Finding Rentals Before They are on Market?

BrooklynNewbie:

I gave this advice to another newbie looking for a rental in Brooklyn:
Visit the local small businesses in the neighborhood where you're interested.
The dry-cleaners, coffee-shops, places like that have locals coming in and chatting about their apartments that they would like to rent out in private 2-family/multi-family homes and small rental buildings.

Leave a few of your business cards and/or put up a notice (many shops have a board for that purpose).

Here is a strategy:. Pay for the information you want.

Thanks, Truth.
Jim, I did not say anything about fees. I was talking about finding places that people are waiting to list in the Spring but that if they haf interest would go ahead and rent.

BN, what price range? What neighborhood? Are you looking to live in a large rental building where visiting the leasing office in advance might help and cost you nothing, or are you looking for specialized place where maybe hiring a broker in your relative market (location, price range) might help, or are you looking for something else?

Newbie, the info you want is available from a certain source at a price. Whether you wish to pay, or be a johnny-come-lately is of course your decision.

>is available from a certain source at a price.

Jim, are you Deep Throat?

so jim, where do you buy, what price, what are you getting?

You're getting a rental agent.
You could be getting an apartment without a broker in many nice Brooklyn neighborhoods.
Some landlords don't want to deal with agents. They offer reasonable rents and are willing to do credit check themselves.

In a large rental building you get a rental office.
Not everybody wants to rent in a large building.
No need to in Brooklyn.

Anyone remember hanging out for that week's Village Voice on Tuesday evening at Sheridan Square (where the Voice was dropped first every week) to get the freshest listings?

Thank God you have truth here to tell you what you need and what you don't need. Checking out the cork boards at dry cleaners, etc.

I have never once met an owner who "don't want to deal with agent". They want their vacancies filled, the quickest way possible.

I can tell you that a good agent, with a book of business, who has rented to hundreds of people, talks to dozens of owners (large and small), and keeps track of lease expiration's, etc is going to have the info the OP wants.

At a price of course.

Good thing I'm up early to read jim's comment.
It was a suggestion,jim.

I didn't tell BrooklynNewbie what he/she needs, just what's possible.
Maybe you never met an owner who didn't want to deal with an agent or perhaps they just didn't want to deal with you.

If BrooklynNewbie doesn't want to live in a big rental building in Brooklyn there are alternatives in 2family/multi family homes and small rental buildings.
I didn't need to live in a big rental building and didn't need to pay an agent for inside info.
I found out about the apartment I'm renting while I was still living in the condo I owned in Manhattan.
After looking at apartments in Williamsburg and Greenpoint,we went to visit a friend and had lunch at the local coffee shop. That's where I found out about the apartment for rent.

The local dry-cleaners knew about a few other apartments in the neighborhood for rent. So did the owner of a restaurant where we had dinner. None of the apartments were listed with agents and none of the owners were interested in listing with agents.

I know people who found rentals in Carroll Gardens and Park Slope without paying an agent for inside info.
So it's possible and you won't be out of business if some people prefer to rent their apartments without dealing with agents.

Bernie: Not for rental listings but I do remember going there to get the new issue of the Voice.

Bernie: At a price, of course.

My first Manhattan apartment search two and a half years ago led me to disappointing apartments on great streets. I had only been in town for two days, so I didn't have a grapevine in place and hadn't found a good realtor. I got information from doormen in a few promising buildings. Then, I went to a deli on the street I had liked best and sat with a cup of coffee near the check-out to listen for regulars greeting the owner and cashier. I told the owner and regulars I was looking for an apartment in the neighborhood and asked if they knew of any about to come on the market. A customer told me he liked his building and that another tenant had moved out that morning. We discussed the building at length, then I got the management company's number from a plaque on the front of the building and contacted them directly about the specific apartment. I was able to move in a couple of days later, no fee. The neighbors were great, exactly as I had expected based on the vibe I'd gotten from people coming and going at the neighborhood deli. A year later, I used streeteasy to find a larger, less expensive apartment much further uptown. Good luck!

@Truth:Indeed. I think the Voice was 75 cents in the mid 90s, and worth every penny for the fresh rental listings.

BrooklynNewbie: rentals don't have the same dynamic as sales, where your question would be germaine. As soon as a landlord knows they are losing a tenant they put the unit on the market, often times with tentant in place. So you have all the information you need. From there the two keys are 1. be able to make up your mind quick if you like or not and 2. have a cashiers check in your wallet if you like the place.

Bernie 123 - that makes sense. I ws thinking the "slow time" applied to both rentals and sales.

Huntersburg: I am looking in Brooklyn. Boerum Hill, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Prospect Heights, park Slope preferably. Want to stak well under 3k.

I reckon that trying every avenue including dry cleaners, doormen as wll as SE and real estate offices - will be the ticket.

