I’m interested in an apartment my friend is moving out of. The owner, who owns a management company and I believe is also a broker himself, wants to charge us a one-month’s-rent broker’s fee. This seems like BS to me, as he has provided no broker’s services whatsoever. Any ideas for negotiating with him?


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  1. You guys think any idiot can get a broker’s license (probably true actually) So why are you geniuses so naive about NYS license law?

    Hunt, I’m cranky because you again make little sense. Let me explain again to both you and dirty hipster AGAIN, like high school.

    One has to be an attorney or have a real estate license – yes, that thing, you guys think is worth the price of a scratch off ticket – to legally get a commission on a real estate transaction in New York State. The 80 bucks I tip my supers everytime I rent an apt, is actually illegal.

    Is it unusual for a broker to “broker” his own properties, yes, but not every R.E. Agent is a pushy 20 something y/o, desperately showing 30 apts a week – hoping to land a deal to pay their rent.

    This man probably worked hard, saved his money, bought a couple of buildings of his own and, as the owner/broker, has chosen to give himself the exclusive right to rent – no different from an owner giving Corcoran exclusive agency/right to sell on all the sponsor units in a particular Coop or Joe shmo Realty having the same on that rental building on PPW & X street, you know, the one that never has a “for rent” sign up.

    And when there is a thud in that old lady’s rent -controlled apt and you call the owner’s number you got from the super, hoping rent it; the manager will tell you the same thing: “… Realty has the exclusive, you have to go through them” and believe me, they are not going to do anything more to “earn” their commission than give you an application form.

  2. This guy seems shady- he has done absolutely nothing to deserve a fee. Call up the NY Real Estate Board as mentioned by another poster. Then when you talk to the landlord bring up the conflict of interest of issue and the words “real estate board”, “ethical review” and see what he says. He may act like a hardass and still demand the fee.

    I am another one who refuses to pay a realtor fee. I always see what realtors have to show but always manage to find a nicer apartment by myself. If I could have found a really nice apartment that is below market value ( or better than what I found myself) with a realtor fee I might be willing to pay up. But I am willing to put in the sweat equity to find an apartment through Craigslist but not all people are.

    How much do you like the apartment vs. how much do you want to deal with the hassle of looking for another place? Also think about the fact that the way he is nickel and diming you now might indicate how he might act as a landlord (dishonest, cheap ass, penny pinching a**hole who doesnt fix stuff etc etc). But your friend should be able to answer that question for you.

    Good luck!

  3. Thanks, all. I appreciate the suggestions and am gonna try to negotiate with him. I think it’s an ethical gray area at best and a definite douche move. We’ll see how this plays out.

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