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Ten Tips
Brokers' Tricks
How to Pick an Apartment
Once You've Got a Place
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Ten Tips
If you can find a way to spend some time in New York before you have a job, do it. Don't expect to come to The Big Apple for a couple of days and find a great apartment. It won't happen. You need at least a week. Two is better. A month is ideal.
Finding an apartment in New York is the closest to hell most people will get. It can be a nightmare. You get less for your real estate dollar here than anywhere else in the country. There is just no way around that. Here are ten tips, in no particular order, to try and make it bearable.
1) It's all in the timing.
The Village Voice, New York's "alternative weekly" comes out late Tuesday night. Sunday's New York Times real estate section comes out on Saturday if you get the paper delivered or know someone who does. Get it early and give it a good look; start making calls as early as possible the next day. The paper is also the best way to get a handle on the going rate in any given neighborhood. There are publications other than the Voice and the Times, but those are the main two sources for the majority of New Yorkers.
There are good times and bad times for finding an apartment. Do not expect to come to New York in mid-September and find a great apartment in the Village. Several thousand students will have arrived a month before you and grabbed up practically everything in sight. August 1st, September 1st, January 1st, May 1st, and June 1st are the best times to be looking to sign a lease. Most apartments go on the market soon after the first of the month. Don't even bother looking for an apartment more than a month in advance; you'll just be wasting your time.
Most apartments on the market go prety fast. But keep in mind that landlords will get more desperate as the end of the month approaches and they have apartments unrented. Sometimes the best deals are made by making a lower offer to a desperate landlord who wants somebody paying something when the first of the month rolls around.
2) Avoid brokers.
Brokers are the people who like to make you think you need them to get an apartment. You might, but try to avoid them if possible. Look for ads that say "no fee" or "for rent by owner." Owners or management companies will usually show an apartment at an open house for several hours once or twice in a week. No broker will give you the address of an apartment or agree to meet you there (for fear you might bypass them in some way if you learn who the landlord is). If you go to an open house, don't be intimidated by the competition and be sure to pay special attention to rules five, seven, and nine.
Recently in the city, various "underground" lists have appeared with the names and phone numbers of lots of landlords. The lists are for sale (about $20), so you can contact landlords directly about available apartments ... thus bypassing a broker. The list is occasionally advertised in the Village Voice or on bulletin boards in laundromats. If you have the time to get the list and call these landlords, it is often worth the effort.
3) Set your price limit.
In most cities the conventional wisdom is that you can spend a quarter to a third of your income on rent. Many young New Yorkers will push that limit to half, which is fine, but don't consider spending more unless you plan on getting help from Mom and Dad. And don't even look at apartments out of your price range unless you enjoy envy and frustration. If for some reason (see Brokers' Tricks) you do see an apartment you can't afford, don't be afraid to make a lower offer. You have nothing to lose.
4) Get a roommate.
Or several. I know you may want to live alone, but you get the best values when you can split the rent. If you don't have a roommate coming with you, ask your friends; everybody knows somebody looking for a roommate. If you have a job, don't be embarrassed to ask your employer about potential roommates in your new office. While having a roommate also makes the work of looking easier, it makes the process of deciding harder. Pick a roommate carefully. You're going to live with him/her/them. Nuff said.
If you know you are looking for a roomate and an apartment, you can look for a share with someone who has already found the perfect place. Check bulletin boards, particularly in the Columbia and NYU areas (Upper Upper West Side and West Village, respectively). Try cafes, laundromats, grocery stores, and diners. Classifieds in the Village Voice have a 'Shares' section that can be very helpful if coupled with shrewd judgment.
5) Make sure you are prepared to pay.
