Apartment in NYC

January 16, 2006 11:51 PM

I want to visit NYC for a month in April/May. Any tips for short term rentals? One bed or studio apartment. I hope to be working in the Tribeca area. I live in Australia so pls assume that I know nothing about the rental process and need to start from scratch!
posted by sconbie to travel & transportation (5 comments total)

new york city sublets & temporary classifieds and want ads - craigslist should at least give you an idea of price range and possibilities, if not lead you directly to a suitable situation.
posted by staggernation at 3:35 AM on January 17, 2006

I sublet an apartment in the East Village a couple years back, for three months during the summer. I found it via craigslist, linked above. I'd think you'd be able to find something on craigslist.

It's ideal to see the place first and meet the person you'd be subletting from and sign a subletting agreement, to ensure that the apartment actually exists and to lessen the possibility that you'll be scammed.
posted by Uncle Glendinning at 4:52 AM on January 17, 2006

I third the Craiglist option. You can't do better from that far away.

You might look for illegal "hotels." These are apartments rented out by the week or night, like a hotel. You'll find them listed on a lot of apartment swapping sites and advertised on Craigslist. A couple of friends from Sweden stayed at one in the East Village and loved it—it was as close to feeling like they lived in NYC as they were going to get. The rates tend to be cheaper than a hotel, too, while they are more likely than a sublet to be prepared for regular guests, such as having plenty of towels and sheets, not having to have the guests water any plants or feed any animals, making sure there's a supply of guidebooks and maps, being prepared with odd "check-in" times of out-of-towners, being used to handling traveler's checks, and most importantly: People who rent out apartments on the sly as "hotels" often cherish the kinds of visitors that aren't coming to see the Hard Rock Cafe and do other lame tourist crap.
posted by Mo Nickels at 7:05 AM on January 17, 2006

I'd agree that Craigslist is a place to start. In addition, I can't remember the website right now, but I seem to recall a site specifically set up for trading apartments for a short term period.

It was like an exchange program -- you let someone stay at your place while they visit your city and you stay at theirs while your in their town.

Given the amount of people in NYC, there's a good chance someone might be needing a place to stay in Australia for a swap?
posted by jerryg99 at 8:55 AM on January 17, 2006

This outfit rents apartments by the week and by the month. I used them once, and was satisfied.
posted by Daddio at 11:42 AM on January 17, 2006