Apartment search tips and links (New York, York: apartments, renters, broker)

[Elvira Black]

Thought I'd take a stab at starting a thread which might be of benefit to many on the forum:

Post links to websites and other resources for those looking for the ever elusive "safe, affordable" NYC apartments.

OK, I'll start with one--more to come.

On Rent.com, there are listings for Queens apts newly renovated that seem very reasonable and well located. If you register, they will e-mail you updated listings. Definitely worth a look-see!

[Nugget]

As a newly arrived - non-broker listings (ie. fee free) nybits: NY Bits - New York apartments, buildings and neighborhoods (http://www.nybits.com - broken link)

Sure a lot of them are the luxury buildings but they have a couple of managers who do walkups and cover a lot of NYC besides Manhattan. Sorts things out between rental buildings with links to the relevant websites as well as those for managers.

Also if you want to check out some reviews of renters who have lived in rental apartments Apartment Ratings - Apartments for Rent with Ratings and Reviews from Actual Renters - although there is a bit of junk there too as some managers have obviously been trying to get some marketing in.

Craigslist for the classifieds although you have to sort through a lot of junk on there from brokers posing as non-fee landlords

[Nugget]

One more no-fee website. Its a little less discriminating than NY Bits as a number of the no fee apartments are managed rental apartments but when you ask the management company (or the doorman who will tell you) they send you to a broker who then requires a fee. Urban Sherpa – New York City’s #1 No-Fee Rental Apartment Source

[Henna]

If you're looking in the outer boroughs it may be worth looking on neighborhood blogs. For instance, if you're looking in Astoria, a good place to try might be the classifieds and apartments forum on astorians.com .

May neighborhoods have online forums and blogs that cater to those already living in the neighborhood - this might be a good inside way of finding something.

google has a blog search here Google Blog Search
just type in the name of the neighborhood, such as "park slope" and at the top of the search results you will see the main blogs that focus on park slope.