No Fee Apartments New York City: Landlord Links

Spotting Rental Scams, by Kirby Sommers

2011-12-07T09:36:00.002-05:00

The rental market in New York City is one of the most competitive markets in the world. There are fewer apartments on the market at any given time than the vast number of people who are looking to rent one. This has made websites like Craigslist a breeding ground for fraud. These fake listings are so pervasive; it is likely that 90% of the ads you click on aren’t real.

However, it’s not just the bait and switch ads brokers post that you have to watch out for. There are professional criminals posting apartment ads everyday, making an already difficult process even more disconcerting.

So, the question is: how do you spot these scams? The following are a few things to watch for.

Does the rent seem extremely low?

Does the landlord tell you he or she lives in another country?

Look on the bottom of the ad and see who listed the ad. If it says: Management Company, Owner’s rep, a series of commas, or anything you cannot put into a search engine and pull up results – this is a red flag. It means the ad was posted in the “by owner” section by a broker who is pulling a bait and switch, or a con artist who is looking to con you. Pass on these ads.

Look for the phone #. If you see a picture with a phone number and it is not actually a written part of the ad, pass on this ad. This is a scam.

When replying via email, does the email have typos or poor grammar? Does something seem off? If so, pass on this apartment. This is a scam.

If you see an apartment and it is owned by a small landlord, ask to see their ID. Write down their information. There have been cases where someone “rents” an apartment to multiple people. These people collect rent and security deposits from as many people as they can and then disappear with tens of thousands of dollars. To ensure the person you rent from is legit, run a search on their name with the words “scam” and "fraud" attached to it, run a search on their phone #, run a search on their address. If this person has had any previous scams or has duped a renter in the past, chances are you might come across some information which will save you a ton of headaches and the loss of your money.

If you have contacted the legal landlord or the management company of a real apartment and you receive a phone call from a broker claiming you owe them a commission, call the owner and management company immediately. DO NOT sign anything with the broker who calls you “out of nowhere.” If the landlord or management company tells you they have an “exclusive with this broker,” and you really do not want to pay a broker fee, then pass on this apartment. If the landlord or management company didn’t disclose this information to you in the first place, this isn’t the type of landlord you want to rent from.

Take a close look at the photo and when calling for an appointment, always ask if this is the exact photo of the apartment. And then ask when the picture was taken. Even landlords and management companies will post old stock photos taken when the apartment was newly renovated.

In the current economy, if you are looking to rent a condo or coop, ask the owner of the apartment for proof that they are not in arrears on their mortgage. If they do not want to share that information with you, pass on the apartment. No matter how good the deal may be, it is not worth having to move again because the person might go into foreclosure.

Brokers have earned a bad reputation. But they’re not the only ones you have to watch out for. So before handing over any of your money to anyone, it is up to you to do a little research.

Finding an apartment is a stressful and challenging experience, but if you’re on your toes you’ll succeed in renting an apartment without the hassle of dealing with a con artist.

If you want additional assurances, then go to a broker with a good reputation, or use Landlord Links. With Landlord Links you'll go straight to the source and you'll save on broker fees.

A Public Service Announcement by Kirby Sommers and http://landlordlinks.net

Landlord Links: Avoid broker fees! 100% no fee apartments, by Kirby Sommers

2011-12-07T09:07:00.002-05:00

Landlord Links, my best selling e-guides now have their own website at http://landlordlinks.net/.

ABOUT LANDLORD LINKS: Landlord Links take the renter directly to the Landlords' available apartment listings.This way they can see real apartments in real time and bypass brokers and their absurd fees.

Landlord Links are only available via the http://landlordlinks.net/ website. They are categorized by neighborhoods (for apartments priced $2,000-$5,000), and by price if below the $2000/mo rate. (Currently only Manhattan with all neighborhoods).

Remember since Landlord Links are emailed to you in the form of a ebook with hyperlinks (that's how you get to listings!!), there is no expiration date (you'll see fresh updates every day), and there's no membership fee. Get once. Use anytime!

Happy holidays, everyone!

