Apartment hunting in New York is like trying to playing space invader. There are plenty of apartments out there, and you can see them available, but by the time you get to them they are either taken, or you get hit with the unexpected when you actually locate one you are invited to look at. If you don’t have a huge chunk of change to throw at a broker then using Craigslist is probably the best option you have aside from local papers, classifieds, and online agency listings that are not updated in real time like Craigslist.
Scouring Craigslist in search of an apartment in NY is not a chore. It’s an all day job, but there is a method to the Craigslist madness and a few secret tricks of the trade that may help you snag a decent New York apartment. Of course, there’s no guarantee you’ll get the apartment of your dreams, but at least you’ll have a decent shot at actually getting to look at an apartment you’re actually interested in.
Long Distance Looking
This is especially hard to do and very time consuming. There is no quick and easy drive by to check the place out. You’ll need to rely on photographs, references, and Google maps. Google maps will be your best friend in a long distance search. You can easily scan the neighborhood and view what your apartment looks like from the outside. You can even verify that the New York City apartment building actually exists. Never sign a lease until you’ve visited and inspected the place in person.
You can bookmark Google Maps for future reference. The url is http://maps.google.com
There’s No Time Like Now
You should begin looking for your NYC apartment on Craigslist at least two months in advance. New York City is a big place, and in most big cities rentals are listed at least a month before they are vacant and many are taken the same day they are listed. It really pays to start pouring over all those ads long before you actually leave, otherwise you could be stuck out in the cold.
Know What You Want and What You Can Realistically Get
It’s great to have the type of place you want to rent in mind before you actually start your New York apartment search on Craigslist. Make sure to write down a list of desirable features. Don’t be too picky though, and make sure your expectations are realistic. A penthouse apartment with a live-in maid, pool, and gym is awesome, but you’ll never find that for $700.00 a month. Also bear in mind that if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. There are a lot of scams on Craigslist, especially in the NYC area. Always check out any listing you come across.
RSS is Your Friend
One of the best features of craigslist is that you can add custom search terms to an RSS to filter your search results . If you don’t know how to do this, don’t worry it’s easy. Go to the NYC Craigslist site and click on the housing link. You can fill in specifics from there, such as keywords like, rent, bedrooms, neighborhoods, and pet friendly. Then click the apt/housing for rent option from the dropdown menu. You should also choose options with images. Once you’re done with that, you’ll scroll to the bottom of the page, and click the yellow RSS button. You’ll be able to generate the desired feed and add it to your feed reader.
If you don’t already have a feed reader you can use Google Reader or Bloglines. Both options are complete free services.
- Google Reader: http://www.google.com/reader/view/
- Bloglines: http://www.bloglines.com/
Be Flexible
If you’re up for an adventure and think you might be open to a wider range of living situations your chances of finding a New York City apartment will be enhanced. You’ll also save money if you are willing to share your New York apartment with a roommate. You’ll need to subscribe to more Craigslist feeds if you choose this option. If you do subscribe to more than one feed you can save yourself some time and compound these feeds using a free service such as FeedBlendr.
- FeedBlendr: http://www.feedblendr.com
Get into a Routine
If you want to find a place fast you’ll need to develop a routine for searching for an NYC apartment. You’ll want to get up early and check your Craigslist feeds. You should check them again regularly throughout the day. This will ensure that you’re one of the first people to notice any new listings.
Look for Tools to Make Life Easier
It’s impossible to list all the tools that users of Craigslist have created to make searching Craigslist easier. It pays to be proactive and search for tools that might help you find your New York apartment on Craigslist. Tools like MapsKreig combine Google Maps with Craigslist so that you don’t have to leave Craigslist listings to view a property with Google Maps. New tools are being created daily so it’s really an advantage for you to check out any new options there could be for your search every week. ul>
Finding a NYC apartment on Craigslist doesn’t have to be daunting. Hopefully the search techniques related in this article will steer you in the right direction and make your life, and your apartment search easier. There are a great many headaches involved in finding and renting a new place. If you can alleviate some of the problems involved in searching, then you've won at least half of the battle.
As a safety issue, if you are a woman, it's a good idea to have someone with you when meeting anyone in person. It's a good idea to bring along a girlfriend or family member when you look at your potential new place.
