[Post with personal recommendations]

Veerle, what brought you to Stuttgart?

As for so many expat wives: it was my husband’s job that brought me to Stuttgart. For him it was coming back to the roots – he is Swabian and studied in Stuttgart for a few years.

It was not your first move, you have been kind of all over the place before you settled down here in Stuttgart. What was different with moving to Stuttgart compared to your experiences with other countries and cities?

Well, for the first time I moved to a city where I already knew some people, friends of my husband who became my friends as well and who had visited us at our destinations abroad. So for the very first time it wasn’t starting from “zero”.

What did you know about Stuttgart before you arrived here?

I knew very little from Stuttgart, to be honest. Main railway station, Königstraße, Schloßplatz, Udo Snack at Calwer Straße and the TV tower, that was pretty much it.

Did your expectations about Stuttgart live up to reality?

To be honest, I didn’t have many. Stuttgart was still pretty much a sleeping beauty in the mid 90s and people kind of felt pity for you when you told them that you move to Stuttgart.

Was something very strange to you at the beginning?

I was quite surprised that Stuttgart, although being a city, had a bit of a countryside mentality. For instance, in 1994 going out for dinner on a Monday evening was very difficult with most restaurants closed. Also there were no cafés or bars to sit outside on the terrace and enjoy a drink. The choice of restaurants was quite limited. I still remember how happy we were when we discovered the (then) only Japanese restaurant, Kicho.

Thank god these days are over… How long did it take until you’ve really settled in and felt like home here in Stuttgart?

The first year was pretty tough, I have to admit. But then step by step we felt more at ease, made new friends, discovered the city and the region.

Is there something you like in particular about living in Stuttgart?

Fortunately, over the past two decades, Stuttgart has become more and more open and international. For me, it has the perfect size to offer everything one could wish. Plus there is this fabulous cultural package of jazz festivals, opera, ballet, theater, museums. On top of all, it is really green. Do you know of any other metropolis where the vineyards grow right into the center of the city? And yes, the local wines became really good over the years, too!

Oh yes, that’s true. Do you have a certain place, restaurant, museum… you love the most?

This is a very difficult question – I have so many favorites. The Grabkappelle on the Rotenberg is my favourite place for a sunset picknick – that makes me very happy every time. Favorite restaurant is Perbacco at the Paulinenbrücke. Apart from the Städitsches Kunstmuseum at Schloßplatz and the Staatsgalerie I love the Mediterranean atmosphere and architecture at the Lapidarium in the Mörikestraße. That’s not enough? Check out a very recent book by Emma von Bergenspitz: “Glücksorte in Stuttgart” and you will be surprised how many wonderful corners this city has!

You are a mom of two. Do you have any tips for other expat parents what to do with children in and around Stuttgart?

In the meantime my girls are grown up, but the open-air swimming pool in Möhringen as well as the Fildorado in Filderstadt were always their favorites during summer. Also on our list: the forest-playground on the Waldau Degerloch and the “Jugendfarm” in Riedenberg. And let’s not forget: Lake Constance is just a two-hours drive from Stuttgart. If you want to get away from it all, have a dip at the Strandbad in Überlingen (very casual), or go back in time at the Art Nouveau jewel “Parkstrandbad Hotel Bad Schachen”.

You have founded the relocation company reloxx in 2004. Did your personal experience with moving to Stuttgart inspire you to do so and why?

It was in fact my personal experience of moving to Warsaw that inspired me to offer professional help with home search and administrational assistance. When you arrive in a new country and city and you barely speak the local language because you didn’t have the time to learn before arrival it is very difficult to get around. To know where you can live, how you can find an apartment, how to sign up for utilities etc. or even the easiest of tasks sometimes.

What are the greatest challenges expats face when they relocate to Stuttgart?

At this very moment I think the biggest challenge is finding suitable accommodation. The situation on the real estate market is very tense – small offer, high demand and high rents. Even with a good budget it is hard to find anything that lives up to your expectations. Another challenge are kindergardens There simply aren’t enough. There is some improvement, but it is still difficult in some suburbs.

How can the services you and your team provide help with these challenges?

We do know the real estate market inside out since many, many years. We built up a good network of private landlords and real estate agents, so we can give our clients a head start every now and then. And we know how to address the administrational challenges to keep as much hassle as possible away from our clients.

