Here's 10 one bedroom apts at or south of the park, a couple in the east village or les

http://tinyurl.com/nsdmhwq

I could write a whole page on the state of rentals in NYC right now and what's wrong with it (the brokers). But to put it as quickly as I can I will just say that EVERYTHING operated on Craigs List 5 years ago, and yes, as Dental has mentioned Craigs List does have SOME crap listings (streeteasy and naked apartments seem to be better spots to look now). And since then, the brokers have taken that knowledge and absolutely RUN back into their holes, almost as if they had been waiting for any reason at all to go back to the days where people had to come and find them and go to brokers exclusively, instead of having a horrible archaic system where everything was listed and everyone had access to it. Perhaps people were starting to realize that paying 15% of a full year's rent was absolutely ridiculous considering they found the apartment themselves online and no other city does that.

[Edited on July 28, 2015 at 7:03 PM. Reason : asdf]

7/28/2015 6:58:31 PM

I worked as a real estate agent for about 5 years and it's much more complicated than what you're saying. First off craigslist costs agents 10 dollars per post. They are advertising listings so you call them. Many post to the owner section bc it's free and that kinda erodes the process. 5 years ago craigslist was great but now it's mostly worthless. If you have time to comb through it then that's fine. One of the links previous is Chartwell which is a Managment company and they do have some studios under 2000 on the UES right now. (On their website)

Also 90% of the listings on streeteasy and nakedapartments are listed by agents. They pay upwards of $1000 a year to post listings on nakedapts so I'm not 100% clear on what your point is.

On the topic of brokers: the vacancy rate in New York is insanely low and the laws lean towards tenants. Most owners are either large enough they can hire on-site leasing agents and integrate the cost into the apartment price or use real estate agents. Many owners to not want to put their addresses and numbers out for renters to see bc people are crazy and intrusive. When you have gate keepers (brokers) between the client and your property this issue is removed somewhat. In most large cities rental agents exist but the vacant rate and demand is a situation where the owner pays the broker most of the time. Now If you move to some far out BRONX or queens neighborhood the apt will most likely not have a fee bc the demand is low. Many apartments that have issues in prime neighborhoods might be listed as "no fee" by brokers bc the owner wants it rented ASAP (end of month, he has a lot of available apts, whatever).

With that being said if you know the Managment companies or small owners and call to make appointments then you will save yourself 3000+ bucks. Most working adults in NYC do not have the time to spend bc they are working to pay rent.

A lot of rental agents are sleezy dudes who want your money fast but at the same time a lot of renters have shit credit, do not respect property, lie about dumb stuff and generally cause owners problems. Its a complicated relationship between everyone involved. Also a lot is building owners are also brokers. So there's also that.

Also this isn't even touching on the sales market which gets people posed off for completely differwnt reasons.

Also also I enjoy conversations about this topic and this might he a tad garbled bc Im on the train.

7/28/2015 7:58:16 PM

So this moving away from Craigs List is something that's been bothering more every day I look for an apartment...I don't know the reason behind everything despite my language saying so, and apologize for insinuating. But when it comes down to it, the bottom line is that brokers are plenty happy that it's not as easy to find apartments as it once was. You say CL is worthless now. It's worthless because most brokers aren't posting there, not because there's too much trash. The average New Yorker can spot shitty ads and use it as a good tool (assuming everyone posts there).

Admittedly, I look at this issue through my own lens only, but I think it's the case with a good amount of people so that's where I'm going to limit the conversation to. I have good credit, know exactly what I can qualify for, and know exactly what I want. 5 years ago I could simply save a search on Craigs List and know that if anything came available that met what I needed I would see it. Sure, every day you have to sift through bullshit and know the proper language to use when asking about and apartment, but it's worth it to me.

Now, because Craigs List has a worse reputation, brokers aren't posting on it nearly as much. So in order to ensure that I'm seeing all the apartments that might fit my criteria I have to not only search two or three different websites, but also be in touch with multiple brokers (I've had at least 4 different brokers so far tell me that they post to their website only at first). This is not in any way better for the tenant. All this does is make the tenant annoyed at the whole process and settle on something.

There are people out there who are happy to just contact a broker, go see 10 different places in a day and pick one. This is deserving of a fee I guess, and also a pretty terrible way to find an apartment in New York. If you're patient, you will find something you like. If you're really patient, you'll find an apartment listed by the owner with no fee and it'll be a great deal.

