Skip Broker? Rent Direct?

I just googled Skip Brokers and it looks... interesting. You don't need to really sign up for anything or pay for anything (from what I can see) and you can call the management companies yourself so heck, why not try them out?

The hardest part about finding an apartment is just figuring out the phone number for the management companies.

no fee usually means no broker fee but some buildings still require an application fee that can cost a couple thousand bucks. make sure you ask the owner/mgmt company about these fees beforehand.

^^ Only some condos and almost all coops, not rental-only bldgs.

Unless the platform has changed, SkipBroker charges a fee to view the listings. StreetEasy verifies the listings so it is a reliable source for no-fee apartments. Other sites with no-fee listings without a subscription fee include nybits.com and urbanedgeny.com - we post listings on our website, all are no-fee since we work only as on-site leasing agents for landlords (www.rosenyc.com)

You should NOT pay for ANY 'no-fee" platform, as ALL such data is freely available on NYBITS, Streeteasy, craiglist (Under "by owner"), etc.

If you want a list of all no-fee landlords, Nybits is the best rout, and its free.

www.SkipBrokers.com is absolutely 100% FREE to use. You can request to have only the more reputable NYC landlords reach out to you when they have no fee availabilities that match what you're looking for. SkipBrokers gets paid by landlords and advertisers so search and come back as many times as you want and good luck. Streeteasy and Nybits.com are also great free sites for no fee apartments. - Paul Salamanca, Founder of SkipBrokers.com

You know some people find it by themselves and some don't! I'm an agent and i do just that everyday. But it is not easy right now because vacancies are very law. I do deal with every landlord out there which give me more opportunities to find you your apartment. NYBITS does not have it all i can tell you that much. Now i do charge one month and if you have tried on your own without success then may be it's time that you contact a professional to help you and pay the fee. If you average the fee over one year rent, it's worth it and you can focus on more important things in your life. Good luck.

haxaire, you lost out when you decided to work where you work. nuff said.

It's not always worth it, you lie. It's NEVER been worth it for me. I have never ever seen a fee apt nicer than the no fee placesmimhave always lived in.

The fact of the matter is that a lot of landlords lie as well. They need their place to rent. We as in brokers only care about you finding a great place. If you don't find anything we don't get paid anything. So we work for free unless you find what you want. And a lot of the time the landlord pays us. So these new businesses that are trying to run us out have a lot of work ahead of them. They don't close the deal they just hand it off to someone else.we make sure you get a lease asap before someone else grabs the rug out from under you. We run your credit and submit your application to the right people right away. We do all the additional paperwork that need to legally be included according to ny law to protect both you and the landlord. These "services" just list apartments. Bravo. And I personally have heard from my clients that they have been scammed on the Internet by a no fee apartment site that charges you to look at their listings.

I am a NY broker and yes their are bad ones out there that lie. But there are also bad cops and careless doctors. just find a good one to work with and get out of your house. Meet someone face to face. See their office running and leases being signed. You get what you pay for.

Unfortunately when it comes to brokers you don't always "get what you pay for."

I will agree landlords lie, sure. I have ALSO experienced landlords, current tennants, AND the broker colluding to ALL lie about how terrible an apt is. (The tenant wanted out of the lease early.) Its buyerr beware with or without a broker.

VERY SIMPLE - if you do not want to pay a professional who works seriously in the game for the help in guiding you accurately to the best apartment at the best price point of your choice, then that is quite simply your decision. Many brokers, many management companies, many owners, many spaces and our history confirms many mistakes and many regrets...There is poison everywhere. Remember our Fathers and the good old hand shake deals of looking at someone in the eye with truth and honesty?

I live in the West Village and practice Real Estate locally and in other various neighborhoods. I found my local coffee shop owner an apartment in the village and she paid a full 15% broker fee split with 2 different brokerages[mine and the listing brokers]. I drink coffee at her shop everyday. What goes around comes around.....Dara 917-362-5851

Dara a simple there are bad brokers, etc, would be more welcome then another tirade from a broker trying to make it seem like all of us are cheap and that is why we do not want to pay 15%. There are plenty of professional brokers who may work hard for their money, but there are an equal if not more class of brokers that are out there for the fee and do not care what happens to the people they place in their "Dream" apartment. It is sad how many brokers take people around and can not even answer basic questions about the apartment or buildings they are bringing you to.

