Maybe you felt the siren call of New York City for college. Or want to climb your way up Manhattan’s sky-scraping corporate ladder. But if you’re moving to New York for the first time, you may be in for a reality check. Finding an apartment can be as daunting as navigating the subway for the first time if you’re among the city’s many international renters. We interviewed industry pros for everything international renters need to know about finding a place to live in NYC.
Table of Contents
Manhattan Rentals Under $2,500 on Streeteasy Article continues below
Washington Heights
533 West 158th Street
$2,300No Fee
2 |
1
East Harlem
375 Pleasant Avenue
$2,200No Fee
2 |
1
Murray Hill
245 East 39th Street
$2,300No Fee
1 |
1
Yorkville
511 East 81st Street
$2,500No Fee
1 |
1
East Village
303 East 9th Street
$2,400No Fee
Studio |
1
Lenox Hill
405 East 63rd Street
$2,500No Fee
Studio |
1
Hamilton Heights
631 West 152nd Street
$2,360No Fee
2 |
1
Central Harlem
150 West 140th Street
$2,034No Fee
1 |
1
Two Bridges
117 Henry Street
$2,400No Fee
1 |
1
Upper West Side
158 West 84th Street
$2,450No Fee
Studio |
1
Upper West Side
949 West End Avenue
$1,850No Fee
Studio |
1
Fort George
558 West 193rd Street
$1,800No Fee
Studio |
1
Demonstrate Your Financial Stability
Most landlords require prospective tenants to prove that they are currently employed, with a salary of at least 40 times the monthly rent. It sounds intimidating, but it’s just sticking to the common advice that your rent be no more than 30% of your income.
However, even prospective tenants with high-paying jobs in the U.S. can run into challenges if they don’t have a U.S. credit score, U.S. tax returns, and rental references from local landlords. Still, there is some good news for international renters: “No credit is always better than bad credit,” says Senad Ahmetovic, a licensed associate real estate broker for Brown Harris Stevens. Ahmetovic has worked with tenants from all over the globe, including the United Kingdom, Australia, India, China, and elsewhere.
Before applying for an apartment, request a letter from your U.S. employer that verifies your job title, length of employment, and salary. If you are moving to the U.S. for the first time, you might also consider obtaining reference letters from individuals in your home country, such as previous employers and landlords.
You should also be prepared to provide documentation of all international bank accounts and assets. In lieu of a formal credit check, these credentials will help assure prospective landlords of your ability to pay rent. “My advice to anybody renting, but especially international renters, is to get these documents together upfront,” says Angela Mannino, a licensed real estate salesperson at the Bizzarro Agency. “When you’re going through brokers, they’re going to ask for it.”
Queens Rentals Under $2,500 on Streeteasy Article continues below
Flushing
140-75 34th Avenue
$1,700No Fee
Studio |
1
Woodhaven
83-14 101st Avenue
$2,500No Fee
3 |
1.5
Middle Village
75-26 Metropolitan Avenue
$1,799No Fee
1 |
1
Rego Park
65-61 Saunders Street
$1,750No Fee
Studio |
1
Astoria
31-56 29th Street
$1,900No Fee
Studio |
1
Ridgewood
18-18 Centre Street
$2,500No Fee
1 |
1
Jamaica
107-03 Guy R Brewer Boulevard
$1,750No Fee
1 |
1
Sunnyside
47-07 41st Street
$2,250No Fee
1 |
1
Astoria
31-70 34th Street
$2,300No Fee
1 |
1
Jamaica Estates
177-18 Wexford Terrace
$2,100No Fee
1 |
1
Kew Gardens
116-16 Audley Street
$1,750No Fee
1 |
1
Jamaica
147-40 Archer Avenue
$2,310No Fee
1 |
1
Can International Renters Pay More Upfront?
The short answer: nope. “In the past, people would pay a few extra months of security or prepay the rent,” Ahmetovic says. But in 2019, the state of New York changed the law to protect tenants. Now, the maximum amount landlords can collect from tenants for a security deposit is one month’s rent and not a penny more. “There’s no prepayment of rent allowed, either,” Ahmetovic says.
