Rent an apt for sale?

buy one you can afford.

It all depends on the seller's situation. The problem is that the broker will not earn enough money from the rental as from the sale and will most likely not assist you in communication with the seller.

NYC, I tried this once but with a twist. I sent out about 10 emails to brokers representing apts that had been on the market for a year, and were not occupied. I offered to rent apt for below market rent (lets say $4k for what would typically rent for $6k) but lease could be terminated if they sold property before lease term, and they could continue to show it (say once a month).

Response was hilarious - average broker was so simple they couldn't understand optionality and kept responding that the offered rent was not market. One guy wanted me to pay him 15% of annual rent to set the thing up. I gave up pretty quick on the idea, but it may work in your case.

Right now there are a number of "For Sale or Rent" apartments in Manhattan, and not just in new developments.

A rent to own contract obligates the seller to sell you the place for a fixed price. Might be very hard to find a seller willing to do that in Manhattan, so I would not worry about this.

Maintenance is not the basis for determining rent. Market price is. It's pretty impossible to say what the going rent for units like that without a whole lot more info.

I would definitely as the broker to take your offer to the seller, and remind said broker that they have an absolute legal obligation to communicate your offer. If they laugh or whatever threaten to file a complaint.

This is however a long shot, but in this market, if I were you I'd go for it. All they can do is say no.

{Manhattan real estate agent.}