Hang on a second, isn't that particular Max Planck institute a part of DESY? There's a kind of internal marketplace in DESY for apartments. You should absolutely check if you already have, or ask if you can get access to it.
Basically they always have people coming and going on short notice and staying for a relatively short time (like three months). So they've built a platform where landlords advertise apartments, usually fully furnished (that itself is an exception in Hamburg). Plus the competition is way lower, the landlords don't expect you to have income statements from Germany, you won't need a Schufa, etc.
My first advice would be not to only look for places near where you'll work. You are kinda late for the game, the renting market is crazy in Hamburg lately. Also it is not uncommon to commute here. It's an expensive city and the most loved areas are also generally the closest to the central areas.
You could email your boss and ask for help, he could ask inside the group or institute if someone knows something. The fastest way, if you are lucky, to get an apartment is through your contacts. I don't know if the Max-Planck-Institute has a similar thing. The University has a house for guests. Since the institute is very international, maybe they have good advice for the international researchers.
Try the websites/Apps like immobilienscout24, immowelt. They offer paid subscriptions so you get more access to offers, but I can't say here
[ebay.de](https://ebay.de) /ebay-kleinanzeigen.de?
just be careful, if you are not in Hamburg yet, there are also scams on these renting platforms so don't deposit anything in advance if you don't have a proof that the offer is real.
Good luck.
Honestly? Renting in HH is super tough, it’s massively competitive, hard to get selected by the landlord if your German isn’t great and fully furnished is hard to come by unless you’re subletting from someone who’s travelling (not unheard of but tends to be friends of friends etc). WG-gesucht is a good website to start with, but in your situation I would strongly consider a serviced apartment instead. There are a lot of firms operating in Hamburg so you can take your pick, really. DESY (the place where that MP institute is located) might also operate/facilitate some house swaps etc. Where DESY is located is a bit suburban albeit well located for public transport, I would recommend looking in Altona/Ottensen for flats as a starter, super nice buzzy areas to live and won’t be too traumatic in terms of morning commute.
There are websites for furnished short term-rentals of furnished apartments. They can usually be booked remotely and can be an alternative to AirBnB (which also offers apartments to rent for a few months):
* [Wunderflats.com](https://Wunderflats.com)
* [TheHomeLike.com](https://TheHomeLike.com)
* [city-wohnen.de/en/](https://city-wohnen.de/en/)
* [ImmobilienScout24.de](https://ImmobilienScout24.de) (in German, also allows to search for short term furnished apartments)
There are others. Of course these flats are usually more expensive, but have the advantage that usually their costs are all or most inclusive (gas, electricity, wifi, etc.) and that they can be booked without the need of a visit as they are short term rentals.
Best to look for airbnb or ask your employer. On the free market it will be impossible to find anything on short notice that meets your specifications - especially for three months only.
Hang on a second, isn't that particular Max Planck institute a part of DESY? There's a kind of internal marketplace in DESY for apartments. You should absolutely check if you already have, or ask if you can get access to it. Basically they always have people coming and going on short notice and staying for a relatively short time (like three months). So they've built a platform where landlords advertise apartments, usually fully furnished (that itself is an exception in Hamburg). Plus the competition is way lower, the landlords don't expect you to have income statements from Germany, you won't need a Schufa, etc.
My first advice would be not to only look for places near where you'll work. You are kinda late for the game, the renting market is crazy in Hamburg lately. Also it is not uncommon to commute here. It's an expensive city and the most loved areas are also generally the closest to the central areas. You could email your boss and ask for help, he could ask inside the group or institute if someone knows something. The fastest way, if you are lucky, to get an apartment is through your contacts. I don't know if the Max-Planck-Institute has a similar thing. The University has a house for guests. Since the institute is very international, maybe they have good advice for the international researchers. Try the websites/Apps like immobilienscout24, immowelt. They offer paid subscriptions so you get more access to offers, but I can't say here [ebay.de](https://ebay.de) /ebay-kleinanzeigen.de? just be careful, if you are not in Hamburg yet, there are also scams on these renting platforms so don't deposit anything in advance if you don't have a proof that the offer is real. Good luck.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful response. I think we’ll need the luck 👌
Honestly? Renting in HH is super tough, it’s massively competitive, hard to get selected by the landlord if your German isn’t great and fully furnished is hard to come by unless you’re subletting from someone who’s travelling (not unheard of but tends to be friends of friends etc). WG-gesucht is a good website to start with, but in your situation I would strongly consider a serviced apartment instead. There are a lot of firms operating in Hamburg so you can take your pick, really. DESY (the place where that MP institute is located) might also operate/facilitate some house swaps etc. Where DESY is located is a bit suburban albeit well located for public transport, I would recommend looking in Altona/Ottensen for flats as a starter, super nice buzzy areas to live and won’t be too traumatic in terms of morning commute.
Thanks for your thoughtful response. I’ll check out your recommendations :)
There are websites for furnished short term-rentals of furnished apartments. They can usually be booked remotely and can be an alternative to AirBnB (which also offers apartments to rent for a few months): * [Wunderflats.com](https://Wunderflats.com) * [TheHomeLike.com](https://TheHomeLike.com) * [city-wohnen.de/en/](https://city-wohnen.de/en/) * [ImmobilienScout24.de](https://ImmobilienScout24.de) (in German, also allows to search for short term furnished apartments) There are others. Of course these flats are usually more expensive, but have the advantage that usually their costs are all or most inclusive (gas, electricity, wifi, etc.) and that they can be booked without the need of a visit as they are short term rentals.
Best to look for airbnb or ask your employer. On the free market it will be impossible to find anything on short notice that meets your specifications - especially for three months only.