What does a 3-room apartment mean?

The designations in the apartment advertisements are often not easy to understand, especially since they are not always completely correct or the condition of the apartment is easily glossed over.

Calculate living spaces - what exactly means "3-room apartment"

• In principle, it is very easy to determine which rooms are considered living spaces and which are not. When a "3-room apartment" is mentioned, it means that the apartment has three living rooms plus kitchen, Hallway and bathroom. Sometimes this is also abbreviated and referred to as "3 ZKB", which means: "3 rooms, kitchen, bathroom".

• Because in the descriptions, only the living rooms may be counted - i.e. bedrooms, living rooms and nursery. Of course, you can use these spaces as you wish, but they were taken care of House building mostly as a sleeping or living room planned.

• The kitchen and bathroom are not included in the three rooms because they are not living spaces. How many kitchens and bathrooms are available is either included in the description or you can ask the landlord or landlord. estate agents.
• If a 3-room apartment only consists of two living rooms plus kitchen and bathroom, then it was declared incorrectly, because it is only a 2-room apartment. However, this is only common in Germany; abroad, all rooms are often included.


What counts for living space? - How to correctly calculate the square footage

You would like to measure your living space to make sure that - the ones in the lease ...

• When calculating the number of square meters of the apartment (in Germany), on the other hand, all rooms must be included, including the kitchen, bathroom and hallway. What, on the other hand, may not count as living space are cellars, drying rooms and other usable areas. It is therefore advisable to measure the apartment precisely before signing a contract, if the specified number of square meters appears to be a little too little or too much. But here, too, there are a few things to consider, such as the sloping ceilings, terraces and balconies.

Apartment types - this is where the differences lie

In addition to a completely normal apartment, there are a few other terms that are not familiar to everyone.

• A relatively new type of apartment is the loft. These are old factory buildings that - mostly on the first floor - have been rebuilt inside and contain large apartments. They usually have high walls, large rooms and are often very modern.
• If you live alone and are looking for your first apartment of your own that shouldn't be too expensive, you will probably be looking for an apartment. These are usually 1-room apartments in which the kitchen is very often integrated in the living room / bedroom.
• Then there is the "basement", which is always in the basement - that is, in the cellar. Basement apartments are often a bit cheaper, but not everyone likes to live in the basement.
• And finally, the maisonette apartments - very exclusive (and often expensive) living options. They extend over two floors with an internal staircase and mostly a kind of "balcony" - the top floor is partly visible from below, which makes everything very open and large works.

Pay attention to the description of the apartment

Another important point is the description of the condition and location of the objects. Real estate agents in particular like to use slightly glossed over formulations when it comes to making a property attractive to potential tenants or buyers.

• Here you have to learn to read something between the lines and always ask very carefully. If it means "rural", then you must neither be sensitive to smells nor in need of rest, because this house is close to one (or more) farms. Here you can hear tractors driving out at 6 a.m., the smell of the stables or the ringing of cow bells.
• The term "close to the center", on the other hand, is also not for tenants who would like to have their peace and quiet and at home want to relax, because that usually means that the apartment is as close as possible to the (noisy) city center is located. Most of the time it is in a block of flats or above a pub.
• Another dangerous formulation - for you as a tenant - is the term "ideal for do-it-yourselfers" or "in need of renovation". That usually means that this domicile is in terrible condition - if you are lucky, there are still water pipes available - and you have to renovate everything yourself.
• And now to the absolute horror - the "emerging environment". If you see this description in an advertisement - run! Make a wide bend around this area and stay away from there. If an area is referred to as an "up-and-coming environment", then that means: It cannot possibly get worse, the housing option may not be available. between the junkyard and the red light district, maybe next to the garbage dump, in an extremely shabby street.

It is seldom the case that a situation is honestly described for what it is. For this reason, only one thing helps: visit the property, take a close look at the surroundings and the rental contract read carefully before you sign.