Soft Rental Market?
I’ve rented 2 floor-thrus in my Fort Greene brownstone for the past 3 years with no problem, but I always use a broker. Suddenly, I’m having trouble. Has the bottom fallen out of the rental market already? Has anyone else had to lower rents? I’m probably going to list it on craigslist – any other…
I’ve rented 2 floor-thrus in my Fort Greene brownstone for the past 3 years with no problem, but I always use a broker. Suddenly, I’m having trouble. Has the bottom fallen out of the rental market already? Has anyone else had to lower rents? I’m probably going to list it on craigslist – any other ideas?
The good news is, real estate broker is going the way of used car salesman as a career. The unholy arrogance of these little bloodsuckers is now coming back to haunt them.
Even if the 40 dollars were dor the credit check even though it does not state that, why should I givemy prospective homeowner my private information without me even getting a chance to see what the appartment looks like. Using this method I could pay that fee 10 times without seeing a single apartment. How about getting a credit check on the homeowners and real estate brokers? I would like to ask them if they have always been honest in declaring their income’s, have they ever falsely overstated the value of a home to get a higher profit, are they in foreclosure? We all run a credit check on renters because we assume that renters are all bad disshonest people but I have seen some real characters as brokers and homeowners.
Sorry, I meant to say Fort Greene or nearby.
Hi Lisa.
I am an architect and I am looking for a 2 bedroom rental in Boreum Hill or nearby. I will be able to move in for March or April. Price to be in the $2000 range. It will be my wife and daughter (19 month old). If you or anyone has anything of interest, please email me at pohlmachine@yahoo.com.
Thank you.
I just have a 2 family that I live in. When I go to rent the unit, I place an ad on CL with an “open house” a few nights for an 1-2 hours when I know I’ll be home anyway until the unit is rented. I put my address on the ad. I do this so I don’t have to answer emails, schedule appointments, make phone calls. I try to be as descriptive as possible and post a few pics. I feel that serious people will show up to see the place if there is no fee. In the past, the people who emailed me claiming to be great canidates, asking additional questions, requesting additional viewing times, never showed up so I quit responding to emails. I also charge $75 for the application fee and I check all the references. I tell people not to bother filling out the application if they don’t think they will qualify, aren’t serious about taking the place, the fee is for the credit check and my time and is non-refundable. I am happy to give them a copy if they want it. Photoshop makes it too easy to fake documents so I insist that I do the credit check myself.
One factor to consider in your decision whether or not to use a broker is what kind of apartment it is. An expensive family-sized apartment whose market is a relocating executive’s family whose company pays the broker fee is far different than a small apartment fit for a single professional. In the past, banks who signed on lots of new employees in June might have paid brokers fees as well, and those may be your market, but not as likely in January (and are companies are even doing this anymore for new hires in this economy?)
I agree that using Craig’s list is worthwhile — you might also send an e-mail to acquaintances to let them know about the apartment since most people don’t want to pay brokers fees. But I’d certainly expect rents to decline in this economy as they have in all past economies, and if you are only getting $100 less than peak, consider yourself fortunate. It’s much better to have a good tenant than get top rent in any case.
hannible..the $40 was probably for a credit check don’t you think?
Q: Why would a landlord use a broker ??
A: To discriminate.
Race, Age, Sex, Income, Marital status, Children, Pets…u name it…be honest….i wanted a single woman who had a decent job and no pets and no children…race/age not real relevant….my rent is about 2-400 below mkt…i’ve had 2 tenants in 11 yrs…my story is far more common than unusual…i’ve lived in NYC for 16yrs…i can’t tell u how many people preface “rent stories” with how special/unique their situation is relative to everyone else…how their deal is so great…sort of like those suburban people at work who lie about easy their commutes r(they r usually the ones yawning the most after lunch.)
Renters be careful in using CL. I saw a rental I liked and when I wrote to the email I was told I needed to pay 40 bucks after I filled out and application. Is is possible to rent without having to pay a parisiste blood for doing nothing. I never thought I would see the day when real estate brokers would be begging for pennies. Brokers are all a bunch of parisite swines. Goodbye and good riddens to them all.