When you find the apartment you want, you don't want to lose it because you are busy trying to get your funds together. You will need at least the first month's rent and another month's rent for a security deposit. Some landlords will also ask for the last month's rent. Your money should be in a New York bank so that you can get a certified check or money order quickly. Competition for good apartments is stiff. You will probably have to fill out an application with a credit history, references, rental history, etc. When you find an apartment you like, don't be timid. You may also have to pay a $20-$80 fee to have a credit check done (this is normal and nonrefundable if your credit turns out to be bad). Many landlords will ask you to have a guarantor - someone who makes a lot more money than you and is willing to pay your rent if you are unable to (i.e., Mom and Dad). Many brokers and landlords will ask you to give them a deposit on the spot if you want an apartment. If you are serious, give them a check (you can always get a regular check cancelled if you change your mind ten minutes later).
6) Take someone with you.
If at all possible, take a native New Yorker with you when you go to look at an apartment, especially the first time. If the first apartment you see seems great, but you have nothing to compare it to, you'll have a hell of a time trying to decide whether or not to take it. In general, it is always nice to have a trustworthy second opinion on hand.
7) Get what's yours.
When you have decided to rent an apartment get as much as you can out of the landlord. It is standard for landlords to repaint apartments between tenants; if they refuse, make them agree to buy paint and brushes for you to do it. If there are no bars on windows that open onto a fire escape, they should agree to put them in or at least to split the cost with you. If the apartment is empty before the first, find out if you can move in early. If an apartment isn't ready for you to move in on the first, ask to pay only half for the first month. If anything looks broken, damaged, or somehow not functioning ask to have it fixed before you move in. Find out what's included: they might tell you that heat and hot water are included, but if the heaters are electric, chances are you'll be paying the electric bill. Same goes for air conditioning.
8) Break rule #2.
Particularly if you are in a hurry, you may have to use a broker. You can use as many as you want regardless of what they tell you. Your only obligation is to pay a fee to the broker who shows you the apartment you wind up renting. The fee tends to be 15 percent of the first year's rent. That's a lot, but you can bargain. The broker gets half of the fee, and the brokerage firm gets the other half. This means brokers can negotiate down to 7.5 percent, but they won't. The less time they have spent with you (or the less effort they have put in to finding you a place), the more willing they will be to negotiate. If an apartment has no fee but is being shown by a broker, be suspicious. This means the landlord is paying the fee because he's having trouble finding a tenant - either because the apartment is overpriced or has some other problem.
9) Sell yourself.
When you go to meet a landlord or check out an apartment, DO dress respectably; be polite; ask as many questions as you want but not really stupid ones, like Can I throw keg parties?; push how desirable you are (good job, good education, clean, quiet, no pets, etc.). DON'T be intimidated; rush yourself; compromise about the things that are important to you; fight with your soon-to-be roomate in front of a broker or landlord.
10) See as many apartments as possible and as few as necessary.
Try and rule out apartments on the phone, as this will save you time. If you know you wouldn't live in an apartment without a window in the bedroom, ask about windows on the phone. If an apartment sounds appealing, do whatever you can to see it as soon as possible. The more apartments you see, the more confident you'll feel about your choice.
And here's one extra: Don't be stupid! I don't want to insult your intelligence, but remember, this is New York. DO NOT give anyone cash unless you have a signed lease in hand, and even then make sure you get a recipt. DO NOT rent an apartment without a proper lease - I won't bother you with the horror stories. If someone wants to make a "special arrangement," get a real estate lawyer and get it in writing (the added expense is worth it to avoid a potentially huge rip-off.) DO NOT hand anyone a check unless you've seen some identification; I know this seems paranoid, but no real New Yorker would ever be offended by someone making sure they are not getting ripped off.
Showing you an apartment you can't afford. Of course it will be nicer than the ones you're looking at: that's why it costs more. Of course you'll be tempted to take it, but don't. Hold firm to your price limit.
Scaring you with the competition. There probably are, in fact, other people interested in the apartment. Sometimes brokers will tell you they're about to close with someone else, or that they've got 10 people coming in today who might grab the place out from under you. Just don't let them make you compromise too much. If you see an apartment at night, feel free to ask to see it during the day, or with your roommate.
