How to find an apartment in NYC/Brooklyn.

[better late]

Looking for any tips and tricks on finding a two bedroom apartment in NYC/Brooklyn. This is for my daughter (and a roommate) who will be moving there in the fall. We parents will likely have to co-sign on the lease.. Advice and/or stories of how you've found your places appreciated. 

[Zamboni]

Look on zillow and check regularly? Are you looking for near a school, or are they moving there to work?

My cousin who works on Wall Street (for high pay) has a studio apartment complete with a murphy bed. He and his wife basically live in one room with a kitchen on a wall, a bed on a wall, one closet, and a tiny bathroom. Depending upon where you live now, you might be surprised to here that it is not uncommon for roommates in big expensive cities (NY, SF, Boston) to share a bedroom because rents are so high.

Good luck in your quest!

[better late]

She is moving there for work. I think they are looking at Williamsburg and Bushwick (aware of the L) and possibly Lower East side if something comes up. They know NYC pretty well, and have made the
“share a single bedroom with roomate choice” before to save $.

[zygote]

The best place to look for apartments in NYC is streeteasy. You can search by subway line, amenities, fees, etc. Tends to be more accurate about inventory than Zillow and less sketchy than something like Craigslist.

I personally wouldn't move somewhere off the L right now because it's a mess, but if they're aware of that and willing to deal with it so be it. Maybe they'll find a deal.

In general I would say the best way to find a good price is to be smart about the commute. Depending on where their work is, they could live farther out on a train that would get them to work with no transfers. Stuff like that.

[better late]

She has been showing me places to rent on StreetEasy. It’s good to know she’s on the right track. Thank you!

[brooklynmoney]

FYI the L (shockingly) is fine. Source: I live off of it.

[Zamboni]

I will definitely second avoiding having to transfer on the commute if it can be managed.

Are they both working in the same location? If so, then my personal move would be to live absolutely as close to work as possible. If rent levels make it impossible, then go with the "on the same line" method for the train. I commuted by subway for several years, and switching lines ends up taking more time than you think it will, on average. The bus in NYC is a drag imho. I still grab it from LaGuardia, but it's depressing enough that to limit me to that.

Good luck to her!

[tk2356]

The L is fine assuming they won’t be working night shifts of some sort. The Montrose stop is IMO a good mix of not too far from manhattan (~15 min to union sq) while avoiding the insane prices of the closer stops.

[MMM18]

NYBit and Renthop are legit places to look in my opinion.
BOND real estate website is also good.
Also, what you can do is if you find a good place on NYbit and at an ok price, you can contact the agent and ask if they have another unit available in another area or at a lower price. If they tell you no, ask if they have any fellow agents who could possibly help. That's how I found my current apartment.

Street Easy, Zillow and Trulia are a little too loose imo. But I know people who found good units on there.

Craiglist is another place you can look at. But you're a parent so you would be able to spot sketchy listings when you see one. I also know a family member who recently found a 2 bedroom unit in a great neighborhood in the Bronx for 2,200. She is living with a roommate and is splitting the bill.

Hope this helps.

[better late]

NYBit and Renthop are legit places to look in my opinion.
BOND real estate website is also good.
Also, what you can do is if you find a good place on NYbit and at an ok price, you can contact the agent and ask if they have another unit available in another area or at a lower price. If they tell you no, ask if they have any fellow agents who could possibly help. That's how I found my current apartment.

Street Easy, Zillow and Trulia are a little too loose imo. But I know people who found good units on there.

Craiglist is another place you can look at. But you're a parent so you would be able to spot sketchy listings when you see one. I also know a family member who recently found a 2 bedroom unit in a great neighborhood in the Bronx for 2,200. She is living with a roommate and is splitting the bill.

Hope this helps.

That is very helpful - especially the encouragement to call the agents to see if they have other leads as well. She said she found a few on NYbit and renthop that she hadn’t seen anywhere else.

[MMM18]

That is very helpful - especially the encouragement to call the agents to see if they have other leads as well. She said she found a few on NYbit and renthop that she hadn’t seen anywhere else.

I'm glad this was helpful. ^^ Happy apartment hunting ~