moving to NY from CA!

Obviously, a listing is asking for a "pay stubs, employment letter, bank statement, and a tri-state guarantor" for a reason. If you can't provide that information, you have a problem. It's not like there's a lack of renters in this city.

Why is you dad covering your rent? Are you a student?

You probably need to squeeze into a roommate situation, because without a job (one that pays 45-50 times the monthly rent) and/or a guarantor located within NY, NJ, or CT, you aren't going to be able to rent an apartment under your name.

A friend recently signed a new lease, told me the agent said they need certain info (i.e. tax returns) but in the end they didn't provide it and still got the place. So it could depend. But an employment letter & bank statement are standard, and they will want to run a credit check.

As for the guarantor, what's the difference if it's any state other than NY? Many buildings restrict guarantors to NYS because in the event that the mgt co needs to take legal action in case the tenant defaults, it's easier from a legal persepective if the guarantor is in-state. So whether it's NJ, CT or CA, I don't understand the difference. And the agent who's telling you this may not fully understand it either.

Does anyone have a better view on this?

I recently moved to NYC from Florida, and thought I'd share my experience thus far.

Depending on how familiar you already are with the area, and what kind of support network (friends, family, etc.) you have available in NY, you may want to look into a sublet or something month-to-month for the first couple of months. If you're not sure where you want to live, bouncing around a bit may give you a better idea as to what neighborhoods you would prefer, as well as giving you a chance to meet some more people and find potential roommates.

#2 is correct in saying that there's not a lack of renters in the city. By and large, you're going to have to provide what the landlord is asking for. I'm in the process of signing a lease now with 2 friends, all of us are over 25, gainfully employed, and are making over 40 times our monthly share of the rent. Even so, we were required to not only have excellent personal credit, but to each provide a guarantor with excellent credit as well. With that said, at the end of the day you're talking about person-to-person communication, so it certainly doesn't hurt to explain your situation and try to work something out regardless. The more documentation you can provide to support your claim that getting the rent paid will not be a problem, the stronger your case will be. If you're not going to be working, that definitely means bringing documents for your dad, or at least being able to get what's needed from him in a timely manner. In our case, my roommates and I all faxed or overnighted credit check and guarantor agreement paperwork to our respective guarantors, and they faxed the paperwork back within a day.

Again, I'd really suggest doing something non-permanent for at least your first month or two in NY. I can't imagine trying to find a place with the intent of signing a 1-year lease without being on the ground here and being able to meet with brokers, see apartments in person and so forth.

Good luck!

I am also moving from Florida back to New York; without a job! I've been told I will need to pay 6 months rent and 3 months security payable with certified checks.

Thank you for everyone's comments! They've been very helpful.

To respond to your postings... I have a job, but it won't cover the 40x the rent requirement--which is where my dad comes in. I've been New York before so fortunately, I already know where I want to live. My main concern is the tri-state thing. I wonder what out-of-state students do when they want their own place...

How much security deposit did they ask you for?

They will probably have to give a larger security deposit. Landlords might require 3 months security since it takes that amount of time to have a tenant evicted if that is necessary.

I found 2 great sites to help with moving to NYC from anyplace, they do anything you need and really give blunt honest answers. First it was www.NYCMOVE then I also checked with www.NewNewYorker both were very helpful.

Learn how to make a complete link, moron...

I also moved to NY from CA several years ago. My credit was good and I got a place in Astoria -- very cheap at the time and a huge one bedroom. I went through a friend a gave the super a month's rent in cash -- welcome to NY! But, it beats brokers fees. No questions about 40x rent, etc. I lived there for 5 years and loved it. 20 minutes to midtown door to door. But, I agree with #4 -- you should probably take a sublet or roomie situation til you get more situated. If it doesn't work out, it's much easier to get out of. Check out Craigslist.

You may want to try working with a real estate broker. They're super expensive and can be Very Shady but you may be able to use them to get the apartment you want in your situation. A lot of rental buildings only want NYS guarantors. I've lived in over 12 apartments here in NY in the last 10 years- it's like a full time job finding an apartment even when you meet the criteria. Good luck!