Also, concerning my post about nakedapts...I wasn't making any point there except to mention it so anyone looking for an apt in NY would know to check that site also.

7/28/2015 9:05:02 PM

Regarding craigslist, they no longer allow people to set up data feeds to craigslist (rather than manual posting). You can also longer put hyperlinks in the ads.

On top of that prices have gone from 6 bucks an ad to 15 I think. Bc of this many brokerages don't even bother bc you have to post at least 3 ads a day to get a lead and you can't link to other sites. It gets pricey. Also the type of client is/was of a worse quality then someone from the other sites.

If anything the retreat of brokers from craigslist is craigslist fault. Other sites filled the void. Most of this happened over the last 2 years.

7/28/2015 9:40:29 PM

If that's the case than I guess I've got a bone to pick with CL...but after asking this question to 10-15 different brokers this is the first I've heard this reason

7/29/2015 8:54:36 AM

Most real estate agents live in their own bubble and have no idea how the brokerage they're licensed with does stuff. I currently work on the tech side and deal with this shit on a daily basis.

if people want to work with a broker I recommend they find one they like in a reputable firm (if they are in REBNY it might help) and work only with them. Send them listings you find other brokers have listed and be proactive in the search. If you do this they will put effort into working with you back bc there is a much better chance they will get paid at the end. They might even give you a discount if it's not a cobroke situation bc it's fun working with people who arnt trying to fuck you over!

[Edited on July 29, 2015 at 10:53 AM. Reason : Typo]

7/29/2015 10:51:55 AM

Any good dinner recommendations in midtown east? For work so would need to reserve it tonight for 5-6 so nothing super exclusive but also not generic steakhouse.

8/5/2015 10:37:42 AM

Ma Pache is not in midtown east but it's close enough. It's good.

15 west 57th street.

8/5/2015 9:13:07 PM

^ 56th

8/5/2015 11:42:35 PM

^ this is correct.

8/6/2015 8:48:51 AM

That's def a good spot. I've been working in that area a lot over the last few weeks and have dropped by for a milkshake at the milk bar on no less than two occasions. My inner and outer fat kid was in full effect

8/6/2015 12:50:58 PM

That place looks good. Will have to check it out next time. Ended up going to Basso56. Exceeded my expectations. Nice intimate traditional Italian place.

8/6/2015 1:40:24 PM

Quote :

" The subway is a nice novelty when you're visiting, but depending on it for morning commutes would likely wear you down."

this is total nonsense

Quote :

"Also the bike share is expensive but in my mind totally worth it"

lol it's $100 a year. it is the best deal going in the city. I use it every day and barely have to use the train for anything. it's a no brainer. and they're expanding into park slope and the UWS in the next month or so.

[Edited on August 10, 2015 at 10:40 AM. Reason : ]

8/10/2015 10:36:28 AM

Quote :

"" The subway is a nice novelty when you're visiting, but depending on it for morning commutes would likely wear you down.""

Haha what?

8/10/2015 11:24:18 AM

check out Crave Fishbar in Midtown East next time you're getting dinner in the area. they've got $1 oysters every night from 5-7 and the rest of the menu is super good too/not too crazy expensive.

8/10/2015 12:19:59 PM

Nice will do! The menu looks good.

8/10/2015 12:22:49 PM

When I had to rely on the F train the morning I felt pretty worn down.

[Edited on August 10, 2015 at 3:41 PM. Reason : Too many people]

8/10/2015 3:40:40 PM

Quote :

"lol it's $100 a year"

I should have mentioned my perspective is of someone that owns a bike already (or 3 of them, but that's neither here nor there...)

So for me and anyone that already has a bike, you're paying $100 for the luxury of having a slow, clunky bike if you didn't ride that day for whatever reason (expected rain, etc). But like I said, even then I still find it to be worth it.

For someone that has no bike, yes, $100 is extremely fair and a no brainer

8/10/2015 11:37:05 PM

what a goddamn shit show.

8/11/2015 12:07:24 AM

True, but you also don't have to worry about stowing your personal bike during the day or the possibility of it being stolen. And if you decide to go out with friends after work (or whatever), you may decide to use alternate transportation. I would think it would be worth the $100.

8/11/2015 11:21:19 AM

Bikes get stolen on the regular. a friend of mine had two stolen in a week.

