Valuable Tips For New York Apartment Hunting

Moving is inherently stressful. Packing sucks, unpacking sucks and everything in between…well, sucks. However, before you can even get to those steps, you first need to select a new place to live. You can’t just pack up and move out with nowhere to go. Looking for an apartment in New York City can be a pain. In fact, searching for an apartment can become a full-time job. No matter what you are looking for in your new home, there are several things that you absolutely must consider before making your final decision. Here’s a helpful guide to assist you in that process.

Schleppers moving van by Flickr user gruntzooki.

Decide What Are You Looking For

First things first, you need to determine what you want. Do you want roommates? Do you want to live alone? Do you have pets? Are you allergic to animals? What you need will help determine where you look. Key factors to consider are:

• What is your budget?
• Will you be living by yourself?
• Do you have preferred neighborhoods?
• What trains/buses to you need for your daily commute?
• Do you want an elevator building or is a walk-up OK?
• Do you require a doorman building?
• What amenities do you want your building to have (e.g., a gym, roof access, community rooms, etc)?
• Do you need the building to allow pets (or would you prefer that it didn’t)?

Where To Look

The easiest apartment searches are the ones that end successfully through word of mouth. If you’re looking for a new place to live, share the news on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and any other social media sites that you actively use. Let people know exactly what you want and see if they come up with any leads. This is particularly helpful if you are just looking for a room. Often times friends will know of someone who needs to replace a roommate. In a perfect world, this strategy would be all that you needed.

The world of apartment hunting, though, is far from perfect. That’s why Craigslist exists. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. The photographs are taken from deceptive angles (no apartment is as big as it looks), the descriptions are full of euphemisms (“dynamic neighborhood” means gang activity) and bait-and-switch postings are common. That said. it is the single most robust source of apartment listings out there. Craiglist is particularly helpful for finding rooms if you want to move into a place and have roommates. That, however, has its own set of potential problems that we’ll get to shortly.

Lastly, of course, there are brokers. You’ll end up paying for their services (commission rates can be anywhere from 10-20% of the annual rent of the new apartment, but you can negotiate that in advance) but they can save you a lot of time. Rather than tracking down fruitless leads yourself, they’ll do the grunt work for you and allow you to maximize time on your search.

Moving Day by Flickr user justinnash.

What To Look For In A Potential Apartment

When the landlord or broker is showing you an apartment, there are several questions you will want to ask. Before you even get there, though, make a note of how close the apartment is to subway and bus stops. You’ll want to know how the location will affect your commute. Also look around for nearby grocery stores, pharmacies and other necessities that you want close by. You should also keep an eye out for local bars, clubs and restaurants both for your own enjoyment and also, possibly, to avoid being too close to noise and odors.

Once you’ve made your rounds of the neighborhood, be sure to revisit it at night. Things change after dark and you’ll want to be aware of what the nightlife is like.

When you’re inside the apartment, make note of the storage space (closes, cabinets, etc). Look out all of the windows to see what streets they are facing and make a note of any noise concerns. Turn all all of the faucets to make sure that they work and look around for outlets and installed light fixtures. Storage is key when it comes to city living, so make sure that you can fit your life inside any new apartment.

Look to see that the common spaces in the building are clean and well-maintained. The front door to the building should always lock properly and never be kept open. Hallways should be clean, quiet and odor-free and you want to keep an eye out for bugs or [gulp] mouse droppings.

As for questions to ask, don’t leave an apartment viewing without discussing the following:

• What is the rent?
• What utilities are included?
• What is the average monthly cost of utilities?
• Can you control the heat from the apartment?
• Is there an air conditioner included?
• When was the apartment last renovated (including when the appliances were installed)?
• Are pets allowed?
• Does the superintendent live in the building?

Make notes as you look at the apartment and speak with the landlord and/or broker. Take pictures. Don’t rely on your memory, especially when you plan to see multiple apartments in one day.

What To Look For In A Potential Roommate

If you’re looking for a room, you’ll find plenty of people willing to share their apartments. Living with a stranger (sorry, “Craigslist roommate”) comes with risks. You can mitigate those by doing your due diligence before moving in. When meeting a potential new roommate, be sure to ask the proper questions:

• How long have they lived in the apartment?
• Why did the former roommate leave?
• Are the bedrooms the same size/will the rent be prorated based on apartment size?
• What is the average cost of the utilities/how are the utility bills split?
• Are there any pets already living in the apartment/how do the current tenants feel about pets?
• What furniture is currently in the apartment/what is needed in the common spaces?
• What hours to the current tenants keep both in their professional and private lives?
• Do they appear clean?
• Do they have any unusual weapons displayed?
• Do they walk around naked?
• Have the current tenants had any problems with the building management or neighbors?

If you are close to saying yes to an apartment, make plans to get together with your potential new roommates for some drinks or dinner. Spend some time with them socially before committing to live with them. They might be nice while trying to sell you on their space but things could change once people stop putting their best foot forward. You never know when the passive aggressive notes about refrigerator space will start showing up.

Moving will always be stressful. Once you make your decision, you’ll need to pack up your old place, hire movers (or bribe your friends with promises of beer and dinner) and get yourself into the new apartment. Once you’re settled in, however, it’s a chance for a fresh start and new adventures. If you handle the search properly, you’ll avoid getting yourself into an unpleasant living situation.

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