Telling you something that's not true. Don't get duped (see rule number six). If something doesn't seem right, maybe it's not. You don't have to pay for water. You don't have to sign a two-year lease. You don't have to buy anything that is in the apartment (window bars, furniture, etc.). Most of all, don't believe their favorite line, "This is probably the best you can do." Just because it the best they can show you doesn't mean it is anything like the best you can do.
The "just come in" approach. Unless you have a lot of time, avoid giving in to brokerages that ask you just to come by and fill out a form. It is best to make a specific appointment with a specific person, although not always possible. If they do want you to come in, find out exactly what they have to show you. They're apt to want to drag you around to a dozen places you can't afford and don't like anyway. Make it clear that you know what you want and you don't have all day.
The really obvious:
Size: Aside from basic ceiling height, keep in mind doorways/hallways for moving in (i.e., will your couch fit through the door). Know how big your important furniture is so that you are sure your bed is going to fit in that closet they're calling a bedroom. I know people who have had major disasters - like trying to sell their king-sized bed on the street on moving day.
Light: Never see an apartment only at night unless you really don't care about light. As a general rule, apartments with windows on the south side are much brighter. Windows facing east get morning light, west windows get afternoon light. Windows on the north side of a building sometimes get no direct sunlight at all. Of course the windows with the absolute worst light are the ones that face brick walls.
Condition: Does everything work? Do the windows open and close entirely? Does the ceiling sport a faint but ominous crack? When was the apartment last renovated?
Noise: This is a real issue in New York. Apartments on the street side of a building can be extremely noisy, even if they are on the 10th floor on a pretty quiet street. Open the windows, even if it is the dead of winter, because you certainly will in the summer. You'd be amazed at how loud it can be with the windows open. Are you near a bar, restaurant, club, 24-hour deli, or anything that it going to cause a lot of late-night noise?
Location: Even within the neighborhood of your choice, some locations are better than others. How close are you to the nearest subway, bank machine, 24-hour convenience store, laundromat, real supermarket, dry cleaner.
Less obvious:
You may often feel rushed when looking at apartments and when you find one you like, the temptation to take it right away is great. That's fine, just don't forget to check things the little things: water pressure, locks, bars on fire escape windows, closet space, and anything else you care about (don't be embarrassed to have a list).
Super:
There are all kinds. Whether you get Mr. Furley or Mr. Magoo is largely a question of luck, but it can make the difference between heaven and hell on that December night when your radiator explodes. There is definitely a premium on a super who lives in the building.
Meet your super. Be nice, get the appropriate phone numbers, etc. If you want extra special care, give your super a tip just for being there. Depending on your rent and how nice he or she is, between $20 and $50 is plenty. It might make all the difference when you can't get any hot water, or when you have to wake them up in the middle of the night to fix an exploding radiator. Another friendly tip at Christmastime is fairly standard if you have called upon your super for help now and then during the year.
Change the lock. You have no idea who has keys to your apartment. If you have two locks (most apartments do), you can change just one. Your super should be able to install a new tumbler for you if you buy the right kind. The tumbler should cost you between $20 and $50. If you have to call a locksmith to do it, it's still worth it. Don't give the keys to both your locks to the super or landlord, even if he asks - one is enough. If he has to do work while you are gone, leave one lock unlocked that day.
Give keys to a friend. If you lock yourself out, it will cost you an arm and a leg to get back in with the help of a locksmith.
Meet your neighbors. I know its a bit awkward, but it's worth it. Better to meet them now than when you lock yourself out and need to borrow the phone. NewYork is unfriendly enough already.
Look into renter's insurance. I'm not trying to scare you with all this security stuff, just trying to save you unnecessary grief. I've been robbed, my friends have been robbed. It happens. You can hope it won't, but be prepared. Renter's insurance is cheap.
Pay your rent on time. Landlords will be much more cooperative in the future if you do. When you want to break your lease early, or store your bike in the basement, they will be much more likely to help you out.
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