How do I make a request for a furnished apartment with the Good Shepherd?

The two ways to make a request: What makes the difference

With the Good Shepherd, there are exactly two ways to make a request. Both lead to the goal, but they suit different starting situations.

The first way is the direct apartment request via the apartment page. Under https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/apartment You can find an overview of the available apartments. You look at the units, decide on an apartment that suits your situation, and ask about it directly. The decisive advantage of this method: Within seconds, you will receive automatic feedback as to whether the apartment is available for your desired period of time. This feedback also contains further information for the next steps.

This is not a standard confirmation of receipt, which only says that your request has been received. It's an actual availability response that gives you immediate guidance. You'll know within seconds whether you're on the right track or whether you should look for an alternative. For someone who searches under time pressure and needs clarity quickly, this is a real sign of quality.

The second way Is the general contact form at https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/kontakt. This method is suitable for anyone who does not yet know exactly which apartment is right for them, who first wants to clarify open questions about the location, the equipment or the conditions, or who are looking for general advice before deciding on a specific apartment. You can use the contact form to describe what you are looking for, when you want to move in and how long you want to stay, and then the Good Shepherd team will contact you personally to discuss the details.

Which path is the right one depends on how far along you are in your decision. If you have found a specific apartment and want to know the availability immediately, choose the direct route via the apartment page. If you are still at the beginning of your search and would like to answer questions first, it is better to start with the contact form.

What you should know and prepare before the request

A good request isn't an art, but there are a few points that significantly speed up and simplify the process if you think about them from the start.

The most important point is clarity about your own time period. When would you like to move in? This is the most basic information that makes a request useful. If you have a planned move-in date, you can immediately check whether an apartment is available. If you do not yet have a specific date, but an approximate period, for example at the beginning of October or mid-January, you can still make a useful request and have availability confirmed for this period.

The second point is the planned rental period. Whether you're looking for a month, a semester, a year, or longer has an impact on the options available and the conditions. The more clearly you communicate this from the start, the more precisely the Good Shepherd team can address your situation without asking many questions.

The third point concerns any special requirements or questions that you have. If you're from abroad and want to know whether the process works in English, that's a legitimate and important question that you should ask directly. If you need a certain size of the apartment or expect specific equipment, communicate this from the start. If you want to know whether a viewing is possible before moving in or whether moving in without prior inspection works, ask that directly. The Good Shepherd's team is used to talking with people who come from far away and cannot inspect the apartment on site.

In the first step of the request, you do not need to submit any documents. That comes later when it comes to the specific rental agreement. For the first contact, it is sufficient to clearly describe your situation.

What happens after the request: The further process in detail

If you request a specific apartment via the apartment page, the automatic availability confirmation comes within seconds. In addition to the availability information, this first answer also contains further information that is relevant for the next steps.

After that, the Good Shepherd team will contact you personally. This usually happens on the same day or the next working day. In this personal contact, all details relevant to your specific situation are discussed: the exact rental conditions for your period, what is included in the rental price, whether a viewing is desired or possible, and which documents are required for the rental contract.

This personal step is deliberately designed in this way because living is an individual matter and because the people who inquire with the Good Shepherd have very different backgrounds and situations. An international student coming to Germany for the first time has different questions than an experienced commuter who already knows how the German rental market works. A researcher for a three-month research stay has different requirements than a career starter who will work in Aachen for at least one year. The team addresses these differences instead of completing a blanket process.

Once all details have been clarified, the formal step follows: submit documents and sign the rental agreement. Exactly what documents are required depends on the respective situation and will be told to you in detail in person. Typically, this includes proof of identity and proof of financial security, i.e. in particular account statements, a certificate of enrollment or proof of income, depending on whether you collect as a student or as a professional.

The rental agreement will be sent to you for review before signing. Take the time to read it and ask questions if anything is unclear. That is your right and a normal part of the process.

Common questions people have before inquiring

There are a few questions that come up again and again before someone takes the first step of the request. Answering these questions here saves you the time to sort them out separately.

Do I have to visit the apartment in person before moving in? A personal visit is always possible and is also recommended where it is logistically feasible. But it is not a requirement. Many tenants of the Good Shepherd, primarily those who travel from abroad or from another German city, see the apartment for the first time on the day they move in. This works because the apartments are standardized and well documented. If you want to know what the specific apartment looks like before moving in, you can request photos and descriptions.

Can I also rent for a shorter period of time, i.e. just for a few weeks or months? It is best to find out the exact minimum rental periods directly when making your request, as these can change and depend on availability. Basically, The Good Shepherd is focused on flexible rental periods, which is a significant difference to the classic German rental market, where twelve-month contracts are often the norm.

What happens if the apartment I'm interested in has already been booked? In this case, you will receive immediate feedback and can inquire about alternatives. The team will show you which other apartments are available in the same or a similar period. An inquiry is therefore worthwhile even if you are not sure whether your desired apartment is still available.

Does the entire process work in English? Yes The Good Shepherd is also specifically aimed at international tenants, and communication can take place in English. This is particularly relevant for international students and visiting researchers who do not yet have sufficient German language skills at the beginning of their stay in Germany to complete a rental agreement process in German.

A typical enquiry interview: What it looks like in practice

To make the process tangible, it helps to imagine a realistic scenario. Imagine that you are a master's student from South Korea, you have been accepted for a master's program at RWTH Aachen and your studies start in October. You are looking for accommodation in July, have never lived in Germany before and want to make moving in as easy as possible.

You open https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/apartment, take a look at the available apartments and find one that looks good in terms of description and picture. You request it directly, state that you are looking for an academic year from the beginning of October, and receive feedback within seconds that the apartment is available for this period.

On the same day, the team will contact you by email, ask about your specific situation, explain the conditions, answer your question about the contract process in English with yes and send you further details about the equipment. You send the requested documents, the rental agreement is digitally exchanged, signed and confirmed. In October, you arrive in Aachen, drive straight to the address and move in. The bed is done, the kitchen is equipped, the Internet works.

This is not an idealized scenario, but the process for which the Good Shepherd was built.

conclusion

Making a request to the Good Shepherd is easy, quick and does not require long preparations on your part. Anyone who has a specific apartment in mind uses the direct request via the apartment page and gets clarity about availability within seconds. If you have any questions or would like advice first, use the contact form and will be called back in person. The entire process is designed for the situation of people who are under time pressure, come from far away or live in Germany for the first time.

Take a look at the available apartments and make your request directly: https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/apartment

Or get in touch first via the contact form: https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/kontakt

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