141:The Honest Truth About Housing When You Move Abroad
Finding housing abroad is one of the most underestimated parts of moving abroad — and almost nobody talks about it before the move.
Everyone dreams about moving abroad. The cafes, the walkable streets, the slower pace of life. But then comes one of the biggest reality checks. Imagine trying to sign a lease in a country where you have no local credit history, no references, and no idea how the rental system works — while competing with dozens of other applicants.
Today I am getting into the honest truth about what finding housing abroad actually looks like and what you should realistically expect when you get there.
What Housing Abroad Actually Looks Like
Before anything else, expectations need a reset. And I say this with love.
A lot of Americans picture moving into a spacious apartment with a modern kitchen, walk-in closets, central air conditioning, a large refrigerator, and an in-unit washer and dryer. European apartments are a little bit different.
Many homes abroad are smaller, older, and have significantly less storage space. Central air conditioning is not common in a lot of European countries. Combination washer-dryers are standard in many places, and in some apartments there is no dryer at all. Kitchens tend to be more compact.
I know this firsthand. I have not had a dryer in almost seven years of living in London. When I first moved here I used to carry my soaking wet clothes down the street to the nearest laundromat just to use a dryer for a few minutes. I did that a handful of times before I finally gave in and started using a drying rack. Now I genuinely prefer it. Air drying keeps your clothes in better condition and lasts longer. But it was definitely a shock to the system at first.
Trading Space for Lifestyle
Here is the reframe that helped me most when it comes to housing abroad. You are not necessarily sacrificing quality. You are trading space for location, walkability, history, and lifestyle.
The apartment might be smaller. But outside your front door is a walkable neighborhood, public transportation, cafes, parks, and a pace of life that feels completely different from anything you had before. That trade-off is worth understanding before you arrive so it does not catch you off guard.
Do Not Expect Your First Place to Be Your Forever Home
This single mindset shift makes the entire process of finding housing abroad so much less stressful.
Your first apartment does not have to be perfect. It just has to be a starting point. And thinking about housing abroad in phases rather than as one big permanent decision takes an enormous amount of pressure off the process.
Phase One: Temporary Housing
Phase one is short-term accommodation for your first one to three months. This might look like an Airbnb on a monthly rate, a serviced apartment, or a short-term sublet. The goal is not to find your forever home. The goal is to land, get settled, and give yourself time to actually learn your new city before committing to a longer lease.
Here is why this matters so much when it comes to housing abroad. When you arrive with temporary accommodation already sorted, you have time to explore different neighborhoods in depth, understand the transportation options, figure out where you actually want to be, and view apartments in person rather than making a blind decision from another country.
Phase Two: Finding Your Longer Term Home
Once you have spent a month or two on the ground, everything changes. You have a local phone number. You may have opened a bank account. You have a job offer letter. You understand which neighborhoods feel right and which ones do not. And you can view apartments in person before signing anything.
One of the biggest housing abroad mistakes I see people make is trying to lock down a long-term apartment before they have even arrived. I remember talking to an American who was moving to London and asked me about signing a lease based on a virtual tour. I told her not to do it. She did it anyway. She came back to me after moving in and said it had been a nightmare. A video can only show you so much. You will not see the lack of natural light, the feel of the street, or the things that only reveal themselves when you are standing in the space in person.
What Renting Housing Abroad Actually Looks Like
The rental process when finding housing abroad is different from what you are used to in the US. And it varies significantly by country.
Renting in the UK
In the UK, landlords and letting agents will typically ask for proof of income, employer references, previous landlord references, and a right-to-rent check confirming your visa allows you to live in the country. You will also need a holding deposit and a security deposit before you can move in.
How It Differs Across Europe
Every country has its own rental culture and it is worth researching the specific one you are moving to rather than assuming the process will be the same everywhere.
Germany tends to be paperwork-heavy and extremely competitive, particularly in cities like Berlin and Munich. The Netherlands moves fast — apartments in Amsterdam can disappear within hours of being listed. Portugal has become increasingly expat-friendly in recent years, though demand has grown significantly and the market has become more competitive as a result.
Do a quick search on what the rental process looks like in your specific city before you arrive. Not a deep rabbit hole dive, just enough to know what to expect and what documents to have ready.
