Apartment search

So much for my plan to be a good blogger... I have an excuse for not writing anything for a bit, and it is called apartment searching in Manhattan.  Beyond work, I can't think of anything else besides apartments, fees, dogs, fees and neighborhoods.  Prior to moving here, I knew to expect high rent and fast pace.  So far, the prices are what I expected, but the pace of the market is crazy!  It doesn't help that I get emotionally attached to nice apartments the second I walk through the door; this is something I am working on with every apartment I apply for and don't get. :)

Our first plan was to find an apartment "on our own" a.k.a. no broker.  I started looking on Craigslist for no-fee or by-owner apartments, even though friends warned me these apartments are often fake.  They were right.  I emailed probably 20-30 Craigslist ads, and almost all of them lead back to a broker.  I even went to see a few that were by-owner, and a broker met me at the door.  Also, the pictures on Craigslist may not even be the apartment you are going to see.  So, on to plan two, use a broker.

I will be nice and start with the good side to using a broker.  They have access to more apartments than I could every find on my own time, and they do work decently hard on your behalf (because they want their fee, of course).  Yesterday, one woman I am working with ran across 1st avenue in front of  a bus to turn in my application (her fee is 12% of annual rent.)  She also emails me with apartment options as they become available. 

Now, the bad.  They basically STEAL your money.  As mentioned, the broker fee we will likely pay is 12-15% of annual rent.  Yes, annual rent.  For our price range, this is around $3000.  I hope they are willing to run across the street, at noon, in front of a bus, in the rain, in heels, with a backpack...you get the picture.  People here just deal with this, but I know all of you in Springfield will think this is nuts, right?  This is a major reason I want to find a good apartment.  We can not afford this fee every year!

Now, to the pace.  I have seen quite a few apartments and put in appliations in on four apartments.  On each, I was supposedly the only applicant when I wrote the check/got the cash for the application fee.  On each, there have been multiple other applicants which the broker "didn't know about."  Maybe they don't know, but it seems so strange how it happens like that every time.  So, with multiple applicants, it has come down to first, credit score, and second, if we are willing to pay more rent.  This is where I wonder about the truth in all this...are the brokers/landlords just doing this to get more rent?  The problem is, I will never know and I don't have the luxury of waiting to find out because some other person is taking the same risk as me.  In one case, the rent magically went up $150/month.  Hum?  Also, I lost one because the other applicant's salary was 80x monthly rent.  I don't know why I am competing with someone who makes a fortune for a one bedroom apartment East of 1st avenue...move to Madison!

All of this is made worse by the fact that I am in a new job, so I can't leave every few hours to go look at potentials which is what the brokers want.  And, of course, Blake is trying to help me from 1200 miles West.  Our teamwork on this process was a little rough at first, but we are learning to work together better.  He tries to find nice places online and I go look at them.  But, that doesn't make up for the fact that I see the apartment, along with the block and neighborhood, and he doesn't.  I think he also gets frustrated at my becoming emotionally attached too early.  Whoops.

Over all, I think we will find something, but it will likely cause more stress and cost more in fees than it is worth.  Oh well, I am the one who wanted to move here, so I better suck it up and try again tomorrow!

Love and miss you all!

devin