What are some tips to renting a place in Brooklyn?

November 5, 2014 11:12 AM

I'm currently in North Carolina, but want to move to Brooklyn on Jan 1st. What's the easiest way to do this?

My current plan is to drive up there on Dec 1st, stay with friends and meet with brokers. But I'm having trouble with the logistics.

Is that too early to scope for Jan 1st rentals?

Is it ever advisable to do it all over the phone, sight-unseen?

Is it worth contacting a broker now-ish, telling them my plan and then already having places lined up for Dec 1 that I can see in person? Or is it too early?

I am using StreetEasy to do my searches. Good/bad?

Any other things to avoid? Thanks!

posted by deern the headlice to Home & Garden (20 answers total)

I have never felt the need to use a broker in NYC. Like parking, it's something you can almost always get for free if you put in a little effort. Start scanning the rent by owner Craigslist section for your preferred neighborhoods now and see what kind of volume there is. I found a terrific, extremely underpriced apartment with no fee in Brooklyn by doing this diligently.

Do not under any circumstances rent sight unseen unless you have a very trusted proxy who can be your eyes.
posted by telegraph at 11:21 AM on November 5, 2014 [3 favorites]

I almost used a broker once in Park Slope and it was a horrible experience. I honestly think their business practice is based on shady tactics and deliberate confusion. (The company I dealt with rhymes with Vapid Vealty.) I strongly would dissuade you from using any broker.

Just assume 85-90% of the ads on craigslist will be bait and switches. Start looking at them now and get familiar with some of the wording. You can eventually parse which ads are copy/paste and actually written by a person.

The best I advice I got from past Metafilters, is that you need to have your shit together in a packet (letter from employer, bank statement, security deposit, etc.) when you go and see apartments. Good rentals can disappear in a heartbeat.

When I finally found an apartment in Park Slope, I was signing the contract when a woman returned from thinking about it earlier that day and wanted to sign. It. was. awkward.
posted by spec80 at 11:35 AM on November 5, 2014 [2 favorites]

If you decide to go the broker route, keep in mind that they are not really working in your best interests - i.e. they will show you the places they want to get off their plates first. So, if you want to get the best results from them, make them for FOR you. Keep them showing you places and even engage with multiple brokers to make them work against each other. Using brokers is a racket, but it can be useful if you need a place in limited time and are fine with the added cost. Just make sure you're keeping your interests in mind over theirs.
posted by homesickness at 11:42 AM on November 5, 2014

Response by poster: Thanks guys. Any advice, though, on how soon is too soon, the timing of when to visit and expect to see available places, etc?
posted by deern the headlice at 11:45 AM on November 5, 2014

Eh, everyone hates brokers, but if you have a decent one, they will hustle for you and advise you properly. My broker showed me four apartments before anyone else had seen them, and then helped me take my apartment, which I wasn't totally sure about, and she was 10000% correct.

December 1 for January 1 is totally accurate and appropriate. On December 1, people will be expecting you to be looking for January 1. Streeteasy is pretty fantastic but isn't all-encompassing, though it's better than a stick in the eye.

I would get referrals for a broker, though I would not contact them yet; they are working on December now still.

You should use your time now to familiarize yourself deeply with neighborhoods, prices and availability. And also put together your package. When I rented, we had three years of tax returns printed out, copies of all our bank statements, photocopied ID and letters of reference. It was pretty nuts and yet also very effective. Also you can check your credit score now for free and even possibly improve it now if you need to.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 11:46 AM on November 5, 2014 [2 favorites]

Too soon would be before December - no one really seems to post about apartments more than a month in advance.

What's your budget? (If it's less than like $1200, forget a broker, you need a roommate.)
posted by showbiz_liz at 11:49 AM on November 5, 2014 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: I've actually lived up there before in years past, but I have to admit my (former) wife took care of every detail since I was out of the country on work, and so I'm learning from scratch.

I'm shooting for somewhere around Park Slope, Prospect Heights or Boreum Hill, (1) Bedroom or Studio for < $1700 ideally.
posted by deern the headlice at 11:52 AM on November 5, 2014

I don't think you're going to find that, except for maybe a basement apartment in Prospect Heights. It's not typical to find a studio less than $2000 in those neighborhoods anymore.
posted by telegraph at 11:59 AM on November 5, 2014 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: I don't think you're going to find that, except for maybe a basement apartment in Prospect Heights. It's not typical to find a studio less than $2000 in those neighborhoods anymore.


Hmm. I'm using StreetEasy, Padmapper, Hot Pads, etc, and finding things in that range.
posted by deern the headlice at 12:03 PM on November 5, 2014

Here's Streeteasy on Park Slope, Prospect Heights and Boerum Hill studios under $1750. There are nine of them all told. The one of them that I would MAYBE live in is 372 square feet and incredibly depressing.

These are TERRIBLE, VERY BAD APARTMENTS.

Most Brooklyn floor-through upstairs one-bedrooms are $2150 now, or $2200 and talk-downable to $2150.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 12:12 PM on November 5, 2014

Nah, it can be done, though you'll definitely get more bang for your buck in South Slope or western Crown Heights or Gowanus.
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:18 PM on November 5, 2014 [2 favorites]

I agree that you're going to have a hard time finding a place within your budget in those neighborhoods. You're likely to find they're in 5th-6th floor walkups, really crappy buildings, or very very small. It's not that it's impossible to find, it just takes a lot more legwork -- and you'd better have your paperwork and checks ready to go, because you'll be one of a million people applying for that unit (no matter how shitty the unit is).