Kirby Sommers
Landlord Links, Creator

New York Moving Tips: Relocating to New York City Tips and Advice

2010-11-26T14:19:00.004-05:00

While this was written 5-6 years ago, most of the tips are still relevant. Anyone looking to move to New York City from another city or another country should read this.

Kirby Sommers is the Founder of Landlord Links - the no fee way to rent.

New York Moving Tips, by Phil Hollenback

Here are a few tips you might find helpful if you are planning on moving to New York City. I base this on what I've found since my wife and I moved here in July of 2003.

These tips are most applicable if you're moving from the west coast or some other non-urban area.

Buy a sturdy backpack. You are going to be doing a lot of walking. I recommend a large Jansport or Columbia daypack.

One of the first things you should put in your backpack is a quality collapsible umbrella. Remember all that walking? You have to do a lot of it in the rain.

Bring a sturdy pair of walking shoes. I love Saucony tennis shoes.

Throw a light jacket and a camera in that backpack too.

Don't bring a car to NYC if you can help it. If you absolutely have to bring a car, sell it as soon as possible and/or find a friend who lives outside of Manhattan and has a parking space you can use. I'm still trying to sell the Toyota Camry that feels like an Albatross around my neck.

Start using the subway immediately on the first day you move here. This will be your lifeline. Remember that the Bronx is uptown and Brooklyn is downtown. Purchase an unlimited month metro card. They cost $70 and are a great value if you take at least two rides a day.

Bring a bare minimum of stuff to New York - your apartment will be very small. Don't bring a bicycle unless you actually plan on riding it - storage will be a hassle.

I brought my long skateboard with me and have found that to be a fun transportation alternative.

It's convenient to have a small, lightweight vacuum like an Oreck XL as your apartment will probably have wood floors. Vacuuming is much easier, especially if you have pets.

You can find an apartment that takes dogs and cats relatively easily in New York. It's easiest if you leave the pets back home for a few months and then fly back to get them. You can ship a large dog in a crate on most major airlines for around $80 one way. Most airlines won't take crated dogs during the summer.

Find a bank as soon as possible. I recommend Commerce Bank. Alternately, make sure your current bank is also in New York (example: Washington Mutual). You will be paying a lot of atm fees until you get your banking straightened out.

Cabs are a fast and relatively inexpensive way to get around Manhattan, particularly if you can split the price with several people. Particularly late at night a cab can get you home much faster than the subway. However, during the daytime cabs can be very slow if you get caught in traffic.

How cab signs work: official NYC cabs all work the same way. You can tell it's an official cab because the car is yellow and has a platic "medallion" fixed on the hood". There's an illuminated sign on the front roof of the cab. If the "off duty" part is lit, the cab won't pick you up. That takes precedence over all other combinations. If the cab number between the "off duty" signs is lit, the cab is available and should pick you up. If thecab number is off the cab has a passenger and won't pick you up.

It's the law that an official NYC cab must transport you to any address anywhere in the entire city limits of New York, no matter what.

Cabs without medallions are "gypsy cabs" and are not regulated in any way by the city. Use at your own risk (although my experiences have been fine). Typically gypsy cabs are more expensive than official cabs. Make sure you get a price from the driver before you get in the car.

You can't phone for an official cab - instead you have to call a car service. Pricing will be flat rate - there's a lot of crossover between gypsy cabs and car services.

If a parking meter is broken, it's a legal parking space for one hour.

There only legally has to be one parking sign per block. Some blocks are really, really long - so look sharp.

You can't make a right turn on red in New York City. Get used to it.

A homeless man gave Aaron some valuable advice when he was here: watch the traffic, not the light. No one ever got run over by a traffic light.

Put your wallet in your front pocket and get used to carrying it there.

Two extremely useful books:

NY Atlas - pocket atlas
Not For Tourists - maps and tips for someone new to NY

Don't forget to bring your social security card and birth certificate when you move (I almost did). You'll need them for your new job and to register your car or get a driver's license.

Walking in crowds: this is a skill that needs to be learned. For the love of god, don't stop in the middle of the sidewalk to look in your bag. That might work fine on the barren sidewalks of southern California, but it will cause a massive traffic jam in NYC. Always move off to the side if you need to stop. Similarly, strive to walk in as straight a line as possible.

