More than 65% of New York City residents are renters, so whether it is your first time searching for an apartment or the 10th, you are not alone. Our guide to renting in NYC shares everything you need to know about the ins and outs of renting, from how much rent you can afford to tips for breaking a lease (hey, it happens!).
Other topics covered in this guide to renting in NYC include how to go about finding the best apartment for you (and roommates if you need them), what to expect at a lease signing, paperwork and fees you'll need to rent a place, whether you should use a broker, and much more.
Ready to search for your new apartment? Start here.
There are no guarantees in life. But there *are* guarantors. If your credit or lack thereof has you worried about securing a rental in NYC, don’t fret. You do have options that may help while you work on improving your credit score higher. But first, you may be wondering, what is a guarantor? We will delve into all that and more — we (ahem) guarantee it.
Table of Contents
Brooklyn Rentals Under $3000 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Stuyvesant Heights
401 Macon Street
$2,550No Fee
1 |
1
Bergen Beach
1253 East 69th Street
$2,900No Fee
3 |
1.5
Sunset Park
762 41st Street
$2,600No Fee
2 |
2
Kensington
540 Ocean Parkway
$2,299No Fee
2 |
1
East New York
19 Malta Street
$2,500No Fee
2 |
1.5
Brooklyn Heights
49 Willow Street
$2,500No Fee
Studio |
1
Ocean Hill
202 Hull Street
$2,750No Fee
3 |
1
Flatbush
124 Erasmus Street
$2,400No Fee
1 |
1
Flatbush
1498 Nostrand Avenue
$2,550No Fee
1 |
1.5
Flatbush
1498 Nostrand Avenue
$2,650No Fee
1 |
1
Bushwick
326 Cornelia Street
$2,744No Fee
1 |
1
Crown Heights
1523 Pacific Street
$2,700No Fee
1 |
1
Why Would You Need a Guarantor?
There are reasons a person might need a guarantor. And they all relate to money, credit, or both. For example, perhaps you’re a full-time student and don’t have an income of your own that meets the 40 times rent requirement equation. (FYI, landlords use the formula to determine how much rent you can afford.) Maybe you shied away from credit cards and haven’t established a credit score yet. Or, possibly, your credit score is very low. (You may find it hard to rent an apartment if your credit score is lower than 650.) In those situations, knowing what is a guarantor can help.
What Is a Guarantor?
The solution to getting an apartment with poor or no credit? It just may be asking a friend or family member to help as a lease guarantor. That’s someone who guarantees payment on the lease if you can’t come up with the cash. The person doesn’t need to be a relative, but they generally need to reside within New York State. That way, a landlord can easily collect from the guarantor should the need arise.
There Is a Hitch
But keep in mind, your guarantor needs to meet a specific financial requirement in addition to having good credit. “They have to make 80 times the rent,” says Nikki R. Thomas, Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker for The Corcoran Group in Manhattan and Brooklyn. “Landlords are looking for someone who is super-duper qualified, so they can pay your rent when you can’t. That’s why they want double the 40 times rent requirement typically required from renters.”
East Village Rentals Under $3000 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
East Village
416 East Ninth Street
$3,000No Fee
1 |
1
East Village
515 East 5th Street
$2,595No Fee
1 |
1
East Village
340 East 13th Street
$3,000No Fee
1 |
1
East Village
43 East First Street
$2,872No Fee
1 |
1
East Village
424 East 14th Street
$2,500No Fee
Studio |
1
East Village
417 East 6th Street
$2,600No Fee
Studio |
1
East Village
84 East 3rd Street
$2,950No Fee
Studio |
1
East Village
51 First Avenue
$2,795No Fee
1 |
1
East Village
333 East 5th Street
$3,000No Fee
1 |
1
East Village
195 East Second Street
$2,500No Fee
Studio |
1
East Village
310 East 6th Street
$2,750No Fee
Studio |
1
East Village
510 East Fifth Street
$2,350No Fee
Studio |
1
What’s the Difference Between a Guarantor and a Co-Signer?
Unlike a guarantor, who lives elsewhere but is on the hook if you fail to pay your rent, a “co-signer” on a rental is a co-tenant. They’re on the lease with you and live in the apartment. Both parties are responsible for paying the rent.