Common Housing Abroad Mistakes to Avoid
Trying to Rent Before You Arrive
This is the most common housing abroad mistake and one of the most consequential. When you try to secure long-term housing before you have arrived, you are making a significant decision without knowing the neighborhoods, the commuting times, or what the street actually feels like to walk down every day. Fifteen minutes on a map looks very different from fifteen minutes on foot in an unfamiliar city.
Falling for Scams
Rental scams are real and they specifically target people who are new to a country and unfamiliar with how the process works. Watch for listings with prices significantly below market value, landlords asking for money before arranging a viewing, pressure to wire money quickly, and owners who claim to be overseas and cannot show you the property in person.
Legitimate letting agencies will always arrange viewings before taking any money. They will provide formal contracts and follow regulated deposit procedures. In the UK, deposits must be held in a government-approved deposit protection scheme by law. If anything feels off, trust that instinct.
Your Housing Priorities Will Probably Shift
This is something worth thinking about before you start searching for housing abroad.
Before you move, you might be convinced that you want a trendy neighborhood, a beautiful apartment, and city center living. Six months after arriving, what you actually care about might look completely different. A grocery store within walking distance. Reliable public transportation nearby. A peaceful street. Parks or running routes. A shorter commute. A genuine sense of community in your neighborhood.
This is one of the biggest reasons why temporary housing first is such a smart strategy. It gives you time to figure out what actually matters to you in daily life before you commit to a longer lease somewhere that might not fit those needs.
When I was considering moving to a different neighborhood in London, I walked through areas I had always loved visiting with a completely different lens. Not would I enjoy spending a Saturday here, but could I actually build my daily life here. The answers surprised me. The neighborhoods I loved to visit were not the ones I wanted to come home to every evening.
Housing Abroad Is About More Than Just Rent
It is easy to compare apartment prices between the US and Europe and get caught up in the numbers. But housing abroad is about so much more than square footage and monthly rent.
When you live abroad in a walkable European city, you are likely giving up a car. And with that goes expensive gas, high parking fees, and the time spent driving everywhere. In return you gain walkability, public transportation, cafes within walking distance, parks, easier access to travel, and a completely different pace of daily life.
You Are Paying for a Lifestyle
Sometimes the monthly rent covers a lot more than just four walls and a roof. You are paying for the neighborhood, the community, the proximity to everything you need, and a way of living that is simply not available in the same way back home. That perspective shift changes how you evaluate housing abroad entirely.
The Emotional Side of Finding Housing Abroad
Nobody really prepares you for this part. And I think it is worth talking about honestly.
Your first apartment abroad might not be what you imagined. It might feel smaller than expected, less impressive than the photos, or further from the things you care about than you hoped. That disappointment is completely normal. Give yourself grace in those early weeks.
Making It Feel Like Home
Over time something shifts. You decorate. You establish routines. You find your favorite cafe and your regular grocery shop. You get to know your neighbors. You find your running route. And gradually, almost without noticing, your new place starts to feel like home.
One of my biggest regrets from my first years in London is that I did not decorate my apartment because I kept telling myself I was only going to be there for a year or two. I ended up living there for five years. Do not make that mistake. Invest in making your space feel like yours from the beginning. Get the rug. Hang the art. Buy the throw pillows. It makes a genuine difference to how settled and happy you feel in your daily life abroad.
Housing and community are probably the two most important things when it comes to building a life abroad that you genuinely love. Do not leave either one of them as an afterthought.
Final Thoughts on Finding Housing Abroad
Finding housing abroad can feel overwhelming because everything is unfamiliar. But it is one of the most manageable parts of the move once you understand how the process works and go in with realistic expectations.
Do not pressure yourself to find the perfect apartment before you arrive. Use a two-phase approach. Give yourself time to learn your new city. View apartments in person before signing anything. Know the red flags for scams. And remember that your first place is a starting point, not a forever home.
The goal is not just to rent an apartment. It is to build a life abroad that you genuinely love. And finding the right housing abroad is one of the most important steps toward doing exactly that.
Still figuring out which European city is the right fit before you even start thinking about housing? Take the free quiz at jordangiberson.com/quiz
Grab the free guide, the 5 Exact Steps to Move Abroad, at jordangiberson.com/guide
And if you are worried about what people will say when you tell them you are moving abroad, go listen to Episode 113: Things People Will Say When You Tell Them You Are Moving Abroad
