Apartments for $2,000

Maybe you've heard the rumors: trying to find a place to rent in any of New York's five boroughs for under $2,000.00 a month is like pulling a tooth. In fact, the punchline is that pulling a tooth might be more enjoyable! Well, I'm here to tell you that you should never put too much stock in rumors. Make no mistake, depending on where you hang your hat, the price of a rental in NYC and its confines can definitely run on the high end. But that said, you CAN find affordable accommodations in a nice area that won't break the bank. It all comes down to where you want to live, what your comfort level is and oh yeah, flexibility plays a role as well. There's a little give-and-take in everything we do and that includes renting an apartment.

How Big is BIG?

No doubt the first words out of your mouth will be “How big is it?” when you eyeball your first rental listing. Discussing the price-per-square-foot might sound impressive when you want to purchase a house, but for $2,000 a month (or possibly less) it's a given that you're looking at a modest 1-2 bedroom/1 bathroom combination. If we're talking about Manhattan you can downsize that concept to a studio apartment or small loft. This is by no means a bad thing. If you work smart (for example connect with a broker) and live smarter (use the subway, or position yourself close to the main hubs) you'll be surprised how far that $2,000-a-month rent will actually go. Remember, size does matter, but it also helps to be realistic.

The Place to be

A recent article in the New York Post painted a very positive outlook for several city neighborhoods that include Bay Ridge,Washington Heights,Yorkville and Jackson Heights. Any one of these areas could be the place for you with a rental property of $2,000 a month. Obviously this is just the tip of the iceberg. What might not be so obvious is that if you connect with a broker you will have the equivalent of the brass ring in the palm of your hand. A good broker is probably on par with a doting mother-in-law when it comes to the great lengths both will go to ensure sure you are happy and comfortable. Remember, these neighborhoods aren't secrets nor are the rents they offer. The only element of the unknown is that the majority of listings aren't made available to the general public. Brokers work with landlords and management companies for a reason: the broker does the legwork, arranges the showing, dots the i's and crosses the t's. Because your satisfaction is paramount. And if that doesn't sound like my mother-in-law I don't know what does.

Living Within Your Means

As individuals, we learn a lot by trial and error. But renting an apartment should be the last place you want to make any mistakes at. There are some things you can't live without and some things you can. We all want to feel safe, have access to restaurants and shopping and mass transit. We want to be reasonably close to work and/or school. Family and friends. The point is, there are apartments to rent in the $2,000-a-month range. Do they all have a doorman or underground parking? Maybe, maybe not. But you need to be realistic in your search and realistic in what it will take to make you comfortable.

And in case I haven't mentioned it, you might want to consider a broker to aide you in your search. The gene pool for brokers is pretty deep. But only the really good ones float to the top. At the office of New York Home Experience we pride ourselves in assisting you in every step of your apartment search.

There's never been a better time than now to start searching for your apartment. And there's never been a better team of realtors to help you get started.