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Cheap apartments in NYC – how to find?

So you are moving to NYC. That is a great choice. The center of the world, as they call NYC, will offer many job opportunities and a bunch of wonderful things to see and experience. The first step would be to find your perfect NYC moving company and move to the Big Apple. If you are moving from another state what you need are the best long distance movers NYC can offer. After you actually move it is time to look for an apartment. Everybody dreams of an affordable and decent apartment. We are going to help you by explaining how to rent cheap apartments in NYC. We are going to suggest the cheapest neighborhoods for renting apartments in NYC.

new york apartment
New York is a great place to live and rent an apartment

How to rent cheap apartments in NYC

The first step before you go about renting your apartment is getting your credit act together. Be sure to get your credit report copy. You have to include recent pay stubs, your latest tax return, a bank statement, and a letter providing proof of employment. You or your roommate should make at  40 times the monthly rent in a year. If this is not the case you have to find a “guarantor.”

You need to find a good broker

A good broker is going to be your best friend in the process of looking for cheap apartments in NYC. Moreover, you will be paralyzed without the services of a good broker. If you want to be sure that you have found a reliable person you can check the site nakedapartments.com and find broker reviews. Be sure to have an interview with a few good ones.

cheap apartments in NYC broker
A good broker will help you find cheap apartments in NYC

Avoid the ‘no-fee’ apartments

You may think you are saving money by renting a no fee apartment. However, this is usually not the case. You will avoid a broker service fee but your rent will probably be super high. If you avoid these apartments it will pay off in the long run because your rent will be smaller.

Try using Listing Project

This is a list of apartment renters in NYC. You will get a weekly e-mail with apartment listings. 75% of vacancies on the list are located in NYC.However, you can receive the e-mail anywhere in the world. Try putting yourself on the list of the people looking for cheap apartments in NYC.

Try negotiating the rent price

You should definitely try to negotiate the rent price with the landlord. However don’t get your hopes up. You will not have much success if the rent price is up to 3 000$. Only if the rent is above this sum you can expect to get a discount of 50$ to 100$ from the monthly rent. 

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Try to negotiate the rent price

Check out the stragglers

Ask your brokers to organize a visit to some stragglers. These apartments that are considered old on the market could be a good catch. These are the ones that have been out there between 60 and 75 days without being rented. You will see some stinky holes.But there are good ones out there and the landlord will be inclined to break the price if you show real interest.

The best neighborhoods to find cheap apartments in NYC

Try finding for cheap apartments in NYC in cheap neighborhoods. We will suggest the cheapest places to check after your perfect relocation to NYC.

Inwood in Manhattan

Inwood is the cheapest neighborhood in Manhattan. Median rent is $1,825 per month. This is a great place if you are moving to Manhattan with a family. It has a lot of green spaces. Inwood is also quite calm and relaxed. Even though it is very difficult to find affordable apartments in Manhattan,  Inwood is a real jewel. The top restaurant is Anchor Heights and the top bar is Inwood Local.

Inwood
Inwood has a lot of green spaces

Crown Heights in Brooklyn

Crown Heights offer a lot of affordable houses and apartments. The median rent here is $2,300 per month. Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the Brooklyn Museum are very close by. You will enjoy things to do in winter in NYC here because you can try ice skating.  It also has good access to the 4/5 and 2/3 subway lines and a great nightlife. The top Restaurant is The Food Sermon and the top bar is Two Saints.

Ridgewood in Queens

The median rent in Ridgewood is  $2,495. This Queens neighborhood is a great combination of old and new. This part of NYC is a wonderful ethnic mixture.It is extremely popular among your people who want to rent cheap apartments in NYC. Here you can enjoy the spirit of north Brooklyn.However, you will not have to pay the Williamsburg prices.

Kingsbridge in the Bronx

The median asking rent in Kingsbridge is $1,849. Even though your commute is going to last a bit longer, the rent prices will be a lifesaver in this neighborhood. The nightlife is not so developed but the place is very popular among young people regardless. Moreover, Van Cortlandt Park is located here.It is one of the biggest green spaces in NYC. There are also a lot of relaxed restaurants and bars.

St.George in Staten Island

Median  rent in St.George is $2,300. If you don’t care too much about the commute time and think that ferry rides are cool, this is a great place for you. Not to mention that the rent prices are quite affordable. It is here that the National Lighthouse Museum and St. George Theatre is located.For this reason,  the neighborhood has some of the borough’s best culture. The architecture is also very interesting.There are old Victorian style houses that are contrasted to modern buildings. If you are a fan of beer you just have to visit the Flagship Brewing Company.You are going to love this brewery.

So here you have some tips on how to rent cheap apartments in NYC. We have also recommended some of the cheapest neighborhoods in each of the NYC boroughs. We hope you will find your cheap dream NYC apartment. Nyc is generally a pricey and expensive place to live but if you dig deep and long enough and in the right places you can rent some cheap apartments in NYC.