Apartment hunting in New York City can be complicated thanks to NYC real estate-specific jargon. One such term you’ve likely come across is “no-fee apartment.” What does that mean? Well, using a broker to help you find a rental is standard ― but it’s not free. Typically, someone has to pay for the broker’s services, and in NYC, who pays that fee can vary from apartment to apartment. Here’s everything you need to know about no-fee apartments in NYC.

Manhattan Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Manhattan Valley

209 West 104th Street

$2,450 No Fee

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1

Hell’s Kitchen

533 West 49th Street

$2,750 No Fee

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1

Sutton Place

160 East 55th Street

$2,500 No Fee

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1

Washington Heights

920 Saint Nicholas’s Avenue

$1,895 No Fee

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1

Carnegie Hill

123 East 90th Street

$2,395 No Fee

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1

Hudson Heights

225 Bennett Avenue

$2,200 No Fee

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1

Hell’s Kitchen

613 Ninth Avenue

$2,995 No Fee

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1

Lenox Hill

435 East 74th Street

$2,295 No Fee

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1

Central Harlem

215 West 145th Street

$2,150 No Fee

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1

Yorkville

1729 First Avenue

$2,475 No Fee

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1

Gramercy Park

305 East 21st Street

$2,300 No Fee

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1

Hell’s Kitchen

350 West 55th Street

$2,595 No Fee

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1

What Is a No-Fee Apartment Listing?

When searching for a place, you’ll likely come across apartment listings that loudly declare “no fee!” You’ll also encounter many listings that don’t. So what’s the difference? 

In very basic terms, a no-fee apartment is an apartment where the tenant doesn’t pay a commission or broker fee. But, like so many things in NYC real estate, there’s more to know.

Brooklyn Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Bedford-Stuyvesant

1403 Fulton Street

$2,850 No Fee

2 |

1

Flatbush

880 Rogers Avenue

$2,885 No Fee

2 |

1

Bedford-Stuyvesant

1516 Fulton Street

$2,800 No Fee

1 |

1

Stuyvesant Heights

1110 De Kalb Avenue

$2,314 No Fee

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1

Stuyvesant Heights

733 Madison Street

$2,600 No Fee

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1

Borough Park

905 43rd Street

$1,963 No Fee

2 |

1

Stuyvesant Heights

168 Sumpter Street

$2,895 No Fee

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2

Canarsie

586 Remsen Avenue

$2,900 No Fee

3 |

1

Dyker Heights

6705 Twelfth Avenue

$2,500 No Fee

2 |

1

Park Slope

558 11th Street

$2,450 No Fee

1 |

1

Stuyvesant Heights

84 Chauncey Street

$2,252 No Fee

1 |

1

Prospect Heights

755 Dean Street

$2,295 No Fee

1 |

1

What’s the Difference Between Broker Fees and Commissions?

“The terms ‘broker fee’ and ‘commission’ are interchangeable,” says Becki Danchik, a StreetEasy Expert and broker with Coldwell Banker Warburg. “It’s the fee a broker earns on completing a transaction in which they match the right person with the right property. A no-fee apartment is typically when the landlord has agreed to pay that fee to the exclusive listing agent on behalf of the tenant.” A landlord will usually do this in the hope of securing a tenant quickly, she explains.

Landlords Have Brokers

Keep in mind, though, that “no fee” applies only to the landlord’s broker, also known as the listing agent, and landlords are not required to cover that cost (more on this shortly). Here’s how it works: if you approach an apartment’s listing agent directly and secure the no-fee apartment on your own, then great — you don’t pay a fee! But if you enlisted the services of a broker (who is not the listing agent), and you found that apartment through that broker, you owe them their commission, whether the apartment says “no fee” or not.

Queens Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Ridgewood

1822 Putnam Avenue

$2,350 No Fee

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1

Astoria

31-67 37th Street

$2,299 No Fee

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1

Woodhaven

84-25 85 Road

$1,850 No Fee

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1

Kew Gardens

84-16 127th Street

$2,650 No Fee

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1

Astoria

34-46 Vernon Boulevard

$2,430 No Fee

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1

Astoria

23-20 Broadway

$2,000 No Fee

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1

Ozone Park

87-12 Pitkin Avenue

$2,050 No Fee

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1

Ditmars-Steinway

22-60 24th Street

$2,800 No Fee

1 |

1

Astoria

25-26 44th Street

$1,899 No Fee

1 |

1

Kew Gardens

83-00 Talbot Street

$2,795 No Fee

1 |

1

Flushing

189-16 37th Avenue

$2,500 No Fee

1 |

1

Astoria

31-48 29th Street

$2,545 No Fee

1 |

1

What Is a Broker Fee?