Some NYC blog links to get you wearing trucker hats in no time:

Note that once you live in Nw York, the rest of the universe ceases to exist.

See how well the alarm clock in your cell phone works. Most Nokia phones have extremely loud and convenient alarms (including snooze). I've lived in NY for 6 months and still haven't bought a regular alarm clock because my cell phone works so well.

You are going to spend a lot of money on drinks at bars, because a) your apartment will be tiny, and b) you'll go to bars to meet people. Dive bars such as Rudy's (9th Ave. btw 43rd and 44th) offer the best drink values, such as $3.00 for a Pabst. Try to like drinking Pabst because it's consistently available and cheap. I personally like it. A typical mixed drink at a dive bar is going to set you back $5. I've paid $5.50 for a Bud and $7 for a vodka tonic at the nicer bars (and I don't mean really fancy ones, either). The East Village is by far the best dive bar area of the city. For example, you can play pool and get cans of PBR for $2 at 2x4, which is on the corner of 4th St. and 2nd Ave.

Prepare to do a lot more coughing than you are used too. I find that my disposable contacts don't last as long here, and my throat is always a little scratchy. My theory is that although the smog here is not terrible, there's a lot more particulate matter in the air.

Invest in some sort of portable music device. I've got a Rio 500 MP3 player myself, but a CD player works too. Headphones create a magic protective bubble that most street bums and ragamuffins won't cross.

Say you actually have to park in Manhattan for some reason? Remember the following:

You're going to pay cash
You're going to pay up front
You're going to pay a lot.

When you pull into a lot, someone will approach you and demand money. Try to determine if they actually work for the lot. Are they wearing some sort of uniform or shirt with a company logo on it? Do they talk to (yell at) the other people working in the lot? Are they surly? Your answer should be yes on all counts.

The wheels of commerce in New York are greased with tips. You tip for everything. Never leave the house (well, apartment) with less than $5 in singles on you. Some people you will be tipping:

your cabbie
the FreshDirect deliveryman
your doorman (well, you only tip him at Christmas) (and I hope someday to have one)
the shoeshine guy
they guy who plays the awesome accordian in the subway tunnel between 8th Ave. and Times Square (ok, not exactly a tip, but give him a buck - he RAWKS)
your neighborhood strip club bathroom attendant
the chinese food delivery guy
your waiter or waitress

Look, you're going to find out how much it costs to live here in the Big Apple. It costs just as much for all those service-industry workers. Give 'em a few bucks, ok?

I had a lot of problems with mail (espcially bills) getting lost when I moved around to different sublets in NYC when I first moved here. I finally realized (like an idiot) that I could have avoided a lot of this by turning off paper billing. In general mail delivery in New York can be kind of flaky.

Most credit cards allow you to turn off paper bills. Many utilities and other bills (Examples: Time Warner Cable and ConEd power) can also be converted to all-electronic. Typically then you receive an email notifying you of a new bill every month. You then have to go to some website to view your bill.

You can generally pay the bill on the provider's website, but I like to still pay my bills through my bank website. That way I keep a record of all my transactions in one place.

Of course, to make this all work, you need reliable email. I recommend fastmail.fm.

How about that? I've lived here for almost two years and just thought of a new move tip. Amazing.

4/7/05

As the icy grip of winter descends upon New York yet again, I realize that there's one critical New York item I left off the list: long underwear. Do yourself a favor and invest in some lightweight silk long johns (or janes, as the case may be). I find that when the mercury hovers in the teens and twenties that this garment really makes life a lot more bearable. I recommend the REI silk long johns. The polypro ones keep you warm too but are bulkier.

12/13/05

How to Avoid Bait & Switch Ads on Craigslist, by Kirby Sommers

2010-09-25T09:35:00.001-04:00

Imagine seeing any of the photos above on Craigslist with a caption that reads: "Best Studio Apartment," with a price tag of $1450! Chances are you'd immediately pick up the phone and call to run over and grab one of these amazing apartments for yourself.

Problem is: Craigslist is full of bait and switch ads like these. If you're wondering why brokers post ads that aren't real in the first place, it's done to make their phones ring. Once you call and make an appointment (which takes time), you'll show up only to hear the broker say: "Oh, that one was just rented, but I have others that are just as nice." Sure.