Also why not think about it from another angle. 15% a lot of times could be almost a months salary for someone. Do you not think maybe that is a steep price to ask from someone who you can not even guarantee that in a year when the lease is up that they will get a fair market rate renewal lease or that they will get one at all?

To me it is just another one of those rigged industries whose price to gain entry is not in line with the services performed. 15% is just to much money for the time spent most of the time. And as i said with no guarantee on how long you could last in an apartment, it is hard to sit there and try and tell people well if you live there for 5 years it is no big deal.

The question is if you rent a $3000 apartment and pay $5000 in fees, what does that mean you are paying per hour. Because you are not spending 50 hours of time, maybe 20 on someone who is really looking and looking, but that would still be $250 per hour. And I am sorry there is no way in the world that a broker is worth that much money, especially when we are talking about a rental building.

So you can say all you want about the renters, but who could blame them for looking on their own or only looking for no fee apartments.

Brokers are not really providing any real service. If we had access to the listings we would not need a broker, and this is a steep price to pay to find out what apartments are actually empty.

there is plenty of poison in the brokerage community too... puh-lenty

Mikev - I am not saying there are not bad brokers. There is the good, the bad and the ugly everywhere. As for "Brokers not providing any real service". Well let me put it this way. According to Curbed.com - Marc Jacobs bought a Townhouse shell for $10.495 million, part of Superior Ink new development of Townhouses on 12th street. 1 block away, perhaps a better block too[not surrounded by tall buildings blocking light like the bit on 12th], I guided my buyer to close on a classic Greek revival Townhouse for just under $5.5M.
With rentals, there is a reason why brokers don't give out addresses with certain listings. These are called open listings. These listings are sent to brokers so they bring their clients. You can often find them yourself but are unlikely to know any history of their prices, increases or decreases, or comparatives in the area or building itself. No Fee apartments can often be gimmicks for higher price points. Unless you study the New York Real Estate market 7 days, rather like the stock market, then you simply put yourself out there alone if you decide not to work with a professional.
With the example I gave of the client I had who paid 15%. It took 2 1/2 months to find the new apartment, negotiate and close on the deal. Let's put that into hours - roughly 4 hours minimum a week - [I actually work 7 days for the now] - reviewing all listings in various areas. That's 40 hours for the 2 1/2 months. My company was paid 7.5%. Let's say the rent was $5000. So my company was paid $4500. I get a percent of that so lets say I get $3000[before tax]. That's payment for 10 weeks. That's $75 an hour for finding them a great home for perhaps the next 2 - 5 years.
Lastly, this day, you cannot find what they have now for the price they pay.

One other thing, what do you think an on-site leasing agent's ACTUAL job is, since they work for the landlord?

I do understand what you are saying. However once again $75 per hour is a lot as you are still saying that i should pay you for access to an exclusive club. That really is my issue. It is not that people are not capable of looking for an apartment, the keys to the information are closely guarded and then you are charged a fee to access them.

As the tax profession has learned, once people have access to a program that helps them gather information they will begin to do it themselves. This is why turbotax does well. For basic returns it is a great tool to be able to do your own return for under $100. Where i would not waste my time to do someones return for less then $250 or $300.

I am sure that people, myself included, would gladly pay a fee to have access to the system of actual apartments available, along with history of rents. I do not need someone to hold my hand as i walk inside an apartment to look at it. i know whether or not i like it, whether it is worth the price, etc.

I think alot of people these days put a lot of effort on there own because the information is more accessible with the internet and you get an idea of what the rent ranges are.

And to your last point, yes we all know that in house leasing work for the landlord. But it does not negate that we know what we want to pay. So if you are trying to say you can get me a better rent. I have to say that even if i was to pay $100 more then i should per month on a $3000 lease it is still cheaper then paying a broker fee. Because if there is a larger spread then that it just means that the individual looking does not necessary care what they are paying and just want the apartment.

I have seen the math above beforeon this site and others. In my opinion (and experience) spending $$ on a rental broker is totally not worth it.

15% is too much. If you were able to afford $3,000 per month, now you are stuck with $3,450 per month, but you also have every month of the $450 extra up front.