Oh, and the VV early drop off? yes. I'd go to the newstand on Astor Place on Wed evenings!

BrooklynNewbie:

Trying every way possible, including asking around the neighborhood businesses is well worth your time.
At the time, I was looking for a place to buy but when I found out about the apartment for rent, I contacted the landlord.
He had just finished renovating a small rental building and I was the third tenant to move in.
Some landlords are doing renos or repairs and they put the word out around the neighborhood businesses.

Good luck!

Bernie: I have some clippings from the Voice going back a few decades.
Music reviews and columns.
Those were the days.

I miss the Voice being good.
Robert Christgau, Pazz and Jop.
Sigh.

You're a BrooklynNewbie and an NYCOldie! ;)

Truth - I wish you the best; not sure why you are so angry, but I do sincerely hope you are okay and that your lighthearted and amusing posts resurface. Fun Truth is delightful; Bitter Truth is no fun.

20 hours into the new years' resolution?

HB - can you explain your infatuation with me? I am torn between being flattered and being creeped out.

BkNewbie, did you find anything.

Last week I told my landlord I was breaking my lease. They offered me the ability to find someone to take over my lease, reflecting a true no-fee situation for a 1 bedroom unit downtown.

On day-1 of deciding to show it to ppl, we had 4 offers. Crazy.

Hey there. Have not found anything yet but honestly, only just ratcheting up with the looking for various reasons.
Did have one place I really liked but as not quick enough.
Thanks!

BrooklynNewbie
about 13 hours ago
Posts: 26
Member since: Nov 2012
ignore this person
report abuse

Hey there. Have not found anything yet but honestly, only just ratcheting up with the looking for various reasons.
Did have one place I really liked but as not quick enough.
Thanks!

"Did have one place I really liked but as not quick enough."

What a surprise.

I am an owner with a management company. We have people like you quite often who fill out our applications and get pre-approved, then contacted first when something comes available.

Sorry, nothing in Brooklyn, but I would try this same approach.

MAV - that's a good suggestion, thank you!
And, since moving back to M'hattan isn't out of the question, that especially will be smart there since there are so many more managed buildings than in BK.

bknewbie: which areas are you looking to rent in? I Know people on this thread wont like to see me say this, but a broker who really specializes in an area would know about rentals before they hit the market. I would enlist the help of a real specialist in the area you want to be in. Look for someone who has exclusives and who post consistently in that neighborhood. For sales maybe you can get away with working alone since most listings are online, but the rental inventory online is at best 50% accurate and you could be walking around a neighborhood for months before you find that old owner who has a flyer posted in a laundry mat and then who is to say you will like the place.

Hey Mav, could I do exactly what you said with your mgmt company? I'm looking to move April 1 (in Manhattan now and looking to stay in Manhattan), so it's still quite early... but if I could do what you've suggested I think that might work quite nicely. Send me a message.

angeloz
about 1 hour ago
Posts: 189
Member since: Apr 2009
ignore this person
report abuse

bknewbie: which areas are you looking to rent in? I Know people on this thread wont like to see me say this, but a broker who really specializes in an area would know about rentals before they hit the market. I would enlist the help of a real specialist in the area you want to be in. Look for someone who has exclusives and who post consistently in that neighborhood. For sales maybe you can get away with working alone since most listings are online, but the rental inventory online is at best 50% accurate and you could be walking around a neighborhood for months before you find that old owner who has a flyer posted in a laundry mat and then who is to say you will like the place.

deaf ears angeloz. they don't want to hear it.

BrooklynNewbie, if you haven't found a place yet, beware of sleaze (look up).

Truth, Sunrises, huntersburg, Tomnevers, and MAV all gave good advice and suggestions. Definitely possible (and desirable) to find a rental w/o an agent -- a little persistence and being proactive is all it takes :)

Sonya_D
about 15 hours ago
Posts: 38
Member since: Jan 2013
ignore this person
report abuse

BrooklynNewbie, if you haven't found a place yet, beware of sleaze (look up).

Truth, Sunrises, huntersburg, Tomnevers, and MAV all gave good advice and suggestions. Definitely possible (and desirable) to find a rental w/o an agent -- a little persistence and being proactive is all it takes :)

meanwhile, the op has been working on finding this unicorn for five weeks.

Or not. Maybe he's already decorated his walls.

Regardless, in actuality, it doesn't matter the length of time. Maybe the OP doesn't have a time restraint. I, like millions of others, have looked for rentals for months, and sometimes just for days, with and without a broker. Some have the luxury of taking their time and finding just what they like. It depends on the person's situation, the market, etc. Sometimes the market is saturated, but they need to move tomorrow. Sometime there's nothing out there, but they have all the time in the world.

Ultimately, your "5-week" argument falls flat.

