New York rental agent referral?

July 14, 2006 10:43 AM

New York rental agent referral. My recently single, now-homeless coworker's current residence is my couch, and that's not OK for yet another week.

Recently single person needs to move SOON. He's hesitant to work with an uprofessional real estate person, and is having great trouble finding someone professional. He needs a 2-bedroom apartment in Manhattan, price range is $5000-$8000 a month. He has no contacts in the city, and is not currently living there. There must be firms with very professional agents that find people new apartments ASAP all the time, but online all things rental look shoddy/sleezy, regardless of price point. Any help? (if you'd like, email to [e-mail])

posted by saffron to home & garden (6 comments total)

if he can spare 8K a month why doesn't he check into a hotel while he is looking for an apartment?
posted by matteo at 10:54 AM on July 14, 2006

Try Douglas Elliman. Although he's in the sales end, Rick Kelly (an SVP there) is a personal friend of mine and a stand-up guy. He could at lease recommend a rental agent there, I'm sure.
posted by lemoncello at 11:13 AM on July 14, 2006

"at lease reccomend" ... nice unintentional pun!
posted by SpecialK at 11:39 AM on July 14, 2006

D'oh!
posted by lemoncello at 11:40 AM on July 14, 2006

Anthony Cangemi at Citihabitats got us great results on what was looking like an impossible apartment search. He was very attentive, polite and friendly, and always showed up at appointments a few minutes before I did. He has access to all of Citihabitat's (very extensive) listings and was obviously always thinking of us. Once we really got serious with him, it took about 2 weeks from when I started looking at places to signing a lease for occupancy a month later. We were working with a much lower budget and seemingly unrealistic requirements, so I'd imagine that Anthony will be able to find your friend a place for near-immediate occupancy. Also, he won't waste your friend's time--I only saw apartments that I would really consider moving into.

The commission was the standard (but steep) 15% of annual rent, but I thought it was worth it. The Manhattan real estate market was just too crazy for me to handle it on my own.

[This probably sounds like a shill, but I'm really just a satisfied customer. Also, I totally agree with matteo on the hotel suggestion.]
posted by CiaoMela at 12:01 PM on July 14, 2006

If your fabulously wealthy friend wants to rent out one of the rooms in his new place, let me know.
posted by bingo at 12:19 PM on July 14, 2006