How to Rent Apartment in New York City

Many people dream about working and living in NYC, the star city of cities. However, renting a place to live here can be challenging as the rent control laws are much stricter in NYC than in other cities. Here are some tips in finding a place in Big Apple.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. While Manhattan is the center of all the actions, the rent is usually a lot more expensive than Brooklyn or Queens. You can go to craigslist.com to check out the apartment listing in different boroughs.

2. Your first priority should be non broker fee apartments instead of those with broker fees. The minimum broker fee is usually one month rent, which is very expensive.

3. It is usually more expensive and complicated to move into an apartment building complex than in a private house. You would need to fill out an application and there can be application fee, registration fee or credit check fee. You would also need to provide proofs of income such as paycheck stubs and tax forms. (Sometimes it requires that your annual income to be 40 times of the monthly rent). If you were a full-time student, it is apparent that your income won't be able to meet the requirement, and you would need a guarantor to provide the information instead. And some apartment management companies will turn you down if your guarantor is living out of NY/NJ State.

4. Before making an appointment to view the property, be sure to know what will be included in your rent. A good deal of renting a place in private house is that all utilities, even high speed internet and TV cable, are often included in the rent, whereas the rent in most apartment complex just includes heat and water.

5. If you wish to rent an apartment in a co-op building, be prepared to go through the income and credit check processes, plus a board interview. These processes will takes at least a week.

6. Go to the NYPD website (http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/home/precincts.shtml) to check out the crime statistics in the precinct you would like to live in. What kind of area is considered as "safe"? Compare the crime statistics for Forest Hill (112th Precinct) and Bedford Stuyvesant (79th Precinct), you will see. A safe neighborhood is definitely worth the price.

7. Choose an apartment that is close to the subway. Walking at night and/or taking the buses would not be fun.

8. Knowing if the apartment/place has on-site laundry. If not, how far the closest Laundromat will be?

9. Do sign a contract with your landlord if renting a place in private house. Clearly state both of you and the house owner' names, the move in date, the amount of security deposit, the amount of monthly rent, how to split the utilities (electricity, heat, gas, water... don't overlook the cost of HEAT! NY is very cold during winter, the cost of heat will be significant), length of staying and any other misc. you can think of.

10. Always pay the rent by check, as check serves as a proof of each payment activity. If your landlord asks you to pay the rent by cash for any reasons, negotiate for a lower rent, since paying hundreds and even a thousand dollar in cash is a pretty risky act. If you decide to pay by cash, do ask the landlord for a receipt for record.

[nycrentalguru]

on 9/15/2009 For even more details on the tricks and tips of renting manhattan - email [e-mail]
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