8/11/2015 12:24:44 PM

^^ Hence why my original statement was "expensive but totally worth it"

8/11/2015 10:14:40 PM

I use bike share much more often than I use my personal bike. It's around an hour ride from where I live in Brooklyn to where I work in Manhattan so it's rare for me to commute by bike and have it with me. Bike share is one of my main ways of getting around in Manhattan, though. I ride up the greenway or over the bridge after work pretty frequently then take the subway the rest of the way home. I think it's a pretty great value. I like the new bikes that have been rolling out over the last few weeks.

I also don't get the "worn down" on the subway thing, but everyone has a different personality. If I was riding the Lex every day between the Upper East Side and Union Square it would probably be a different story, but most of the other lines aren't *that* crushed on a regular basis. I really value that time every day to read or listen to music/podcasts. It's hard to imagine going back to somewhere where I had to drive to work.

The housing situation has been spiraling out of control for years now and there is no end in sight. Neighborhoods are gentrifying so rapidly it's unbelievable. It has to end somewhere or the people who run the city are no longer going to be able to live within a reasonable distance of it. I'm fortunate to have a rent stabilized apartment and that is definitely my advice to anyone who is moving; if you can find one, take it without hesitation. I had a friend whose rent was increased by $1,000 when their lease expired. Absolutely absurd.



[Edited on August 11, 2015 at 11:32 PM. Reason : .]

8/11/2015 11:23:06 PM

With regards to subways, I agree it's a "to each his own" thing. I've visited NYC for weeks at a time and love it, but don't know if I'd want to live there. To tie into the subway, if I go to the grocery store and get 6-8 bags of food, I don't want to lug that shit on a fucking train or bike. I want to put it in my car and drive home. That's me personally. If you want to spend 90 minutes round trip taking the subway to a store, shopping and going home, more power to you.

8/11/2015 11:46:02 PM

You don't really have to do that though because you have most of those things near where you live. Also, you shop differently when you live in a city. Obviously the suburban mentality of loading up the car with a couple weeks of groceries doesn't work anymore. I have 6 full size grocery stores and countless bodegas between my subway station and my apartment (and I live pretty far out in Brooklyn), so I usually stop in on my way home. I've found that I buy fresher foods living here because I'm making more frequent trips for smaller purchases.

8/11/2015 11:55:08 PM

Taking groceries on the train is crazy talk.

8/11/2015 11:58:45 PM

^ you utilize a bike for that? (or hell, walking?)

I haven't lived in NYC onviously, but I have lived downtown other places and I imagine the solution is similar. I agree with others and will say that when I have lived in a downtown somewhere, I wasn't buying weeks worth of groceries like I do when I'm at home in a suburb. Currently I've been working out of town for work for most of this year and I have an apartment downtown. I walk to a nearby grocery store once a week and get ~a weeks worth of groceries and walk home. It's usually two bags. There are definitely aspects of grocery/toiletry shopping that are definitely not as convenient as throwing a couple weeks worth of groceries in your car and driving home, and I have wondered how different it would be to deal with this 365 days a year. But millions of people do it every day so it would appear there are plenty of options.

8/12/2015 7:51:14 AM

When I lived in Boston, I had something like this if I was going for a "big" shopping trip or to the farmers' market.

8/12/2015 8:38:43 AM

^ when i lived in Australia downtown and didn't have a car for 2 years - my wife and i had one of those for grocery and farmer's market trips - loved it

8/12/2015 9:38:40 AM

There is a key food at the end of my block which is a decent sized grocery store. There's also a decent produce place and a fancier corner store a few blocks away.

I also have a car so occasionally I go to the whole foods or fairway bc they have parking lots.

8/12/2015 9:43:23 AM

I live in Denver and I still bike to the grocery store with a backpack and/or bike panniers. Or we'll walk when we want to take our dog. I try to avoid driving in the city now at all costs and traffic and parking isn't even that bad here. I imagine if I lived in NYC I'd be biking or walking to the grocery store.

8/12/2015 11:57:10 AM

anyone here ever use Amazon's Prime Pantry when living in a bigger city? If you already have Prime, I could see it being useful for stocking up on some bulkier items without dealing with transport.

[Edited on August 12, 2015 at 12:43 PM. Reason : ]

8/12/2015 12:43:25 PM

I considered it but can you actually get real groceries on it? The majority of what I buy at the grocery store is fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, and cheeses. A big portion of all that is local produce. Or I'll go to the farmer's market. I rarely ever buy anything that has packaging or an ingredient list unless it's like toilet paper, detergent, etc all which I get in bulk from Costco.

