My NYC Apartment Hunting Journey

apartment hunting tips, why I move, story of how I got my 2nd NYC apartment + timeline & a peek inside

Welcome back to An’s List, the NYC apartment special. If you follow me on IG stories, you know that I’m moving very soon. In fact, it’ll happen shortly after this weekend's trip back home to Minnesota. This is my second NYC apartment, and I’ve got to say that it is my favorite apartment to date. I take a lot of initiative to find it and push for the things that I want, so I’m very excited to share more with you. Make sure to subscribe below and share this edit with a friend or anyone you know that are future NYC renter. Buckle up!

Also, if you’re a mom or soon-to-be a mom, Happy Mother’s Day!

20 PRACTICAL AND STYLISH GIFTS FOR MOMS

NYC Apartment Hunting Tips

1. Real Estate Apps and Websites

First off, you should absolutely start by searching keywords such as ‘NYC rentals’ on Google as I’m sure many new apps and websites would come up. It’s smart to try several, and StreetEasy is a huge one. I found my apartment on StreetEasy and also saw the same listing on Corcoran.

Facebook marketplace is only good to browse, but I find it very unreliable. People don’t update the listings nor respond well or fast enough. If you’re looking to rent a room or share the apartment with some strangers, you might have better luck there. You’ll never know, but I’m sure there are still good people out there.

I’ve also viewed many apartments introduced by the agents or brokers from the previous viewing I’ve been to. We’d walk to the next apartment if it’s within the building or area, or they’d suggest something that best suits our needs and give us their listings to go view on another day.

I have friends who find their dream apartment through word-of-mouth. So use your connections like friends, relatives, coworkers, or neighbors in NYC to help lend a hand.

Look everywhere.

2. New Apartment Checklist

BEFORE starting to look for apartments in NYC, make sure you have all of these things prepared and ready.

• A copy or photo of your ID, of course.

• Know your credit number.

• If this is your first time moving to NYC, ignore this. But if you’re currently living in NYC and this is your 2nd time moving like me, you’d need to ask your landlord to write a (favorable) Landlord Reference Letter.

• Have your Letter of Employment Offer (to verify that you have a job and can pay the rent in NYC) ready, your monthly pay stub (most likely 3 current ones), bank statements (most likely 3 current ones), tax documents, and proof of past rent payments.

• A CPA Letter if you’re a freelancer.