Brooklyn Rentals Under $2,500 On StreetEasy Article continues below
Flatbush
148 Linden Boulevard
$2,295No Fee
2 |
1
Sunset Park
4721 Eighth Avenue
$2,250No Fee
2 |
2
Bay Ridge
565 85th Street
$2,200No Fee
2 |
1
Bay Ridge
149 Bay Ridge Parkway
$2,200No Fee
2 |
1
Midwood
1355 East 18th Street
$1,950No Fee
1 |
1
Sheepshead Bay
2790 Bragg Street
$2,450No Fee
2 |
1.5
Gravesend
2375 East 3rd Street
$2,500No Fee
2 |
1.5
Gravesend
388 Avenue X
$1,950No Fee
1 |
1
Brighton Beach
2733 East 12th Street
$2,492No Fee
1 |
1
Ocean Hill
103 Hull Street
$2,500No Fee
2 |
1
Bushwick
35 Aberdeen Street
$2,499No Fee
1 |
1
Sunset Park
5411 Second Avenue
$1,900No Fee
1 |
1
Find a Guarantor
So, what’s an international renter without deep pockets to do? “If you don’t have a ton of reserves and don’t make the 40 x the rent, then a guarantor, someone who will pay the rent when you can’t, is absolutely essential,” says Mannino, who adds that they’ll need the guarantor’s proof of income and tax return to proceed.
Enlisting the help of a guarantor is a way to assure prospective landlords that your rent will be covered if you can’t pay it. Still, international renters should know that many landlords will not accept guarantors who reside out of the tri-state area, let alone out of the country. “There is no such thing as an international guarantor,” Ahmetovic says. “I’ve been in the business for 22 years. Some landlords will take a Canadian guarantor, but for most, the guarantor has to be the U.S.”
This was the case for 28-year-old Natasha when she moved from Vancouver to New York to begin design school. “One broker told me that in her entire real estate career she’d never seen a landlord accept a Canadian guarantor because there’s no way to take action if rent isn’t paid. I would say it comes down to either finding a building that’s familiar with international renters or finding a broker that will help push it through.” Natasha also recommends asking about the building’s guarantor policies upfront, to avoid wasting time on an application only to be turned away because you don’t meet a building’s requirements.
Don’t have a local you can ask to be your guarantor? You still have options. Ahmetovic recommends using a third-party guarantor. Companies like Insurent, Rhino, or The Guarantors can act as your guarantor in exchange for a monthly fee. “It could be as little as $20 a month, to much more,” Ahmetovic says.
Bronx Rentals Under $2,500 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Riverdale
5445 Netherland Avenue
$2,500No Fee
2 |
1
Woodstock
718 Union Avenue
$1,800No Fee
1 |
1
University Heights
2175 Cedar Avenue
$1,949No Fee
1 |
1
Concourse
930 Sheridan Avenue
$2,125No Fee
1 |
1
Morrisania
664 East 166th Street
$1,950No Fee
2 |
1
Concourse
1504 Sheridan Avenue
$2,475No Fee
2 |
1
Concourse
124 Elliot Place
$1,550No Fee
1 |
1
Bedford Park
2900 Briggs Avenue
$2,300No Fee
3 |
1
Bronxwood
2700 Bronx Park East
$1,750No Fee
1 |
1
Parkchester
1849 Cross Bronx Expressway
$2,500No Fee
2 |
1
University Heights
2265 University Avenue
$1,795No Fee
1 |
1
Bedford Park
3175 Grandconcourse
$1,895No Fee
1 |
1
Work With a Real Estate Agent
Looking for the perfect SATC-worthyapartment? Hire a professional real estate agent. With boots on the ground, a good real estate broker in New York City will be well aware of all the issues you might face as an international renter. Additionally, they will likely have the knowledge and the understanding of the market gained from years of living and working here. Examples include the character of different neighborhoods and buildings, the responsiveness of landlords and management companies, and more. A real estate broker can help an international renter get their feet literally in the door — so they can start living their best NYC life.
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