Unfurnished Rental Apartments in New York

Many rental agencies and brokers charge steep fees for locating an apartment for you - the norm is 15% of the annual rent... that would be $3600 on a $2000/mo apartment. There are also agencies that promise that they will find no fee apartments for you - for a fee. Never having heard of a good experience with the "no-fee" brokers lists is no reason for you not to try it, but beware. You may find that you are given the apartments you can find in the Village Voice, NY Post and Times or other freely available listings.

If you are not satisfied, what often happens is that the absolute guarantee of a refund is not as clear as it sounded when you sent in your money! Paying a fee to a broker who can locate a rent stabilized apartment in a nice area may be a better way to spend your money and save you both money and grief in the long run.

Make sure when you deal with landlords, owners or management companies, that you get everything in writing. Any verbal additions to your lease are not binding...period.

If you have a pet or plan to get one, make sure that your lease states that you are allowed to have pets in the apartment.

Most apartments require first and last month rent as well as one, or sometimes two, months security. The brokers fee will be at least another month's rent, usually more. That means if you find an apartment that rents for $2000, you will need up to $10,000 to close the deal. In addition, New York landlords will check your credit history and require proof that your income can cover the rent. Using the $2000 apartment for an example, you may be asked to provide documents that your household income is $80,000 to $90,000 a year. A letter from your employer, your pay stubs from the last three months and tax returns from the past two years are common requirements.

In New York the number of bedrooms are not always a good indication of the size of the apartment. Landlords have been known to split a large studio into a two bedroom apartment - always take a look at what you are getting before you sign any agreements.

Take a look at the Columbia University guide in the resouces table on this page for additional things to be aware of before you start your search.

also see in NYC Apartments -> Furnished or Corporate Apartments

Long Term Sublets | Roommates/Shares | Vacation Rentals

also see related feature -> Renovating a Brownstone or Condo