What would be your personal tipps for expats moving to Stuttgart?

As soon as you have arrived in Stuttgart, focus on exploring the different areas, so you can make your mind as of where you would like to live. This will definitely help when you start house hunting. Join expat groups for personal exchange, learn or improve your German. And: THINK POSITIVE! Small miracles happen every day – and we are sure working very hard for our clients to make them happen.

Veerle, thank you very much for your time and for sharing your experiences with us!

More about Veerle and her relocation service:

reloxx.com

Tipps Veerle shared in the interview:

Udo Snack

Perbacco

Kunstmuseum

Staatsgalerie

Lapidarium

Emma von Bergenspitz: Glücksorte in Stuttgart [Affiliate link]

Freibad Möhringen

Fildorado

Jugendfarm Riedenberg

Strandbad Überlingen

Parkstrandbad Hotel Bad Schachen

Transparency: This Expat Interview is part of my cooperation with reloxx.

The post Expat interview with Veerle from reloxx relocation service appeared first on Living in Stuttgart.

[This post is part of my partnership with Reloxx. As a reader you will get 3 percent off on any service you book with reloxx relocation service. You find the promotion code at the end of the article.]

reloxx was founded in 2004 by Veerle Ullrick in order to support families and individuals who were relocating to Stuttgart. Veerle: “I know from personal experience what a difference it makes to feel at home in a new city, country and culture from the first moment on.”

And she really does: After having undertaken numerous international moves to Chicago, Düsseldorf, Warsaw and finally to Stuttgart, she personally knows what it means to move house, children and home, and she understands the special challenges involved in settling into a new environment. I think her personal experience is the best qualification for her job as relocation agent and her insights and her understanding of the situation make her services truly outstanding.

What to expect when relocating to Stuttgart with reloxx

reloxx offers several relocation packages that you can book individually or combined.

If you want a concise overview of your new city in order to make quick decisions about where it’s best to live you can book the First View package. Veerle and her team will provide you with a lot of insider information like information about the housing market, an overview of the public transportation system, details about the health system, the school system and more. A tour and guided walk are also included in this package.

Once you have made up your mind that you want to relocate to Stuttgart you will have to find a place to live. And that is quite a task here as flats and houses are scarce and high in demand. It is definitely helpful to have an expert by your side who knows the housing situation and has contacts to real estate agencies. reloxx offers a House & Home package that includes research and pre-screening of suitable properties, a guided tour of potential residences, negotiation and closure of rental contracts, registration for utilities such as electricity, gas, water, telephone, internet and more.

Nothing moves in Germany without a paper trail, and compared to most countries there is an overwhelming number of official registration forms to complete. The whole process is daunting and extremely time consuming, especially if you speak no or only little German. When you book the Registration package, reloxx will handle all of the registration steps for you with a view to minimizing the number that you personally need to attend. This includes for example registration at the city and public works authorities, car permits driver’s license applications, school registrations and more.

Even when you’re leaving Stuttgart again you can count on reloxx and their Departure service. Veerle and her team are happy to manage all the official paperwork on your behalf like cancellation of utilities and verification of final billings, notice of address change at the city authorities, closure of bank accounts and such.

Special offer for all readers of Living in Stuttgart

As I wrote at the beginning of this article, I have formed a partnership with reloxx relocation service. And you can benefit from it directly: With the code LIVING-IN-STUTTGART you will get 3 percent off on any service you book. Just name that promotional account when you get in touch with reloxx.

Get in touch

The team of reloxx is specially trained and experienced in managing the personal and family issues involved in relocating employees to Stuttgart, whether they are coming from within Germany or from around the world. Veerle herself is multi-lingual and happy to work with you in your native language, whether that’s German, English, French, Spanish or Dutch. Veerle: “I am delighted to help you and your family settle into your new environment – to help you find your way, to help you build new relationships, and to make you feel at home.”

Find out more online:

reloxx relocation service

Contact reloxx directly:

If you are interested in more information about the relocation services offered by reloxx you can contact Veerle and her team directly via the following form:

Picture credit title photo: canva.com

The post Relocating to Stuttgart with a smile – Reloxx relocation service appeared first on Living in Stuttgart.