Take a look at Prospect Lefferts Gardens, the new "Pro-Cro" (or is it Cro-Pro? the western end of Crown Heights that meets Prospect Heights), Kensington, and Ditmas Park. If you're open to Manhattan, lower Central Harlem (around 118th) is up and coming, and Inwood/Washington Heights will have way nicer stuff in your price range.
posted by melissasaurus at 12:20 PM on November 5, 2014

I'd recommend looking at South Slope/Greenwood Heights, Kensington and Sunset Park. MAYBE Flatbush, it was getting expensive when I left three years ago.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 12:50 PM on November 5, 2014

I'm pretty sure I saw this Streeteasy one in person, the last time I was in the market. It's not livable. It's probably illegal.

Greenwood Heights (a.k.a. very far north Sunset Park) is a possibility. A few months ago I left a studio on 6th Ave and 21st Street that my landlord wanted to renew for $1500/month (not including heat/hot water, which were fairly expensive because they were electric). There was nothing in the area that was cheaper, though. In the past 3-4 years, it's become unrealistic to expect to find anything in Park Slope or Prospect Heights for less than $1800, even with a realtor, unless you know someone or you hustle hard.
posted by unknowncommand at 1:24 PM on November 5, 2014 [2 favorites]

South Slope to Greenwood is great. There's good stuff, don't let us bossy Brooklynites scare you off! (Last great apartment I saw in South Slope though was $2200, but it was also big for a one-bedroom.) What else? Now that the rentals by the Nostrand stop are filled up with gentrifiers, people are moving to the Throop stop on the C. I also know a lot of people that just bypassed Sunset Park and went straight to Bay Ridge. ANYWAY. The thing about real estate in New York (as you now know!) is that 1. we all have very strong opinions about it! and 2. the more hours and energy you put into it, the better the outcome. It's tough but you can do it!
posted by RJ Reynolds at 1:40 PM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]

Check out Bay Ridge. $1,750 will get you a nice one-bedroom with laundry and an elevator. The ride is longer into Manhattan (and there's only one subway line, the R), but it's close to the water, there are lots of trees, and a ton of restaurants, as well as good grocery stores (which, as you know, are not always easy to find in Brooklyn). Downside (other than the longer commute--about 35-40 minutes into Lower Manhattan) is that the population skews older, although a lot of younger people have been moving in in recent years because it's one of the few semi-affordable places left in the borough.

People can hate on brokers all they want, but it is a LOT harder finding a place without one. Stay away from Rapid Realty (they've scammed me, too, and seem to have scammed at least half the people in Brooklyn). A good broker will save you a lot of time, steer you only towards places you're probably interested in, and will help ensure that you find a place by January 1st. You definitely don't want to be stuck without a place on the first of the month.

Also, I think you're wasting your time by coming up to look a month in advance. They will be showing almost nothing for January 1st at the beginning of December. Most apartments aren't shown before 1-2 weeks of when they become available. Christmas may throw a bit of a wrench into your plans because a lot fewer people are moving at that time, and everything slows down throughout the economy then. Could you put off your move for a month or two? But really, do not come up here a month in advance looking for a place. All the brokers will tell you to come back on the 20th or so, which is when apartments go on the market and start being shown. You will see nothing but leftovers a month in advance.

Best of luck.
posted by Leatherstocking at 3:00 PM on November 5, 2014 [2 favorites]

Just assume 85-90% of the ads on craigslist will be bait and switches.

Couldn't disagree with this more. Most of the ads are placed by brokers and are legit, although they (not surprisingly) often make the apartment look better than it is. Almost everybody uses Craigslist to find an apartment these days. You should consider it a major resource.

I do agree, though, that you should always carry a packet with your financial info (recent tax returns, letter from employer, bank account statement, statements from any mutual funds, etc.) to prove that you can afford the place and will be able to produce a check for the several thousands of dollars required within the next one to two days. If you see a good place, you'll have to jump on it and immediately convince the broker/landlord that you can afford it and that your ability to pay will never become an issue. Your financial info is your main tool in doing this.
posted by Leatherstocking at 3:08 PM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Naked Apartments. I just moved to Greenpoint Oct 1st and It had been a god damned NIGHTMARE up that point.

We were able to find a really great broker through them(who unfortunately doesn't work in the areas you're looking for) who set us up with an amazing place.

Seriously, check it out, we were at a complete standstill up to that point.
posted by quadbonus at 3:17 PM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]

Does it have to be Brooklyn? If not, I second the recommendation for Inwood or Washington Heights. Check them out on StreetEasy, at least.
posted by merejane at 3:47 PM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]

You're going to have very, very few liveable apartments to choose from given your price (which is at least $500 under market) and location requirements, and even fewer given your timing.

People have already covered the price and location stuff, but is there any chance you can budge on the timing? There are going to be a bajillion more apartments available the week before Dec. 1st than the week after. If you can come a week earlier, it would give you a lot more options, and skirt the weird Christmas-to-New-Years doldrums entirely.

The downside is that you'd probably have to pay for December rent. That said, very few apartments are on the market a full month before they're available anyhow, and an extra month of rent is cheaper than some brokers' fees.

Also, considering your price range, you should assume that apartments are going to rent on the same day that they're shown. Try to be the first person to show up.
posted by evidenceofabsence at 4:16 PM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]