An Essential Guide to Apartment-Hunting in NYC

For some people, moving into an NYC apartment rental is the ultimate dream. Perhaps it’s those towering skyscrapers and busy streets or sweeping views from Brooklyn. However, apartment-hunting in NYC apartment of your dreams come is never considered an easy task.          

In order for you to live in New York City, you should have a budget in place for both rent and living expenses. And we all know how expensive the cost of living in New York City can be. Here are a few things you should know when starting to apartment-hunt for a cheap NYC apartment rental:        

Money is the key that will open the door to your new apartment, both literally and figuratively.

Most landlords will offer their NYC apartments or condominiums to individuals who earn at least 40 to 50 times the monthly rent. This is their way of ensuring that their tenants are capable of paying every month.

If you yourself don’t earn this, they’ll often accept a guarantor to sign with you who earns at least 80 to 100 times the monthly rent. A guarantor is intended to pay on your behalf should you have any shortcomings in doing so.

In addition to the requirements for monthly rent, you should expect to pay money for such things as broker fees and maintenance fees. This is especially true if you’re searching for an NYC apartment not found in rental buildings. This refers to condominiums and co-ops that are often fully furnished already. These cost far more than an average apartment in an average neighborhood.

Here’s a pro tip: always be ready with your cash.

When it comes to apartment-hunting in NYC, competition is always right around the corner. But when you find the NYC rental that’s just perfect, you should be willing to make an offer right on the spot. By coming prepared with a cashier’s check for the rental application, then that puts you steps ahead of everyone else. You could even sweeten the deal by coming prepared to pay for last month’s rent. This is often required as a security deposit upon signing, but you can pay it when you’re ready to make an offer, too.

Lastly, when you’re apartment-hunting in NYC, double check if the description matches the actual space. You can easily check the outside of the building and neighborhood out through Google Street View or Address Report.

You should also take into consideration how convenient the location is, whether or not it is pet-friendly, and how close conveniences like grocery stores and restaurants are. This way, you can make sure that this is definitely the perfect NYC apartment for your money’s worth. Then you will finally be able to start the New York City life you’ve always dreamed about.

To help with your apartment-hunting, Short Term Rentals NYC has the best selection of NYC apartment rentals. Our inventory spans across all five boroughs. You can filter apartments based on your preferences and budget to make sure you find the NYC rental that suits you perfectly. We’re here every step of the way to make apartment-hunting in NYC a breeze.