Finding housing near your job in Europe is very hard, but I did it without paying agent. I want to share how I found room near my job in Wroclaw, Poland, with no extra fees, because this is most asked question on EuroJobLogis.
When I got job offer in Wroclaw, warehouse in Bielany Wroclawskie, I searched for apartment in center of Wroclaw because everyone says center is better. I found room for 450 euro, but it was 18 km from my job. Every day I had to take bus 30 minutes and then walk 15 minutes. In winter it was very hard, minus 10 degrees, and I was late 2 times and boss was angry.
So I decided to find room near job, not near city center. That was best decision for my work and money.
Here is what I did step by step:
Step 1: I opened Google Maps and searched "Bielany Wroclawskie". I saw small villages around: Bielany, Wysoka, Slęza. These villages have cheap houses because not many people want to live there, everyone wants city center. But for me, close to job is more important than city center.
Step 2: I searched on http://OLX.pl with filter "Bielany Wroclawskie" + "pokój do wynajęcia" which means room for rent. I found 5 rooms, price 300 to 380 euro. Cheaper than city center which was 450 euro. I saved 70 euro.
Step 3: I wrote message in Polish using Google Translate: "Dzień dobry, pracuję w magazynie w Bielany Wrocławskie. Czy pokój jest jeszcze wolny? Czy mogę zobaczyć jutro?" It means hello I work in warehouse, is room free, can I see tomorrow. Landlord replied fast because he likes workers who work near, stable.
Step 4: I went to see room after work. It was in a house, not apartment building. Owner was Polish lady, 60 years old. She has 3 rooms for workers. Room was small, 12 square meters, but clean, with bed, desk, wardrobe. Shared kitchen and bathroom with 2 other workers from Ukraine. Rent 350 euro including bills, no czynsz extra. That was good.
Step 5: I asked about contract and deposit. She said deposit 350 euro, one month. No agent fee. In city center, agents take 100% of one month rent as fee. So if rent is 450, agent takes 450 extra. I didn't pay that. I found owner directly on OLX, no agency.
I moved after one week. Now my life is easy. I wake up 7:00, go to work 7:20 by bike, start 8:00. No bus, no stress. I save 21 euro monthly ticket. I save 1 hour every day transport. After work, I am not tired from bus.
Many workers make mistake: they want to live in city center because it is nice, cafes, etc. But if your job is outside city, you pay transport and you are tired. Better live near job, even if village is quiet. You can go city center on weekend with bus, not every day.
How to find housing near job without agent:
1. Don't search only city name. Search area near your workplace. Use Google Maps, write your workplace address, then search "rooms for rent" around 5 km radius.
2. Use http://OLX.pl and http://Otodom.pl, filter by owner only. On Otodom, there is filter "Bezpośrednio" which means directly from owner, no agent. Always choose this.
3. Don't pay agent if you can. Agent fee in Poland is one month rent. In Germany, agent is forbidden to charge worker for most apartments, but some still try. In Poland, many apartments are with agent. Try to avoid. If you must pay agent, ask "Can I pay agent fee in 2 months?" Some agree.
4. Ask coworkers where they live. Best way. My coworker from Ukraine told me about this lady house. Workers know cheap places near job. Don't be shy, ask at work "Where do you live? Do you know free room?" In warehouse, 50% workers rent rooms near.
5. Check company housing first. Some companies have list of private landlords near workplace who rent to workers. HR department has it. Ask HR "Do you have list of housing near work?" My company gave me 3 contacts, one of them was my landlord.
6. When you visit room, check these things: Is heating working? Is internet included? How many people share bathroom? Is it quiet at night? Can you have contract (umowa)? You need contract for residence card. Without contract, you cannot do meldunek (address registration). Always ask for contract.
My room now: 350 euro, bills included, internet included, 10 minutes bike to work. I pay 350 total, no extra. Before I paid 450 rent + 21 transport = 471. Now 350. I save 121 euro per month. That's 1452 euro per year. Big money.
Also I have more time. Before I spent 2 hours per day transport. Now 20 minutes. So I have 1 hour 40 minutes extra for rest or extra job.
For EuroJobLogis readers, my advice is: Job and housing must be close. When you get job offer, before you sign, check housing around job. If there is no housing cheap near job, maybe that job is not good, even if salary is good. Because transport cost and time will kill salary.
For example, job in Munich center salary 2000 euro, rent near job 1000 euro. Job in Leipzig salary 1700 euro, rent near job 500 euro. Second job gives you more money saved at end.
So think about net money after rent and transport, not just salary.
I found my room without agent, without Facebook, just OLX and coworker help. You can do same. Start searching area near your job, not city center.
Good luck finding room near your work.