If you’re in the market for an apartments for rent, but you’re worried about finding one that’s affordable, there are a few tips you can follow to help you find the right place. Avoid using a broker, look for older buildings, and try living in a shared home.
Avoid a broker’s fee
If you’re looking for Affordable apartments in New York City, there’s one cost you may want to avoid: broker’s fees. While they’re not technically illegal, they’re a pain to deal with. The fee is usually about a month’s rent, and it adds up. Luckily, you can do a few things to prevent it.
First, you need to be prepared for a fallback plan. You can either find an apartment on your own, or negotiate a fee reduction from the landlord.
Alternatively, you can hire a real estate agent. In the past, these agents were paid a commission on the deal. However, with more and more listings online, the fees were expected to be gone.
Now, brokers can still help you find an apartment. The problem is that you’ll be paying the fee, even if the agent helped you.
As a result, some tenants are frustrated by the cost. Broker fees are often added to the security deposit, or are included in the first month’s rent.
Look for older or historic apartment buildings
There’s no denying that a brand new apartment complex is more expensive than a well maintained older building. The old saying goes “you get what you pay for.” If you’re looking for a home or condo, you’re likely to have a better shot at scoring an apartment in a pre-war or a 1930’s bungalow.
Apartment buildings have been around for close to two centuries. In fact, the earliest tenement in New York City dates back to the 1820’s. As cities became more populated, architects started playing with the layouts and laying down the gauntlet in terms of the best way to lay out a floor plan. To this day, many of these early buildings clog the streets of Manhattan and beyond. Fortunately, more recent generations of builders have been able to incorporate greener building practices into their construction blueprints.
One of the best places to look for an apartment is on the outskirts of a big city. Not only will you save money on rent, you’ll also be in a prime location.
Live with roommates
If you’re looking to live in a more affordable city, you should consider living with roommates. Rent in New York City is notoriously high, and many people are opting to live with others to save on their monthly expenses. This can be a great option for some, but there are a few tips that you should keep in mind.
The number of roommates in the United States has increased by a lot in the past few years. In fact, about 18% of Americans now live with at least one roommate. These numbers have risen even faster than the general population.
Although having a roommate can help split the cost of living, you should always take care to make sure that you are dealing with a reliable and responsible person. Having a bad roommate can lead to a lot of problems. It’s important to do a lot of research and ask a lot of questions before you begin your living arrangement.
