at 19:00 if that time works well for you. 

If you have any questions or need anything else please let me know. 

Thanks,

Mike. 

After receiving this mail (at 5pm on the 15th of March), I put on my raincoat and fast stepped up the hill to the main square and called from in front of the door. When I said I wanted to have a look and that I was out front, he buzzed me in and told me to take the lift to the 5th floor. I looked around and saw that it met the 3 bedroom 2 bath criteria and took some photos and a walkthrough video and left again. As soon as I got home I filled out the application for the lease and sent it via email. At 10am the next day my phone rang from an unknown number. It was the real estate company calling to offer me the lease. Now all there was to do was get out of my current lease (3 month written notice, per end of quarter). The soonest I could be out of my lease was end of June. So the lease was signed beginning on the 1st of July, though I would be permitted to move in as soon as the current occupant left (1st of June). So I booked a moving company for June 3rd and the rest is history.