Now that you understand the definition of no-fee apartment, you’d probably like to know how apartments with fees work. In short, renters who use a broker to find an apartment have to pay a broker fee. If you hire a broker who successfully finds you an apartment, they’ll earn an agreed-upon commission on the deal.

How Much Are Broker Fees for Renters?

The cost varies by broker and area. For instance, fees charged for Manhattan rentals may be more expensive than units in Queens, which has a lower median asking rent. Broker fees are somewhat negotiable, but generally, it’s either one month’s rent or up to 15% of the unit’s annual rent. That’s on top of paying your first month’s rent and security deposit. FYI: your security deposit can’t be more than one month’s rent.

Wait, Weren’t Broker Fee Abolished?

New York State changed the broker fee regulations with the Statewide Housing Security & Tenant Protection Act of 2019. The guidance issued stated that a prospective tenant can’t compensate a landlord’s agent (aka listing agent). It would have been a substantial cost-saving measure for future renters ― but a judge struck it down in April 2021, ruling that the state misinterpreted the act. 

Sample Move-In Costs with a Broker’s Fee

Property owners or management companies will often ask for first month’s rent and a security deposit, in addition to the broker’s fee, before you can move in to a new apartment. Here is the estimated cost breakdown for a $3,799/month (NYC’s median asking rent as of July 2023 — to see the latest median asking rent for a particular neighborhood, visit our StreetEasy Data Dashboard) apartment with a 12 percent broker’s fee (percentage of total annual cost) — before even moving in!

Hoboken Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Hoboken

802 Park Avenue

$2,500 No Fee

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1

Hoboken

420 Madison Street

$2,950 No Fee

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1

Hoboken

1021 Grand Street

$2,600 No Fee

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1

Hoboken

155 14th Street

$2,900 No Fee

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1

Hoboken

500 Monroe Street

$2,785 No Fee

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1

Hoboken

923 Willow Avenue

$2,690 No Fee

2 |

1

Hoboken

709 Willow Avenue

$2,900 No Fee

2 |

1

Hoboken

815 Park Avenue

$2,800 No Fee

2 |

1

Hoboken

733 Bloomfield Street

$2,500 No Fee

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1

Hoboken

729 Garden Street

$2,950 No Fee

2 |

1

Hoboken

410 Washington Street

$2,750 No Fee

1 |

1

Hoboken

414 Madison Street

$2,500 No Fee

1 |

1

How to Find a No-Fee Apartment in NYC 

You’ve decided you want to avoid paying a broker fee. Now, you’re probably wondering how to find a no-fee apartment. Here are a few options:

• Use the no-fee apartment filter on StreetEasy: You can easily check the “no-fee only” box during your StreetEasy search to yield only apartment options without a broker fee. It will narrow your search to only those units.
• Look for apartments listed by owners or management companies: A management rep is essentially an in-house broker — their goal is to find ideal tenants for their apartments. So, if you contact them directly, there shouldn’t be a fee. Just remember, property management companies rent apartments only in their specific buildings. Brokers, on the other hand, can have access to rentals in a variety of places.
• Walk around the neighborhood: If you know the neighborhood you’re interested in, walk around it to see if buildings have posted listing signs. They should have the landlord or management company’s contact information. Call them and see if there are apartments available or if any are coming up.

Jersey City Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Paulus Hook

70 Greene Street

$2,762 No Fee

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1

Jersey City

79 Van Reypen Street

$2,600 No Fee

3 |

1

Historic Downtown

187 Wayne Street

$2,950 No Fee

1 |

1

Historic Downtown

187 Wayne Street

$2,950 No Fee

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1

The Heights

206 New York Avenue

$2,275 No Fee

1 |

1

The Heights

148 Columbia Avenue

$2,000 No Fee

1 |

1

The Heights

179 Manhattan Avenue

$2,800 No Fee

3 |

1

The Heights

97 Webster Avenue

$1,995 No Fee

2 |

1

Jersey City

45 Grant Avenue

$1,900 No Fee

2 |

1

Jersey City

186 Kensington Avenue

$2,600 No Fee

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2

Journal Square

60 Cottage Street

$2,200 No Fee

1 |

1

Paulus Hook

155 Washington Street

$2,964 No Fee

1 |

1

Do No-Fee Apartments Save You Money?

Surface level, it seems that no-fee apartments would be less expensive to rent than fee apartments. But there is some debate as to whether no-fee rentals save renters money, particularly when it comes to luxury rentals. Many buildings like these are no-fee, but cost much more per month because they have desirable amenities such as doormen, fitness centers, and outdoor space. It’s also possible that for a no-fee apartment, the broker fee is baked into your rent and you end up paying more per month — but it still saves you on upfront move-in costs.

Whatever you decide, be sure to search for your dream rental on StreetEasy!