Helpful tips on how to find a no fee nyc apartment FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / PRURGENT
New York, NY -- If you're thinking about looking for apartment rentals in Manhattan, you are probably also thinking of every way possible to avoid paying a broker 15-20% of the annual rent. Before you instinctively head straight to Craigslist, here are tips and warning signs to look out for that will help minimize the chances of Craigslist leading you straight to a broker’s front door. This will save you much time, money and aggravation.
Craigslist Warning Sign #1: All “broker no fee” postings.
The apartment term “no fee” here in New York does not mean you can live rent free or that there aren’t any deposit requirements or application fees. “No fee” means there is no broker fee associated with that particular apartment. After realizing what a broker charges in Manhattan, “no fee” are two words that will save an apartment hunter thousands. However, when you see apartment brokers posting many no fee apartments on Craigslist this should automatically raise a red flag. Regardless of how considerate you may think New Yorkers are, the chances of brokers spending hours to show you apartments out of the kindness of their hearts are extremely unlikely. Do you blame them? Apartment brokers make a very good living and it’s not by showing no fee apartments. A “broker no fee” listing on Craigslist is most likely a broker’s attempt to lure you in. Getting you to come to their offices is half the battle for brokers. They will start to interest you with similar apartments that have broker fees associated with them since the apartment you went there for was coincidently “just rented”. This is known as the typical bait-and-switch tactic.
Warning Sign #2: A no-fee “Open House” listed by a broker.
After confirming five times over the phone that a listing was an actual no fee apartment, Paul Salamanca who is SkipBrokers.com’s CEO, a website designed to help apartment hunters avoid brokers, went to this open house only to find the apartment was well overpriced for the size and location it was in. “This apartment was tiny and was as close to unlivable as it could get.”, Paul Salamanca explained. “Out of ten or so people who attended, nobody filled out an application but a few frustrated apartment hunters gave up on no fee apartments and left with the broker to see other apartments in the neighborhood.” Mr. Salamanca calls this the advanced bait and switch tactic since the broker used a real no fee apartment as a satellite office managing to turn no fee hunters into potential paying customers.
Tip 1: Avoid brokers completely if you are looking for no fee apartments.
Many no fee listings posted by brokers may sound tempting, but will most likely end up with you paying a high fee. Avoiding brokers completely is your best bet if you want a no fee apartment.
Instead, focus your energy on finding no fee landlords and websites.
Tip 2: Head straight to the “by-owner apartment only” section.
Bypass the “all apartments” and “all-no fee apartments” sections in Craigslist as they are flooded with brokers. “By-owner apartment only” section is highly monitored and will put you in a better position to find landlords.
Tip 3: Try to deal directly with landlords.
In addition to brokers, many listings you’ll find on Craigslist are from current tenants looking to sublease their apartments or individual rooms (shared apartment). Subleasing from a stranger is not recommended especially if the lease is soon to expire. You may have to pay for apartment damages or pay a substantial increase in rent at the time of renewal. In addition to www.Craigslist.org and www.SkipBrokers.com, there are a few other alternatives that put you in contact with no fee landlords directly. Explore other no fee options prudently as a few websites claiming to provide similar services for a one-time fee have been receiving many complaints regarding false listings.
Website Link: http://www.skipbrokers.com | 
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