The quickest way to find your new home with HOMEBOY
1. Create a suitable search profile on our website or in the HOMEBOY app
It all starts with the right search profile. Save your search and choose whether you’d like to receive listings via email or as push notifications in our HOMEBOY app. If you’ve just registered or have entered your email address in your search profile, please follow the instructions below to confirm your email address. This helps us ensure that others aren’t inundated with unwanted property listings.
2. Respond immediately to new housing offers - the first applicants are always invited to viewings.
Once your search profile is activated, you should start receiving the first property listings via email or push notifications within a short time. These new listings have only just appeared on platforms such as Immoscout24, Immowelt, Kleinanzeigen or others, and you’ll be among the first to be notified of them. Especially in major cities like Berlin or Munich, the best listings are only online for 10 minutes because there is so much demand. Response time is therefore the most important factor in securing an invitation to a viewing. Use your competitive advantage and react immediately to new listings. The first applicants with the right application pack are also the first to be invited. One of the biggest advantages of HOMEBOY is that we search all relevant property portals for you in real time and notify you immediately as soon as there are new listings that match your search criteria.
3. Have your outstanding application portfolio ready
Your first digital impression counts. When applying for the flat, send your application portfolio to the letting agency straight away. If you can’t upload a document to the chat, ask for an email address to which you can send the portfolio. As competition is so fierce, you need to stand out with a top-notch application portfolio. Landlords don’t know anything about you yet and ultimately always choose the applicants they feel most comfortable with. Will the rent be paid on time? Will the person fit in well with the existing tenant community? Does the person have unrealistic expectations? These are all questions landlords want answers to, and they usually get them from the application pack and during the viewing. You’ll only receive an invitation to the viewing if your application pack is in order.
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Here is a list of documents you should definitely have ready:
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Cover letter
Much like a job application letter, the aim here is to inform landlords about your qualifications. Answer key questions about yourself and why you’re suitable for the flat. Highlight your employment history and reliability, both financially and personally.
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Schufa credit report
Your Schufa credit report provides the landlord with a credit check. It is essential that you always provide this document, as it proves that you have not had any financial problems in the past.
You can request your Schufa credit report free of charge:
https://www.schufa.de/newsroom/bonitaet/schufa-auskunft-kostenlos-datenkopie/#
Certificate of No Rent Arrears
You can request this document from your previous landlord, which confirms in writing that you have always paid your rent reliably and in full. This document further demonstrates your reliability as a tenant.
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Proof of Income
Landlords usually want to see your last three payslips to ensure that you can afford the flat. As a rule, rent should not exceed one third of your net income. With rents on the rise, this rule of thumb is becoming increasingly difficult to meet. Proof that you are in permanent employment and no longer on probation can also be helpful.
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A special feature of the HOMEBOY app
You can create your application template in the HOMEBOY app, including variables. Every time you click on a property in the app and copy your application template, we automatically insert the property details into your application letter for you, ensuring that every letter is unique and tailored to the property. This helps you attract much more attention from the landlord and increases your chances of securing a viewing!
4. The Viewing
You've already got one foot in the door! Now you just have to make the right impression. Come to the appointment well-groomed and well-dressed. It's best to be there a few minutes before the appointment and bring another copy of your documents in a folder. This will give you a trustworthy and well-prepared impression and help you stand out from the crowd. Make sure you have a friendly and accommodating demeanour. If you like the flat, you should communicate your enthusiasm and acceptance as quickly as possible. If you are accepted, make sure you meet all deadlines and send the estate agent or landlord everything they need to finalise the contract. Welcome home! You've made it.
Time to explore.