I've considered services like Instacart where they actually go to the store and pick it up and deliver it for you but for some stores they may charge up to 10-15% more than the actual price of the item.

As Vulcan91 pointed out:

Quote :

"I've found that I buy fresher foods living here because I'm making more frequent trips for smaller purchases."

I imagine one of the benefits of living in a big city would be quick and easy access to fresh meat and produce which require frequent grocery store visits anyway.

[Edited on August 12, 2015 at 1:58 PM. Reason : s]

8/12/2015 1:56:04 PM

I agree that I am mostly buying fruits, vegetables, eggs, cheeses (I don't eat meat at home). I do get some granola bars, crackers, and bagels or bread and some things like peanut butter but not a lot of packaged items overall.

However, what I was thinking of were some other items:

Bulky household items like paper towels or toilet paper. I also drink sparkling water, and amazon does 12 packs of those that are more convenient that lugging them around. Additionally, toiletries like deodorant, shaving cream, after shave, etc. Just some things that would be nice to not have to make a special trip for. If you already have Prime it seems like it could be convenient.

[Edited on August 12, 2015 at 3:35 PM. Reason : ]

8/12/2015 3:35:21 PM

Every block not in a high end shopping area or in the ghetto has a place that will sell that stuff

8/12/2015 3:37:28 PM

That makes sense. I haven't tried it yet. Usually I'll only need a random item every now and then when going to the grocery store (deodorant, tp, etc) so I'll just pick it up on my weekly trips to the grocery store.

Plus I love going to Costco. That $1.50 hot dog. Plus the samples.

8/12/2015 3:38:21 PM

I don't think you can throw a rock in Manhattan without hitting the window of a Duane Reade.

8/12/2015 3:44:31 PM

Yeah there's one every few blocks in Manhattan.

8/12/2015 4:02:13 PM

oh yeah - my thought wasn't for the lack of places to buy but just more for convenience. If I didn't have a car, it would take me a couple trips to get what I can fit in one Pantry box if I'm getting bulky items and i'm looking at walking/subway/bike. Seemed potentially worth the $5 surcharge for some items every other month.

But if I'm way off, no big deal. I was just floating the idea out there to see if others used it.

8/12/2015 6:12:40 PM

We've actually just started using the Amazon Subscribe and Save for things like toilet paper, kitty litter, diapers, etc. Obviously it's helpful for anything that you know you'll need over and over regardless of size, but yet, it's a definite bonus for the bigger stuff that can be a pain in the ass to carry 2 blocks.

Actually, it's not even so much that it's a pain to carry toilet paper 2 blocks, but something that large is not something you want to have when you've got other groceries and stuff to carry

8/13/2015 11:06:48 AM

Quote :

"not something you want to have when you've got other groceries and stuff to carry"

yep. that's really what I meant.

8/13/2015 11:10:17 AM

can anyone recommend a good beard barber in Manhattan? preferrably UES?

10/6/2015 1:35:46 PM

I can fit about two bags worth of groceries into a backpack and take that on a bike or subway. you're not buying everything at the supermarket. think of the trader joes runs just for specific items. everything else can be purchased at the market around the corner. small apartments also usually means less space for food storage. the subway seems too unreliable to have to take to and from work everyday imo. not unreliable in the sense that you dont make it but unreliable in terms of regular 10-20 minute delays/detours. As someone who has experienced Tokyo, Its super annoying.

[Edited on October 7, 2015 at 8:56 PM. Reason : all relative right]

10/7/2015 8:55:11 PM

No one in the UES has a beard.

10/8/2015 7:23:27 AM

lol

10/8/2015 7:58:24 AM

This probably isn't helpful at all but I can more than vouch for these guys if you find yourself in Jersey City - http://virilebarbershop.com/ Its a great experience, you walk in, they pour you drink of your choice(and we're talking 3-4 fingers here). Definitely one of the highlights of my week whenever I go.

10/11/2015 9:23:52 PM

Quote :

"No one in the UES has a beard."

lol, i guess i'll be heading down to East Village. don't think i'll have time to cross the bridge to Brooklyn.

10/12/2015 10:01:41 AM

^^ I too can vouch for these guys (and gal). Which reminds me that it's about time to make an appointment. Pretty decent prices considering the area and quality of service.

10/12/2015 8:27:31 PM

Crazy - you live in JC ?

10/13/2015 9:26:21 PM

Yeah, hamilton park

10/13/2015 10:16:57 PM