1. Shop with a hunter’s mindset. Looking for an apartment elsewhere in the world is a shopping experience. You can choose to “think about it” and come back later. Looking for an apartment in NYC is more of a hunting experience – look around as much as you want but if you see something you like, pull the trigger, or else it will be gone in a flash. Only about 3 rental apartments out of 100 are vacant in most parts of Brooklyn & Manhattan so it is a very, very competitive marketplace.
2. Knowledge = dollars saved. Educate yourself about the market by speaking with as many friends as you can. Learn the terms (because they are unique to NYC). If you can dedicate 60 to 80 hours over 2-3 weeks and have a lot of knowledge, you can do without the services of a broker whose fees can be 10 – 15% first year’s rent payable on lease-signing day i.e. for a $2000 apartment, broker’s fees can be $2400 - $3600, in addition to first month’s rent and security deposit, which means you need $6000 - $7600 on the day you sign your lease.
3. Knowledgeable broker = Priceless If you are short on time and/or don’t know the NYC rental marketplace very well, the services of a knowledgeable broker can be very valuable. Good brokers know buildings, neighborhoods, landlords and understand the rental process very well. However, choose a broker with caution. The barriers to entry into the real estate profession are so low (40 hours of training and 1 exam) that some unsavory characters become real estate agents very easily. Give us your wishlist anonymously so brokers can make offers to you via our website. You will hear from us and/or a licensed real estate professional within 1-12 hours of expressing your wishlist.
4. Paid lists are for losers. Some listings services charge $100 - $200 to provide you with access to a list of buildings and management companies! These lists are available in the public domain. You have free access to these types of lists on this site once you register. Then you can simply call the building yourself and enquire about availability. These listings services also claim to offer “professional support”. Be forewarned, you still have to do all the important legwork yourself e.g. calling the building, filling in applications etc.
5. Winners are prepared with paperwork. Get ALL your paperwork & funds ready BEFORE you start looking. This will give you a serious edge when you find your dream apartment because you will look very organized and professional in front of landlords and notoriously selective co-op boards. It will also help you differentiate yourself from the sloppy competition. If you know that you have certain limitations, take contingency measures. For example, if you have bad credit (FICO score less than 600) and/or your annual wages are not 40 times your monthly rent (e.g. $80,000 per year for a $2,000) apartment, you are at a severe disadvantage. So, don’t even start looking until you have found a guarantor or roommate who can take on the lease and provide the relevant paperwork. Guarantors are required to earn 60 – 90 times the monthly rent i.e. for a $2000 apartment, your guarantor should have annual earnings of $120,000 - $180,000 per year.
6. Advert I sing. Whether you look online or in the newspapers, you will see glorious descriptions of apartments. Discount your expectations by about 50% so that you don’t get disappointed. Most of them are placed by seasoned brokers who have become very skilled at writing great ads. If you do not want to pay a broker’s fee, you should only look for ads that are “by owner”. Even “no fee” ads can sometimes be elusive because the fee is actually factored into the rent and is being paid directly to the broker by the owner. If you are using a broker, it is his/her job to cover all this ground on your behalf.
7. Aim for realistic results. Be clear about what you “must have” and what would be “nice to have”. Even if you are wealthy, odds are you won’t get everything you are looking for. So, being fussy is a disadvantage. Decide on the top 3 things that are important to you and stay focused on finding them. Everything else should just be icing on the cake. For example, if you are a student or a diplomat, your top priority is to find a building that will accepts students and diplomats. If you have a pet, your top priority is to find a building that will accept a pet like yours. If you have bad credit and don’t have a guarantor, your top priority is to find a building that will accept six months rent as security deposit.
8. Patience and perseverance pay off. Apartment hunting in NYC can be one of the most frustrating experiences you will ever encounter. Applications will get rejected. Appointments will get cancelled. Dream apartments will slip away. Tension runs high. So, start your search 30 – 60 days before you move and stay calm, collected and focused throughout the process. Some seasoned professionals say, you have to look at as many as 8 apartments before you find the one you want.
9. Share your soul. Tell anyone and everyone you know that you are looking for an apartment and share with them what you are looking for. If you are new to city, some people may even scoff at your budget. But don’t be offended. You are gathering data and educating yourself. You will be surprised at the tips and tricks savvy New Yorkers will offer you. Take notes and listen carefully. Some advice will be great, some advice will be repetitive. And you may even find a great share!
10. Don’t despair.  You need a place to live. So, be focused and remind yourself constantly of the tips you have read here. Read the forums on this site and ask questions off other renters. Our best wishes are with you!

Most New York landlords require the paperwork outlined below. Some seasoned professionals say landlords require all this paperwork to manage their risk of having a tenant because rental laws in New York are somewhat skewed to the tenants advantage and it can take as much a six months to evict a deadbeat tenant. So, you should even be a bit suspicious if a landlord does not request some or all of the paperwork mentioned below. There are enough horror stories going around about deposits not being returned etc.

Prepare yourself by getting as much of the paperwork & funds outlined below for yourself and your roommates before you begin your search:

• Credit check and application fee (ranges from $20 - $200+)
• First months rent + 1-2 months security deposit
• Social Security Number
  • If you don’t have a social security number, you will probably need a guarantor from New York, New Jersey or Connecticut and/or be required to pay 6-12 months rent as security deposit
• Government issued picture identification
• Verification of employment
  • Acceptance letter or last 3 pay stubs
  • Verification of duration of employment
  • Employer’s name
  • Employer’s Address
  • Employer’s Phone Number
• Copy of Bank Statement
  • Bank Name
  • Bank Address
  • Bank Account Number
• Copy of Tax Returns for last 2 years
• Previous Landlord's Name
  • Previous Landlord's Phone Number
  • Recommendation letter from landlord. Recommendation letters can be valuable if you are coming to NYC from some other state or country. Note: Sometimes recommendation letters don’t carry weight because NYC landlords think that your current landlord wants you out of their apartment because you are an undesirable tenant! What better way to do this than give you a flowery recommendation so that you can be someone else’s headache.