Broker and Client Relationship-Building

One of the worst things about the rental business is the lack of commitment in the renter/broker relationship. A combination of a low barrier to entry and a high-pressure environment can bring out the worst in both brokers and also our clients. Some rental brokers are just bad at their job, some of us need a few days vacation, and others could benefit from a crash course from Miss Manners, some brokers are only in it to make some $$$ real quick and then get the hell out of town so there’s no need for them to foster a good working relationship with their clients. Poor service from brokers is one reason that clients in turn fail to take the relationship seriously, are not loyal to a single broker and do not really expect a high caliber of service. The rental business is a revolving door, a “wham, bam, thank you ma’am” kind of dealio.

But it doesn’t have to be.

Crazy Bathroom! Is it for Bathing or Travelling to Mars?

This is probably the craziest bathroom I have ever seen! It’s in a studio that can’t be more than 350 square feet. Holy moly. It looks like Austin Powers would love this one. In case you can’t tell from the picture, it is a jacuzzi tub/shower thing that also features a built-in television and radio. Oh, and mirrors. Lots of mirrors.

First Time Renters Leaving Uptown in Favor of the Financial District

This isn’t news to me! While the Upper East Side has been a traditional favorite of many first-time renters, including recent college and professional school graduates about to start jobs at law firms, PR companies and investment banks; now the Financial District and Battery Park City are luring these same renters. Why and how?

Rental Q&A Courtesy of the New York Times

“What a Landlord is Due When No Terms Exist?”

Listing of the Day 8/9: Hot Loft Condo in LES 2beds/2baths $4990

This apartment is awesome! It’s huge, bright, airy and gorgeous. This is all new construction and just has great Feng Shui, with a 117 square foot balcony spanning the entire apartment, triple-glazed sound-proofed windows in every room and exceptional high ceilings. The kitchen is really cool, with a ton of counter space and cabinets. Many closets, including an enormous walk-in and two full baths. There’s a doorman, elevator and laundry in the building. Email me to take a look!

Rental Q&A Courtesy of the New York Times

“A $10,000 payment to end a lease?”

“A landlord’s rights in a tenant’s bankruptcy?”

Listing of the Day 8/6: East Village Top Floor Two Bedroom in Elevator Building for $3100

This one is really going to fly off the market. It’s got everything people look for in an apartment: perfect location one block from the Second Avenue F train stop and the Bowery Whole Foods; it’s exceptionally bright, has a great view and is in an elevator building so you don’t even have to climb stairs to earn that view. The bedrooms are pretty much equally sized and both have large closets and space for a queen bed and more. The ceilings are high enough if you want to loft your bed or build up in any way, but there’s absolutely no need to do this because this apartment is very large, over 850 square feet! Two large windows in the living room fill the space with light. They will do some work on the place before the new tenants move in. Email me ASAP to take a look at this. You’ll be kicking yourself in a week when you’re looking at much smaller darker places for the same price or marginally less. September 1st is the busiest moving day of the year so everyone else is out looking for an apartment right now too.

Update on Yesterday’s Listing of the Day

Well, it is officially a mad house over at these new units! I don’t mean this in a bad way. There’s just a lot of people jumping at the chance to live in a brand new, luxury doorman building in this location. With all the incentives being offered, including the lack of a broker fee and a free months rent, it’s no wonder! Not to mention the fact that the building is still very actively under construction so as you look at your potential future apartment you’re dodging people with ladders, etc. It’s so busy at this point that it takes two days to even get an appointment to view these puppies and prices are increasing after this weekend, so get on this STAT if you want to check it out. My email’s on the sidebar to your right.

Listing of the Day 8/4: East Harlem New Development, Rent-Stabilized Apartments From $2300!

This is a great deal! These big beautiful units are 100% brand new and proudly feature every amenity and modern convenience you can think of, including a doorman, residents’ game room, landscaped courtyard with already built barbecue facilities, central AC, over-sized windows and gorgeous kitchens with a full set of stainless steel appliances (including microwaves and dishwashers), ceramic-tiled baths and more! One bedrooms are starting at $2300 and two beds are starting at $2600. If you sign a one year lease then you get a special deal: one months free rent, which brings your monthly costs down significantly. Also, there are no brokers fees associated with these apartments. These apartments are going fast. 10 rented this past weekend–the first weekend it was possible to show. Located on Third Ave in the low hundreds, email me to take a look before it’s too late. Edit at 5:27pm: HOLY MOLY, all the $2600 2-beds are gone already! the cheapest ones are now $2750 but they’re larger. I’ll keep you updated as things change. These apartments are going like the proverbial hotcakes. If you’re at all thinking of getting in on this then shoot me an email (address is on the sidebar)

Rental Q&A Courtesy of the New York Times

“How much will rent rise under luxury decontrol?”

Listing of the Day 8/1: West Village Dream Loft with 2 Bedrooms and 2.5 Bathrooms $5900**RENTED**

I just had to feature this seldom-available duplex unit in the West Village’s premier loft building! Who wouldn’t want to live in an absolutely gorgeous landmarked building and be around the corner from the city’s best restaurants and bars: Blue Ribbon, MarkeTable, The Beatrice Inn and more. This unit boasts soaring 19 foot beamed ceilings and two levels of living space, including a modern eat-in kitchen, spacious bedroom and truly enormous living room with over-sized windows that look out over the entire city. The building has one of the most stunning terraced and landscaped roof gardens in the city with panoramic views! This is one of the best views in the city. Pets are welcome and with the entire west side piers and recreation area down the block, you’ll have plenty of places to walk them. Email me to take a look.

Rental Q&A Courtesy of the NY Times

“A security deposit: is there any limit?”

How to Get the Apartment You Want, Part 3: Preparing Your Paperwork

The number 1 thing you can do to ensure you get the apartment you want is to have your finances and paperwork in order before you start looking. Unlike most cities, in NY you are not just renting an apartment–you are also applying to rent an apartment and just like applying for a job or college admission, you want to present yourself in the best possible light . Being organized and prepared makes you look like a way better potential tenant than all those other people scrambling to find their 2006 tax returns or who can’t even remember their last landlord’s full name.

How to Get the Apartment You Want, Part 2: Questions of Timing

Today I will address questions of timing in an apartment search. The first question is “how long it should take to find a rental apartment?” and the second question is “how many weeks before you want to move should you start looking?” There is no hard and fast answer to either of these questions and they are undoubtedly related and thoroughly intertwined. How long you spend looking for an apartment depends on how picky you are and how realistic you are about the mutability of rental market conditions that may preclude the very existence of your “dream” apartment. After seeing 30 apartments over a series of two months and having them all be insufficient, it might be the case that what you desire does not exist and you will need to adjust your expectations so they are more in line with reality.

East Village Church View