You use the word "basic". Is your home "basic"? I don't know what you pay or where you pay for it. But I would never call NYC Real Estate Basic. It's laws being one of the more complex. ........There is no exclusive club with me. Just helping to find the right homes for the right people. Again, if you wish to go alone that's your choice. "You can become so steeped in the times that you can often drown in them".

You are part of the exclusive club holding onto the access to information in exchange for 15% in fees.
If you want to help someone find a home, charge them a fee that has some kind of basis in reality.

The people who help me at brooks brothers are not making $75 an hour and they actually help me choose what works correct and tailor it. Those tailors are professionals, but if they were paid $75 for there actual expertise and worked 40 hours a week 52 weeks a year htey would make $156,000.

The problem is you do not want to talk about what makes sense just that you feel that 15% is the rate it should be.

The laws here are not overly complex. You need to know that landlord has ultimate control, be okay with that and move on. YOu are not navigating any laws in showing an apartment, that is just a stupid statement.

Please explain to me what in NYC real estate makes it so complex as compared to another city.

History. I take it you do not own any NYC Real Estate, then perhaps you would know more on the laws? Also, I discuss fees openly with my clients. I make them aware and provide options so they have choice. We don't move forward unless they feel secure. At the end of the day it's about the offers for the homes. You don't pay anything when you make offers. But sometimes you get a great deal. Good luck!

My main focus is actually real estate. I have owned, sold and now own again. In the middle i even rented.

What i am asking you is what specifically you are referring to with regard to renting an apartment. You said NYC laws are complex and that is why i need a broker to rent. All i am asking is that you justify what it is you are talking about.

If i was buying and not comfortable on my own i would say i need an attorney more then a broker. I need a broker if i want them to tell me about the building, the history, etc. My point is that most of this information is public knowledge and available if you want to look. I can not begin to tell you as i just looked over the summer how many brokers had no idea about what they were showing and trying to sell. I even had a broker tell me when i told her the apartment was 60k to much based on a comp. She told me she did not know the comp existed. I found it on this site. Lets just say i did not buy but it sold exactly where i thought it would.

The problem these days is that brokers on here spend a lot of time trying to justify the fee structure, and minus a few who have actually come to grips that buyers and sellers do not need as much hand holding, nor do they want to spend the fees, have adjusted there fee structure.

What does it tell you that in a down economy when every other industry out there have had to lower fees, that most brokers will not budge. People are losing money on their homes and you are responsible for them taking home even less.

So go ahead tell me what expert knowledge you have on NYC real estate law that are so complex.

You have much time to spend on this issue. I challenge you then to buy or rent an apartment through me. You only know unless you go. If you rent a condo or co-op there are laws you might want to consider. Not so much in Rental properties. Remember while we debate the fees there are others who are quite happy to pay. You do what you feel is best. Focus on the home, not on money. Know what you want. Know what you can pay and then go negotiate. All the Best.

I have time, sure. But now you have not really stated anything that people are not familiar with. You have basically stated that the majority of the inventory out there for rent have no legal issues (stretch of truth number one for ya). COndo and coop sure have there issues that most would be needed to be aware of, time restrictions for renting, being sold out from under you, etc.

I am sure there are people out there with lots of money who are aching to give it all away to you. But i am also sure that if you conducted a poll of average earners in NYC and asked if they could pay say $100 to gain access to all listings, history, etc and then figure out where to look, or they could pay 10-15% of first years rent, that you would find most people don't want to pay you a months salary.

And your focus on home not money is pretty funny. Say i need a place to live and also need to furnish that home, if i pay you $4500, security of $4500, assuming $3000 in rent basically a month, where is the money to make it my home?

I just find it all so funny. I have time to put to this because i am trying to understand what service you are providing. You really have not given a straight answer to any of my questions, which does not surprise me.

There are certain brokers who while i have gone back and forth i would surely consider using because they lay things out for you, Ali would be one and I believe it is Keith who has fees that make sense, meaning not 6%.

mikev, our service is not for YOU, the prospective tenant. IT IS TO THE LANDLORD. How fucking dense are you that you can't figure it out. Landlords are my clients. Renters come and go. The demand never ceases. You either pay, or you can look elsewhere. Very very simple.