Since you're already with that unethical broker, you now follow him or her around to see a couple of apartments that look nothing like the pristine apartment you were hoping to snap up.

You then leave the appointment completely disgusted and you're back at square one. Except now, you're a little wiser and the next great ad you see, you know to ask if the photos are real. Brokers lie. And since brokers now make up most of the ads on the "By Owner" section of Craigslist is no wonder many renters simply give up and stay where they are.

So, if you decide to do the rental dance on your own, you should always call about one hour before your scheduled appointment and ask if that specific apartment is still available. When you hear: "Oh, that just got rented..." you'll know to pass before wasting any more of your time.

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Kirby Sommers is the Founder of Landlord Links - the no fee way to rent.

Mint Murray Hill Alcove Studio with the works, $2495

2010-09-24T14:09:00.002-04:00

This is an AptStar find! Meaning you can get this with stunning apartment with my AptStar Handholding Service without having to pay the dreadful 15% commission. Let's do the numbers:

$2,495/mo: 12 x $2495 (commission is based on the yearly rent) = $29,940.00

15% x 29,940.00 = $4,491.00

Which means you save close to $4500 by having me as your very own real estate guru!

Hey, I'm the ultimate anti-broker and see no reason to drop this kind of money on someone who simply opens the front door for you. I created my Renters Services to help you save money and to make sure you rent smart.

Now, let's take a closer look at this gem.

MINT MURRAY HILL ALCOVE STUDIO, $2495

Looking for an apartment on the large and pristine side? Then this Murray Hill alcove studio, completely renovated with a delicious floorplan is the home for you! Newly renovated, this gem is sunny and spacious with a separate sleeping alcove. The apartment features a wonderful layout, hardwood floors, has ample closet space, a separate chef's kitchen (photo above) with granite countertops, dishwasher, stainless sink, and designer finishes. Building amenities include: concierge service, laundry and a gym.

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Kirby Sommers is the Founder of Landlord Links - the no fee way to rent.

NYC Apartment Layouts, by Kirby Sommers

2010-09-23T15:46:00.001-04:00

The following are descriptions of different apartment layouts in the New York City. Apartments (unlike rooms for rent) always include a kitchen and a bathroom.

Studio - One room with kitchen (or kitchenette) and a bathroom. Known elsewhere as 'efficiency'.

Alcove Studio - Studio apartment with a distinct, visually separate area for sleeping. Usually 'L' shaped. More common in Doorman buildings.

Two Room Studio - Two rooms studio where kitchen is big enough to be used for dining. Also known as 'Junior One Bedroom'.

One Bedroom - Separate livingroon and bedroom spaces. Kitchen may be separate or a part of the living room (known as an "open kitchen").

Junior 4 - 'Almost four rooms'. Living, bedroom, kitchen and dining area. Found in luxury doorman buildings.

Convertible Two - Large one bedroom, usually with a dining area. Sometimes conversion creates a living with no windows in the living room. ('Converted Two bedroom' is different - it implies two bedrooms already exist).

Two Bedroom - Living room and two bedrooms.

Convertible Three - Large two bedroom apartment, usually with a dining area.

Classic Six - Very large two bedroom - living, two bedrooms, separate kitchen, a dining room and servant's bedroom. Found in luxury pre war buildings, mostly on Upper West and Upper East Side.

Three Bedroom - Living and three bedrooms. Three bedrooms and larger layouts are less common and always in high demand.Duplex – An apartment that has 2 floors joined by a staircase inside the apartment.

Loft – An open space apartment usually converted from commercial use to residential use.

Floor through – An apartment that runs the whole floor of the building – from the front of the building to the back of the building (although not necessarily using the entire floor, most often it is one half of the entire floor).

Garden Apartment – Apartments with any time of outdoor space are highly sought after. They include: garden apartments, which tend to be on the ground level with a garden in the back. Other outdoor spaces are: terraces, balconies, juliette balconies, and shared rooftop terraces.

Penthouse – The top floor of a building and it usually has outdoor space.

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Kirby Sommers is the Founder of Landlord Links - the no fee way to rent.