No doubt about it – finding an apartment rental in NYC can be quite tough. But sometimes, if you’re not going about it in the right way, it can be extra tough. If you’ve been looking consistently for some time with no luck, then here are a few things you might want to reconsider.

Are you looking in the right neighborhood?

One of the main reasons why renters tend to have a challenging search is that they’re simply looking in the wrong neighborhood for their budget. The more closely your budget aligns with the median price for a particular neighborhood, the more likely you are to find good options. Need some help with finding numbers? Feel free to contact me for a copy of Corcoran’s most recent rental market snapshot.

Are you looking for the right kind of building?

So let’s say you’re in the right neighborhood, but you can’t seem to find an apartment in the kind of building you want. It may be that it’s just not realistic for your budget. There can be quite a price differential between walk-ups, elevator buildings and doorman buildings. You may come to a point where you have to decide which is more important to you – the location or a building with more amenities.

Are you looking for the right size of apartment?

Again, you could be in a neighborhood that works for your budget, but perhaps you’re unable to find the apartment size that you desire (for example, you want a one bedroom, but there’s mostly studios in your budget). In this instance, you have the option to make a few trade offs – you could opt for the apartment size that fits your budget in the type of building you desire; you could decide to prioritize the size of the apartment versus building amenities; or you could decide to go to a different neighborhood altogether where you can get the apartment size and building amenities at the price you want.

Should you continue to go it alone, or would you be better off with roommates?

While solo living certainly has its perks, it can also have its drawbacks – namely, it can be quite expensive. If your search by yourself isn’t going so well, you might want to consider if you’d have better luck and better options with roommates. Take the East Village for example. In February the median price for a one bedroom was $2758, whereas the median price for a two bedroom was $3255. Sharing with a roommate could potentially save you more than $1000 per month.

Have more questions about renting in the city? Feel free to contact me. I’m always happy to help!