Kaiserslautern & Ramstein area: housing and classifieds guide

The Kaiserslautern Military Community is the largest American community outside the US — over 50,000 people. Here is how to get set up: 1. Housing: off-base apartments list on German classifieds. Search for "Wohnung" + city name. Landlords near base are used to American tenants — mention you are military, it helps. 2. Deposit: expect 2–3 months cold rent (Kaltmiete) as Kaution. Never wire it before signing. 3. Furniture: many apartments come unfurnished (no kitchen!). Check the Verschenken/free section first — departing families give away everything. 4. Cars: buy local, sell local. The lemon lots near base are overpriced — private sellers on classifieds are cheaper. 5. Language barrier: post and search in English on Kapnula — everything gets auto-translated to German and Russian too, so your ad reaches everyone. Also check nearby cities: Kaiserslautern, Landstuhl, Ramstein-Miesenbach, Wiesbaden and Stuttgart all have active listings.