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How did u get an NYC apartment?

whiteslashasian

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I used Craigslist to find my latest NYC apartment. The roommates were renewing their lease and were looking for someone to take an empty bedroom. I visited the apartment, met the roommates, we got along instantly and it was a done deal.

I'm in Financial District, doorman, gym, 2 laundry facilities, massive bedroom room (about 17'X14') in a large apartment with a balcony off the living room. I pay $1350 a month. This was back in October when prices were still a bit higher than they are now....
 

fcuknu

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Tudor is nice, but a little out of the way. Ive never heard of a co-op fee for renting in tudor. My ex-girlfriend owned a co-op in Tudor and its really nice if you love the old, charming, neighborhoody kind of experience.

My current apt is about 400-450 sq feet and I was paying around 1800, it was on the third floor of a walk up.

My new apartment is about 350-400 sq feet and it has a private garden which is about 600 sq feet. Its also on a quieter street. Its about 1450.

The sweet spot for a studio on the east side looks to be 1600-1900. There are some good deals to be had if you can find them. I just got lucky and saw the studio on craigslist and jumped on it. It was by owner so there were no fees at all. I signed the lease the same day.
 

JSC437

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Originally Posted by whiteslashasian
I used Craigslist to find my latest NYC apartment. The roommates were renewing their lease and were looking for someone to take an empty bedroom. I visited the apartment, met the roommates, we got along instantly and it was a done deal.

I'm in Financial District, doorman, gym, 2 laundry facilities, massive bedroom room (about 17'X14') in a large apartment with a balcony off the living room. I pay $1350 a month. This was back in October when prices were still a bit higher than they are now....



There are a lot of adds on Craigslist for Financial District. Mostly at the building 2 Gold Street. I dont know much about those buildings, but I am tempted to take a look. As long as I am near the 4/5/6 trains then my commute would be pretty easy.
 

fcuknu

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A friend of mine lives in 2 Gold, its a nice building, but the area is a little lacking.
 

gomestar

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there is nothing around 2 Gold St. I had some friends who lived there, it sucked to travel all the way down and then walk all the way back to the 4/5 trains and travel uptown to the bars.

also, while the building is really nice, it's full of young people who have a tendency to be loud. It feels like living in a dorm all over again.
 

bigbris1

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We used CL & dealt directly with the owner for our condo.
 

Axelman 17

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First Apartment: Inherited from a friend
Second (current) Apartment: Craigslist

There is good stuff on Craigslist but you have to be willing to spend a lot of time and see a lot of awful stuff. In my latest search I looked at about 20 places all through craigslist and 2-3 of them ended up being nice enough to consider.

My impression of brokers is that most of them are worthless and are definitely not worthwhile at the lower price points in NYC. I was taken around by a few well established places and none of them had anything better to show me than things I found on Craigslist.

Assuming the rental market hasnt changed in the last couple months, you really dont need to be paying a broker fee at the lower end of the market. The big buildings in areas like murray hill, UES, UWS, Wall Street etc in particular are paying broker fees and giving away months. Of course, those areas all suck to live in....
 

gomestar

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Originally Posted by Axelman 17
The big buildings in areas like murray hill, UES, UWS, Wall Street etc in particular are paying broker fees and giving away months. Of course, those areas all suck to live in....

wrong.
 

gdl203

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Originally Posted by gomestar
wrong.

Which part? The second sentence is correct. Not sure about the first...
 

gomestar

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Originally Posted by gdl203
Which part? The second sentence is correct. Not sure about the first...

actually, both. Sure, many places are saying "no broker fee" even when using a broker. And this is true. However, as I have mentioned in other threads before, the fee is hidden in the monthly rent. As about paying the fee and you'll see the rent drop quite a bit or you'll get an extra month free. Paying the fee up front usually doesn't save or cost you extra money in the first year, but if you stay at the same place more than 12 months, you'll be saving a substantial amount of money if you just pay the fee up front and enjoy the lowered rent.

Murray hill sucks, I absolutely agree, but UES and UWS do not. I'm sure Tribeca is nice, but expect to drop $4,000 a month for a 1-bedroom, not all of us have the luxury of living there.
 

poorsod

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Originally Posted by gomestar
actually, both. Sure, many places are saying "no broker fee" even when using a broker. And this is true. However, as I have mentioned in other threads before, the fee is hidden in the monthly rent. As about paying the fee and you'll see the rent drop quite a bit or you'll get an extra month free. Paying the fee up front usually doesn't save or cost you extra money in the first year, but if you stay at the same place more than 12 months, you'll be saving a substantial amount of money if you just pay the fee up front and enjoy the lowered rent.

I don't agree with this. It may be true if you are renting in a condo or coop from the owner via the agent. However, if you go to a rental building via the management company, either they give you 1 month's free rent or use that 1 month to pay the broker.
 

gomestar

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Originally Posted by poorsod
I don't agree with this. It may be true if you are renting in a condo or coop from the owner via the agent. However, if you go to a rental building via the management company, either they give you 1 month's free rent or use that 1 month to pay the broker.
i was talking about finding an apartment using a broker, not dealing directly with a management company. CL can usually be lumped into that group since a rather large percentage of posters are brokers.
 

poorsod

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Originally Posted by gomestar
i was talking about finding an apartment using a broker, not dealing directly with a management company. CL can usually be lumped into that group since a rather large percentage of posters are brokers.

But it is so easy looking for management companies via nybits.com, you usually don't have to use a broker. I think brokers are appropriate if
1) You have little time and need to find an apartment quickly.
2) You want high end luxury or unique apartments.
3) Or undermarket rent stabilized apartment.

Otherwise, why?
 

gomestar

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some people (like me) work a lot of hours and its great to meet somebody at 8 pm and have them take you to 8-10 different places and then take care of negotiating and all the paperwork for you. I had some requirements (above X St., but below Y St. and not past Z Ave., pets allowed, etc.) and my broker narrowed down everything for me, had the keys for viewing ready, and negotiated a move-in time that saved me a lot of money.

I worked with the management company last year, and while that worked fine, I had great luck with my particular broker this year and the whole process was not the nightmare I anticipated.
 

haganah

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Originally Posted by poorsod
But it is so easy looking for management companies via nybits.com, you usually don't have to use a broker. I think brokers are appropriate if
1) You have little time and need to find an apartment quickly.
2) You want high end luxury or unique apartments.
3) Or undermarket rent stabilized apartment.

Otherwise, why?


because not all of us want to live in run down small apartments in the middle of nowhere? as much as i hate them, they have access to the best listings.
 

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