Here’s an example from the famous New York renters on the show “Friends.” If Monica Gellar and Rachel Green both signed the lease on their apartment, they would be co-signers. And if actor Joey Tribiani were hard up for cash to get his own apartment in the building, his more flush pal Chandler Bing could act as his guarantor. If Joey loses his “Days of Our Lives” gig and can’t pay the rent, he might ask: “what is a guarantor?”…and Chandler would have to pony up his rent.
Co-Signer Also Means Something Else
When it comes to buying a home, though, the co-signer term means something different. It’s more akin to a guarantor. When the primary borrower does not financially qualify for a mortgage, the lender will require someone to “co-sign” the loan. That person then becomes liable for the mortgage payment if the primary borrower defaults.
South Harlem Rentals Under $3000 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
South Harlem
8 West 122nd Street
$2,274No Fee
Studio |
1
South Harlem
159 W 118th Street
$2,875No Fee
1 |
1
South Harlem
1829 Madison Avenue
$1,900No Fee
1 |
1
South Harlem
245 West 115th Street
$2,200No Fee
Studio |
1
South Harlem
1638 Park Avenue
$2,204No Fee
Studio |
1
South Harlem
2280 Frederick Douglass Boulevard
$2,650No Fee
Studio |
1
South Harlem
364 West 119th Street
$2,650No Fee
1 |
1
South Harlem
274 West 115th Street
$2,300No Fee
1 |
1
South Harlem
213 West 115th Street
$2,900No Fee
2 |
1
South Harlem
192 Lenox Avenue
$2,500No Fee
Studio |
1
South Harlem
138 West 123rd Street
$2,975No Fee
1 |
1
South Harlem
225 Central Park North
$2,600No Fee
1 |
1
Can You Combine Guarantors?
One question that often comes up when you’re curious about what is a guarantor is whether you can combine guarantors. In short: yup! You can. One guarantor’s income may be too wee for your landlord’s 80 times the rent policy. So you can ask another guarantor to join — like your Mom and your Aunt Linda. It’s a fairly common practice. If your rent is $2,500, your guarantor would need an annual income of $200,000. That’s a lot of money.
If that doesn’t work, showing that you have other ways of making your rent payment may get you approved. If you or your parents have significant savings, share the account statements with your landlord. It’s worth asking, anyway. After all, this is New York City — a place where anything’s possible.
Manhattan Rentals Under $3000 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Inwood
121 Sherman Avenue
$3,000No Fee
3 |
1.5
East Village
416 East Ninth Street
$3,000No Fee
1 |
1
Upper West Side
2109 Broadway
$2,900No Fee
Studio |
1
West Village
42 Morton Street
$2,950No Fee
1 |
1
East Village
515 East 5th Street
$2,595No Fee
1 |
1
Central Harlem
48 West 138th Street
$2,450No Fee
1 |
1
Sutton Place
339 East 58th Street
$2,500No Fee
Studio |
1
Yorkville
1555 Second Avenue
$2,450No Fee
1 |
1
Upper West Side
335 West 84th Street
$2,375No Fee
Studio |
1
East Harlem
412 East 116th Street
$2,800No Fee
2 |
1
Manhattan Valley
207 West 102nd Street
$2,500No Fee
Studio |
1
Murray Hill
304 East 41st Street
$2,500No Fee
Studio |
1
Can Your Guarantor Be Out of State or Out of the Country?
People from all over the world come to live in NYC. And you may question if a guarantor can be out of the state or even out of the country. “I have heard of landlords accepting out-of-country guarantors. There are also landlords willing to accept guarantors located anywhere in the U.S., so it doesn’t hurt to ask.”
What if You Don’t Have Anybody To Be Your Guarantor?
Not everybody has a family member or friend they can turn to when they need a guarantor. Evan Rugen, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson with R New York, says you may want to look into getting “an institutional guarantor, which is quite expensive.” But to get your foot in the door of a New York apartment, it’s worth considering. For a fee, companies like Insurent and The Guarantors may be able to assist in easing your new landlord’s worries so that you can fret about more important things. Like what to serve at your housewarming party.