5th Floor Walkup on UES - 20+% Rent Increase

If you've been in your apartment for 2 years, then your lease started around December 2009 – a terrible time for landlords. Rents were way down, lots of vacancy, especially on challenged apartments like walk-ups. But that was temporary, vacancy is gone and rents are as high as they were in 2007 or higher. $2000 for an UES walkup 2 bed sounds about right to me.

That said, counter with something like $1750 or so. A good tenant can be worth more than $250 a month to a landlord, and he might prefer to keep you than squeeze every last dollar out of the unit.

NYC2009:

1. are you in a rental building or a coop or condo
2. if a rental building, you are rent-stabilized and the increase might be illegal
3. to learn your rent history go to DHCR at 25 Beaver Street in lower Manhattan
4. it is just a few blocks N-NE of the ferry to Staten Island

Why do you number every line but then forget to add a punctuation mark?

Anything share-able always seems to command a premium, too. One person might not pay $2,000, but two unrelated people might pay $1,000 each....

At various points during our time in NY, we have said we will finally get a two bedroom.... only every time to settle for a larger one with some extra space. If you just need space and not shareability, most of the time it seems better to get a larger one bedroom. The price premium is astounding.

I've been thinking about getting a larger one bedroom. It's just me and my longtime girlfriend sharing the place. We probably won't this year, but maybe next. She has one more year left working on a project in Long Island city that is one stop on the bus away from our current apartment.

As far as the rent stabilization thing, I went down to 25 Beaver Street yesterday. Apparently this unit lost it's rent stabilization protection when the registered rent went above $2000 in 2001 (although I highly doubt anyone was paying that much for this space in 2001). I still don't get how the registered legal rent jumped from $815 to $1850 from 1997 to 1998. The folks at the DHCR weren't very helpful in explaining anything.

I'll counter offer with $1750. We talked them down a little last year, so I'm sure we can this year too. The 20% increase really jumped out at me this time though.

You should go out and look at apartments. I doubt you will find much that is decent for a $2k 2 bed especially once you factor in that you would have to pay fees and moving expenses. Rents have gone way up in the past 2 years.

rb345: her apt may or may not be rent stabilized

2k 2br in ues is a steal

Fairway:

Unless building is Coop or Condo preatty much must be stabilized.

rb345:
I don't know why you claim that rental buildings are all or mostly stabilized. From personal experience, every rental i've looked at is market rate. and stamped all over the lease that it is NOT stabilized. I have the impression, perhaps from some other remarks of yours that you are/were a RE professional, which makes this inaccurate comment even more puzzling.

He/she couldn't be a real estate professional. If he/she was, they'd know that there are very few rent stabilized apartments out there.

There are very few rent stabilized apartments out there for rent - BECAUSE THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THEM DON'T LEAVE!

Wow, I had no idea you could get a 2BR for $2000. I thought $1600 was rockbottom for a studio, and $2300 for a 1BR. I assumed 2BR's started at $3000. Seems like you have a screaming bargain on your hands. You'll pay double elsewhere.

>A good tenant can be worth more than $250 a month to a landlord,

250 out of 2000? 12.5%? No, no good tenant is worth that much margin.

that's what happens to renters eventually. nothing new. You don't need to counter, the LL won't take it. 20%is your LL code word for: moveout please.
You can move to harlem and find a 2br for 2k.
good luck