by KristinG on February 20, 2012
In my most recent apartment search, I was enticed into looking at no fee apartments in Brooklyn because they claimed they had “updated” some of the trappings. I was, as you can imagine, excited but skeptical. You see, I had been sort of duped in the past by landlords trying to fill an empty apartment. They had claimed to have recently updated the apartment with all the trappings. They stopped just short of claiming to be offering Brooklyn luxury apartments. I couldn’t believe the good deal!
Well, it turns out they redid the bathroom due to a huge leak that dripped incessently from the skylight when it rained or snowed. They put new appliances in the kitchen because the old ones were absolutely destroyed by the old tenants, who also happened to ruin the floor…which they did not fix.
So, it behooved me to check all of the “updates” in this new batch of apartments. Well, thankfully all of my dealings with My Space NYC were good and they listed apartments that really could claim to be luxury. The updates were track lighting, taking down walls to make extra large bedrooms or living rooms.
When you go to an apartment, make sure that brand new paint job isn’t hiding something more nefarious, like mold.
by KristinG on February 13, 2012
Apartment searching isn’t just about checking the square footage of a Williamsburg apartment for rent. Sure, it might be big, but what if it’s in a basement? There are plenty of no fee apartments in Brooklyn that are large but have some sort of problem. These issues may not be immediately apparent and so it’s up to you to ask the right questions of the landlord to get a good feel of the place.
Some questions to ask include:
- How is the water pressure? You don’t want to be stuck with an apartment where your showers take an hour just to get all the suds off of you.
- Are the neighbors quiet? Having loud neighbors is a huge turn off for potential renters. Watch your landlord closely for his answer. Answers like, “the younger kids like to have a few friends over on the weekends,” might mean you’re living directly above or below the crew from Animal House.
- How much is the average electric bill? Is only my apartment included in the bill? Since a lot of landlords will cover the heat and hot water, electric is the bill that many tenants worry about. I can remember one apartment where the hallway was also included in my utilities bill and no one had noticed.
Also remember to ask about garbage day and street noise. It wouldn’t hurt to ask about public transportation and it’s reliability in your neighborhood as well.
by KristinG on February 9, 2012
Finding a Williamsburg apartment for rent can be an absolute breeze if you know where to look. With great customer relations and a fantastic track record of great Brooklyn apartment rentals, My Space NYC has proven to be “the place to look.” Once you’ve found the perfect place, you want to make sure you’re able to stay for awhile. This is why negotiating a lease is very important.
If you’re planning on staying for more than one year and are comfortable making that commitment, ask your landlord for a two-year lease. Sometimes, if this is an option, the landlord will give you a deal on the rent. Instead of paying $1,400 a month for rent you might only pay $1,200 a month for two years. This is a great way to save money on a larger apartment. Of course, after those two years the landlord has the right to raise the rent, but if you develop a good report with the landlord and have paid your rent on time, it is likely you will be able to use these facts to your advantage.
Also, when negotiating a lease with a landlord, make sure you actually read the terms of the lease. This will tell you what you are entitled to as a tenant and will likely cause less problems down the line.
by KristinG on January 31, 2012
It’s a deadline you can’t ignore. Unlike paying rent which you can legally do up to ten days after it’s due, you can’t live in your apartment for ten days after your lease is up. Finding a new Williamsburg apartment for rent is of the utmost importance and finding one in time is crucial.
The first thing you can do to secure your no fee apartment in Brooklyn on time is to start early. This isn’t a college term paper, you can’t put it off until the last minute and hope to scrape a passing grade. There’s that old joke “vote early and often” well it replace the word “vote” with “search” and it applies to apartment hunting. As soon as you know you won’t be renewing your lease, you should start your search. Even if it’s pretty far away, you can still scope out areas, rates, and other things that are important to you. Know where you want to look and know your budget. This will get you far.
Make sure you don’t get left out in the cold with all of your stuff on the sidewalk. Get your act together and get your apartment before your move out date. It’s the only way to avoid the intense stress that comes with such an important impending deadline.
by KristinG on January 25, 2012
Do you remember those commercials where a man was followed around by three other men, two were tall and one was short. They were representative of his credit score. He went to get a car loan, a home loan, or something like that and was denied because of his one bad reported credit score?
It’s very important to know your credit score. If you want to get yourself a Williamsburg apartment for rent it’s almost crucial. Knowing your score will get you a long way. If your credit is good, you’re more likely to be able to get the apartment without a guarantor or a co-signer. Also, a good score might lessen the amount you have to pay up front.
I suggest obtaining a copy of your own credit report before you go traipsing off to find a no fee apartment rental. This will inevitably save you time because the landlord is probably going to run a check anyway. With this in hand, you don’t need to pay the non-refundable credit check fee and you’ll already know if your credit is good or not.
You can’t always have three guys following you around to tell you your credit score. Figure it out yourself and go forth and conquer!
by KristinG on January 9, 2012
There are so many cool pop culture things that take place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It’s the epicenter of art and up and coming music and a number of restaurants are popping up everywhere. But did you know that your apartment could be steps from the pop culture icon novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn?
This novel, written in 1943, takes place in Williamsburg. It has had a several movie and tv adaptations and even a musical written based on the plot of this well-known and well-loved book. But did you know that it’s parodies and reverent nods in pop culture are helping to keep this great neighborhood relevant and even introduce it to a new generation.
There was an episode of Sesame Street where Super Grover goes to a place where “Two Trees Grow in Brooklyn.” A few other television shows also parodied the name, I Love Lucy, Ugly Betty, and even Looney Tunes all use the title or variations of it in an episode or two.
If you want to be near this great location full of pop culture history, you can find great Williamsburg, Brooklyn apartments for rent over at My Space NYC. The best part? Hey, that Williamsburg apartment for rent might be the famous one in the novel!
by KristinG on January 5, 2012
Have you ever heard that phrase “there’s something for everyone” used before? It’s used at theme parks like Disney World or other famous attractions. It’s a line used to assure families that yes, you will have to spend an hour waiting for the Dumbo ride, but afterwards you can go to Epcot Center and have a beer from Germany. There’s something for everyone. This can be said for New York City too. There’s just so much STUFF in The Big Apple it would be impossible for someone to not enjoy something here.
There might not be a more appropriate example of this than the microcosm of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. With art galleries, theatre spaces, shopping centers, and more restaurants than you could eat at in a year, this neighborhood is a hub for everyone and everything. It’s the up and coming neighborhood that everyone is talking about. Literally, something for everyone. There are Brooklyn luxury apartments cropping up every which direction and so many no fee apartments for rent that it could make your head spin. Everyone, I mean everyone, wants to live here.
And really, why not? When you could have this amazingly diverse and fantastic neighborhood as your backyard, there’s no reason not to.
by KristinG on December 30, 2011
When people come to New York City looking for
no fee apartments in Brooklyn, they’re generally ready to strike out on their own and begin life or begin life anew. It’s a thrill of a prospect to move out on your own and try to make it in the world and in the big ole city. But often times, even when an apartment doesn’t carry a broker fee, you can find great places that are just outside of your price range. That’s when it’s time to grow away the pretense of making it on your own and trying to find a roommate to share that great to bedroom
no fee apartment rental.
When looking for a roommate, there are several places to look. The first is the contacts list on your phone. You might have friends also looking for a place in the big apple or just looking to move in general. If they’re your friends already then you are aware of how they live and if they would be a good match for you. If this method fails, you can always try craigslist or another service that specializes in roommates. Be safe and make sure to do a thorough interview process before agreeing to live with anyone!
