Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The Hunt is Over! My Apartment Hunting Tips

Wow, so that was quick. As you might remember, I've been looking for an apartment. I only started a little over a week ago, but I found the perfect place that my roommate also loved and we signed our lease this weekend! It's actually the place I posted about before on the Upper West Side with the brick walls! So excited!! We have so much space (it's actually a 3 bedroom place, but there are only two of us. We're going to turn the third room into a guest room/reading room!) and the natural sunlight that comes into the building is amazing!


We ended up getting the place for a really reasonable price -- the people who have the apartment above us that is the exact same layout pay $700 more per month to live there, so we're lucky! It all has to do with rent stabilization and turn over rates, but I stared at so many pieces of paper with legalese on them this weekend that I can't even talk about it anymore without getting a headache.

Our apartment is in a great UWS location that's in between Central Park and Riverside Park, near grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, and around the corner from Blockheads and Ben and Jerry's. My two vices: margaritas and ice cream! I can't wait to start moving in after May 1st -- I'll probably clean everything before I move in stuff, but I'm hoping to be all moved in by May 15th! Until then, I will probably just incessantly browse the web for home furnishings.

A few people commented on my other post asking about how I found the apartments I've been looking at, so here are some of my tips for you:
  • Most brokers won't be too interested in you unless you are pretty much ready to sign a lease as soon as you see the place you like. They suggested to me that I plan on looking about two weeks ahead of when I want to move (yeah, I know -- yikes!). This seems to be true though, since technically my lease starts May 1st and I signed two weeks ahead of time.
  • That said, don't be afraid to make appointments to look at places more than two weeks ahead of time. It's good to get a feel for what's out there in your price range. Unfortunately this was a bit of a shock for me at first, but knowing what areas of town were better to look in made things easier.
  • Speaking of budget, try to figure out how much you can allow for rent each month. It's easier to start looking in your price range so that you aren't disappointed after you find your dream place and discover that you can't afford it. Typically realtors tell you to stay around 25% of your annual income.
  • Where should you look? This is a tricky question! I looked a lot on Craigslist. I know that it can be sketchy, but I ultimately found the broker that I rented through on Craigslist. It's sort of important to note that my apartment was never listed online (to my knowledge anyway), but the broker showed it to me when I came to look at another place that I'd seen advertised. Most realtors have a few properties within the same area, so be prepared to look at a few if you make an appointment.
  • StreetEasy is also another option, and is more legit than Craigslist. It is an NYC realty site and has cool features that can tell you a little bit about the neighborhoods that you are looking at too.
I hope that this helps a little bit! I'm totally new to this process too, but I'll let you know if I find out any more apartment tips!

14 comments:

  1. Upper West Side? I'm insanely jealous...that's fantastic! Thanks for your tips...I'm sure they'll come in handy when I'm finally ready to find a place in the city!

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  2. I am sooooooooooo jealous. That place looks and sounds great! 1) I love hardwood floors. 2) I love natural light! 3) I would love to have an extra room for a guest room..so necessary! 4) I LOVE Blockheads you're so lucky.
    Congrats on the find!

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  3. Wowww I am so jealous! I absolutely love the UWS and hope to live there after I graduate!

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  4. Thanks guys :) No need to be jealous... there are a lot of great places in NY to be had! We lucked out finding one this nice, but I'm sure there have to be more out there, especially coming off the end of the housing bubble burst!

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  5. Congrats! I'm so jealous, and I'm hoping that I have your luck next year!

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  6. I am very, very jealous! After finally deciding to go home for the summer, it is great to get these tips from someone who just went through it, so that when August come around, I will know what to look for, and how to get there! Congrats on the great apartment!

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  7. It's nice to know that you finally find the perfect flat! And thanks for the tips!

    My girlfriend also, just had his NYC vacation apartment (rentals). And it is wonderful with the overlooking view of the city. He doesn't worry with his short term, furnished rentals (NYC) because the price is very reasonable. The city looks like heaven with glistening stars at night! I so love it!

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  8. Apartment hunting can indeed be very stressful for most people. The tips that you have shared regarding such are truly helpful in finding one. A lot of people such as those who need moving companies Lincoln NE (for example) are surely grateful since these tips can make the task easier. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. Glad to hear that you didn't have a hard time looking for a new apartment. It really helps to have an idea on what you're looking for. Online searching can also give you an idea or preview of the entire space and price ranges as well. But apartment hunters should be careful not to trust anyone easily, and should rely only on trusted sites.

    -Casandra Roberts @ GatewaySelect

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  10. Great post, and this might be a shot in the dark for asking. But I wanted to know what you thought about the apartment rentals in Toronto ? Because I've been starting to look a lot into them quite a bit and I wanted to know what others thought about them?

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  11. I really need to find a new apartment to live in. I want to find something that is within my budget, but is still nice. I know there are places out there, I just never seem to find them! I want to get a new place at the beginning of the year, thanks for all the great tips! http://www.jolanproperties.com/apartments-for-rent/2485-Hurontario-Street-Mississauga-ON-15101

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