How to Rent an Apartment in New York as a Student
Got accepted to a college in New York City? First of all, congratulations, you’ve certainly earned it! Now that at least one aspect of your future is taken care of, there comes a less enjoyable task to finish – apartment hunt.
It’s no mystery that real estate in New York is crazy expensive, especially in Manhattan. Not only that but renting an apartment in NYC can also be a complicated and dreadful process that could take more than a month.
Luckily, your nearest real estate agency in Midtown Manhattan, AA Real Estate, is there to give you some tips that will make the entire process of renting a New York apartment as a student much simpler.
You’ll be relieved to know that this season is the so-called “low season” (usually during the winter), which means that the student apartments for rent in NYC are a bit more affordable. Of course, this may also mean a tad fewer choices, but considering the market, you won’t even notice it.
Let’s jump right in and explain step by step how to rent an apartment.
1. Find a Roommate
Considering the cost of the rent, as well as the overall life in New York, sharing the apartment with a roommate (or even multiple flatmates) is the best choice, especially in the more pricey areas. Not only will the costs be lower but you’ll also avoid feeling lonely, which can happen easily in a city as big and hectic as New York. Ironic, right?
Make sure that you and your roommate(s) are on the same page when it comes to price, part of town, and lifestyle in general so that you can avoid unnecessary discussions. Apartment hunting in New York is stressful enough, so having a good relationship with future roommates is very helpful.
2. Choose the Area/Neighborhood You Want to Live In
One of the most important things when moving to the Big Apple is to choose the best neighborhood to live in New York according to your lifestyle, needs, and budget. While there’s no doubt that the Big Apple is pricey in every area, there are some neighborhoods that are more affordable, which is appreciated, especially by students.
Living close to the university is always ideal, but let’s face it, rents there are usually very high. The best solution would be to find an apartment in the area that has great subway lines and is connected to the rest of New York, or at least the areas you need for your errands.
The most affordable neighborhoods in New York are:
- Harlem with the average rent of $2,800
- Hamilton Heights with the average rent of $2,540
- Washington Heights with the average rent of $2,345
- Inwood with the average rent of $2,270
Other than that, your neighborhood will be your community for as long as you live there, so keep in mind that when looking for a condo for rent in the area. The vibe of the neighborhood should correspond to your lifestyle if you want to be satisfied with your choice.
3. Online Search
Once you’ve chosen the right part of the town for you and your roommate(s), you can google some apartments for rent in Brooklyn or how to rent a property in Harlem, etc. You’ll see that there are plenty of properties to choose from so that you can more or less have an idea of what’s available for your price point.
AA Real Estate office nearby has one of the best realty websites with a very useful and easy to use widget where you can easily select your desired neighborhood, choose “rent” on the widget and even input the budget. You will be presented with the list of available properties based on the info you provided. Pretty neat, huh?
4. Rely on the Right Real Estate Agency in New York
To avoid any shady business with unreliable owners, the safest thing to do is hire a real estate agent or broker near your area and let them assist you with every little detail. New York real estate is a tough market, and who better to support you and make the apartment search less stressful than AA Real Estate agents in the vicinity. Experts in their field and New Yorkers themselves, these New York City realtors know every neighborhood inside out.
A special trait of AA Real Estate’s team is that they all care deeply about every client and listen to everything before finding the apartments that will be the best fit. Everyone’s story is different, and these house agents know it! Give us a call, and you’ll see it for yourself.
5. Set up a Viewing Time
Once you give the nearest realty agents at AA Real Estate a call, the viewing time for the best apartments will be set up. In this way, you can see them in person and decide whether or not the properties are the right choice for you and your future flatmate(s).
The top-rated real estate company NY is there to adjust the schedule according to yours and organize apartment showings according to that. You won’t have to be worried when renting a property in New York with us because your satisfaction will be AA Real Estate NYC’s number one priority.
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6. Make Sure You Have a Guarantor
You surely know that there are some conditions when it comes to signing a lease for an apartment, and these need to be met in order to apply. When it comes to students, they almost always need a guarantor in order to fulfill the “20-50 times higher yearly income than a month-worth of rent” requirement.
If you somehow already have an excellent job that provides that, great! If not, you can ask your parents or cousins to sign the lease as your guarantor, and you can proceed with the application.
7. Apply
The last thing to do is to apply for the apartment that you like. This includes submitting all the necessary documents and paperwork, such as:
- a copy of your ID or driver’s license
- credit score
- Guarantor
- bank statements about the wage, and similar
Count on AA Real Estate company office near Midtown Manhattan to assist you with all the required paperwork and explain every little detail if needed. Let us take the stress out of apartment hunting and make the experience fun and exciting.
8. Have Some Money on Hand
Since good apartments for rent for students in NYC can disappear very quickly (in a matter of only a couple of hours actually!), it’s always a smart idea to have some money already ready to pay the deposit, one-month rent, as well as a realty broker/agency nearby. This will allow you to sign the lease right away and have everything ready to move-in.
9. Move-in!
The final and most exciting step in this little guide is, obviously, to move-in and start your student life in this city of opportunities. There’s no doubt that you’ll have fun in New York and discover why everyone loves this hectic yet hard-to-resist city and why it’s so popular among locals as well as international property buyers.
AA Real Estate will be your trusty companion should you need experienced and educated realtors in New York to assist you whenever you want to rent a condo in Manhattan, buy a house in Astoria, Queens or even sell your New York property efficiently and stress-free!