No income/lots of savings

If all else fails, try 2-3 extra months of deposit intead of ususal 1 month. You should be fine with that.

alie354 - be sure to disclose all that to your agent ahead of time. Some landlords care more about credit scores and savings, others weigh employment more heavily. It's case by case. I would suggest reaching out to a rental agent sooner rather than later - even for August - to get them involved in your search early. 300_mercer's suggestion is correct, too. I have had clients pay a full year's rent up front to bypass the employment issue (or other issues, like foreign renters with no credit score).
Tina Fallon
Realty Collective, LLC

when i first moved back to new york I was told by a few LL's that i needed to pay a full year in advance, plus three months security. I finally found a LL who checked my credit and i didn't have to pay any additional months up front. I think the larger LL's are more flexible.

co-signer.

alie354,

also some advice, shady brokers and scams are common. Be very cautious.. don't assume people are telling the truth. you must verify!
common scams:
- fake broker lists an apartment and rent to multiple people. They take your deposit in cash or check written in their name
- last tenant pretends they can rent out their apartment, takes your deposit before they leave forever
- and last but not least => In NYC, if's it TOO good to be true....

With both of you unemployed, I can't imagine any landlord signing a lease with you unless you can pay 12 months up front.

And simply "showing" that you have the cash in the bank won't be enough.