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No, the first on was a no fee, so I guess he was more like a landlord's agent. The second was one of the major broker firms in the city. I have also been meeting with brokers from various agencies to view apartments that I found online.
I think one of the major frustrations, especially for the second search, was that for a 15% fee, I have really been doing most of the work. I found the specific units (they all kept trying to bring me to the same unit, which didn't fit the parameters I provided them with). Also, they didn't really do much for me in terms of acting as my agent when dealing with the landlord, and seemed to be just trying to make the sell for the landlord to close the deal, rather than actually negotiating on my behalf. I guess I feel a bit sore that the brokerage firm didn't really do much to facilitate the process (Although the agent herself was very nice and professional).
I personally find they don't. Even though you pay them I feel like they have the landlord interest ahead of yours. First theirs, then the landlord and you last. And no I personally have not have any bad experiences with brokers either so I'm not bitter.
Sorry I don't really have any advice for you, hope something comes your way and works out soon.
Try another broker or simply walk Hell's Kitchen and look for vacancy/availibilty signs the old-fashioned way. You may get lucky. Don't give up just yet.
I've lived in HK for almost four years and never paid a broker fee. Check out streeteasy.com and craigslist. CL has a ton of bait and garbage posts but you learn to shift through what's legitimate and not. 4 months security is not normal and find a new broker if you're going to have to use one anyway.
City living - yes, I am now trying to take a step back and broaden my search (just frustrated because I know I can find stuff that is in my budget in HK). As for PS, my main concern is that most of the areas of Brooklyn that interest me seem to have the same starting price range for studio/1br (granted they tend to be larger and newer). Therefore, I am not sure whether broadening my search will necessarily be beneficial (unless Brooklyn is less strict than Manhattan when it comes to applications)
Babo- I would have been fine with 4 months of rent + 1 month security upfront, but their demand for it to all be in security seemed like it was in bad faith (I know how hard it is to evict a tenant).
Henna- I have been considering subletting, but I do not really know where to begin. Sublet.com?
I guess now I first need to decide on what other neighborhoods to search (I was previously very interested in Cobble Hill and Carroll garden, but none of the Brooklyn brokers seem to have much in those areas). LES seems a little too rundown, and I can't see myself enjoying Hoboken.
Does anyone have any idea whether East Village is any cheaper than HK?
Thanks again for all of the help
Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill are nice. CH kind of has a Park Slope feel to me. I'm not sure how much my co-worker pays in PS but her lease is over at the end of the month for her studio. Haha. (She's the one who had to pay extra rent not security.) And again, I am not really familiar with the rental situation there in terms of pricing---I just know it's more expensive than where I live.
It sucks. But I wish you luck. It's tiresome but as soon as you get the place you're looking for you'll be elated and so happy it's over and done with---put in the grunt work now so you can relax later.
Hell's Kitchen is just an extension of the tourist trap that is Times Square. If you like living in the middle of a theme park then Hell's Kitchen is your place.
Hell's Kitchen is just an extension of the tourist trap that is Times Square. If you like living in the middle of a theme park then Hell's Kitchen is your place.
Ha, may I ask what street/avenue you live off of... (i.e. are you closer to the times square area?) Is there any reason why you ended up staying for 8 years?
My situation just got resolved, and I actually ended up negotiating a better deal and just signed a lease, so I am there for at least a year haha...
In Brooklyn, since you've ruled out Park Slope, glance at listings in Prospect Heights. There are plenty of working professionals and academics living in Prospect Heights, along with mostly Caribbean families, who do not pay Park Slope rents but walk over for specialty food items. It's the wannabe neighborhood, nearby PS but rents can be better.
Also see if you like anything on, or very near, Franklin Ave. between Eastern Pkwy and Atlantic, favoring Eastern.
In those locations, subway transportation is excellent. I always look for a choice of several subway lines in walking distance. It's helpful not to depend on any single line, because regular construction impacts them all.
From Prospect Heights or Franklin Ave, you'd rent for less than ParkSlope, but walk there to PS for food specialty shops. To party/club in Williamsburg, you might need a cab between neighborhoods, as those don't connect as well.
Bar/restaurants on Franklin Ave are newly popular with people from Brooklyn and Manhattan. Yoga/spa/smoothie/crunchy venues are popping up on Flatbush Ave near Grand Army Plaza. Prospect Park is a huge and beautiful place, designed by Frederic Law Olmsted (Central Park). It;s great for biking, and borders the Botanical Gardens, Bkln Public Library headquarters, and Brooklyn Museum on Eastern Parkway. Saturday mornings in summer, Grand Army Plaza has a decent Farmers Market for freshest food.
Something new and big: Berg'n -- very accessible from the Brooklyn neighborhoods I'm mentioning here. They brought the Smorgasbord/Brooklyn Flea indoors starting this winter, into an old Studebaker plant in Crown Heights. So that's a new gathering place for young people who love food, microbrew beer. It's loud, large, with a beerhall and long tables. I don't socialize that way, but I just noticed it while enjoying other features of wintertime Smorgasbord (vintage clothing market, excellent ethnic hot food carts lined up indoors, and buy-expensive-jam booths).
Last edited by BrightRabbit; 01-04-2015 at 08:57 AM..
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