Has anyone had ANY luck with the RE listings on Craig's List?

I bought my current apartment from a listing on Craigslist directly from the owner, last year. I knew the building and she was advertising one unit of a line that rarely comes on the market. We did a little negotiation and voila we made the deal.

The ads you describe are from brokers who don't actually have any listings. They're hoping to pull you in so they can "represent you" (ha - they get paid by splitting the listing broker's commission) and bring you to a property that you could have almost certainly found yourself on StreetEasy or in the Times. One of the brokerages that was most guilty of this, Homestead, shut down recently.

There are real ads, as seven7 points out, but you have to sift through a lot of crap. It's not so bad when you learn to recognize the ones that are just fishing for buyers. I know someone who bought on the LES from a CL listing. The broker is so old school that he never has pics in his listings and only offers to fax you a floorplan, but he's legit.

by the way my apartment never made it to "Streeteasy"....From Craigslist directly to ACRIS

Search "apts by owner" and you will be fine. Even among the broker ads....I saw three thsi weekend, but only going to advertised open houses.