Or not. Maybe he's already decorated his walls.

Regardless, in actuality, it doesn't matter the length of time. Maybe the OP doesn't have a time restraint. I, like millions of others, have looked for rentals for months, and sometimes just for days, with and without a broker. Some have the luxury of taking their time and finding just what they like. It depends on the person's situation, the market, etc. Sometimes the market is saturated, but they need to move tomorrow. Sometime there's nothing out there, but they have all the time in the world.

Ultimately, your "5-week" argument falls flat.

No idiot. The OP posted one day ago. Pay attention, you are new here and making an ass of yourself. Or you are an old poster with a new handle, which makes you weird. Either way, OP Still looking for the unicorn.

Jim, some people are capable of having a disagreement without calling people names and/or making accusations. No one is going to take you seriously with your tone, and you are making yourself and your/our entire profession look bad.

I am sorry, there BKn00b, there is no way for me to message you. You will have to post an email.

Who is this Jim guy ?
Anyway, Jim, you don't know a thing about my situation or timeline so your comments do fall flat.
Maybe I was thinking ahead when I made the OP. Maybe I have gone back and forth on whether to move.
If I - or anyone else here - posted every single thought or possible change of mind...well, I guess it'd be Twitter.

Thanks, everyone else, for your thoughts and input.
Now that I am getting into the real looking rather than the looking ahead part, I am checking out the more niche agencies around the areas we like. I've spoken with a few and met a couple so I can get a sense of how well they know the area. I'm also trying to ask around as well - the "dry cleaner" approach as has been suggested.
There's no one way, aye?

Again, thank you!

MAV - I know, one drawback to SE is the inability to send PMs. On the other hand, I do appreciate the protection. Some people are pretty snarly !

And he might have found something this morning. Wow, you continue to dig yourself deeper, don't you, jimmyboy?
>>"Either way, OP Still looking for the unicorn."
Either way, your "5-week" argument still falls flat.
[and new or not, I still continue to school you. How's that now?]

MAV, I mostly feel badly for the good, decent brokers out there, of which there are a good number. People like "jim_hones10," with his lack of knowledge about the industry, class, and, hell, an ability to write an English paragraph correctly, detracts from the business as a whole. Not to mention the questionable tactics he has used and has come out on this board. Good brokers/agents are rare; if I were one of them, I'd distance myself as much as possible from this type of "co-worker."

be very clear.

jim is a phony construct from the resident troll on this site.

Good for you, BrooklynNewbie! Glad to hear you are taking a balanced approach.

Also, in case you haven't heard of it, check out nybits.com. It's a GREAT website for no-fee and direct landlord/management listings.

Yes, nybits.

columbiacounty
about 19 hours ago
Posts: 11350
Member since: Jan 2009
stop ignoring this person
report abuse

be very clear.

jim is a phony construct from the resident troll on this site.

Yes, i have been a figment of someone's imagination for years now.

BrooklynNewbie
about 19 hours ago
Posts: 29
Member since: Nov 2012
ignore this person
report abuse

Who is this Jim guy ?
Anyway, Jim, you don't know a thing about my situation or timeline so your comments do fall flat.
Maybe I was thinking ahead when I made the OP. Maybe I have gone back and forth on whether to move.
If I - or anyone else here - posted every single thought or possible change of mind...well, I guess it'd be Twitter.

Thanks, everyone else, for your thoughts and input.
Now that I am getting into the real looking rather than the looking ahead part, I am checking out the more niche agencies around the areas we like. I've spoken with a few and met a couple so I can get a sense of how well they know the area. I'm also trying to ask around as well - the "dry cleaner" approach as has been suggested.
There's no one way, aye?

Again, thank you!

I know that you posted more than a month ago and have fruitlessly pursued this unicorn apartment since. Hence your posting then, and now, despite your protestations.

Sonya_D
about 19 hours ago
Posts: 46
Member since: Jan 2013
ignore this person
report abuse

And he might have found something this morning. Wow, you continue to dig yourself deeper, don't you, jimmyboy?
>>"Either way, OP Still looking for the unicorn."
Either way, your "5-week" argument still falls flat.
[and new or not, I still continue to school you. How's that now?]

MAV, I mostly feel badly for the good, decent brokers out there, of which there are a good number. People like "jim_hones10," with his lack of knowledge about the industry, class, and, hell, an ability to write an English paragraph correctly, detracts from the business as a whole. Not to mention the questionable tactics he has used and has come out on this board. Good brokers/agents are rare; if I were one of them, I'd distance myself as much as possible from this type of "co-worker."

i asked you this previously: do we know each other? you are making assumptions about "the industry"

MAV
about 20 hours ago
Posts: 448
Member since: Sep 2007
ignore this person
report abuse

Jim, some people are capable of having a disagreement without calling people names and/or making accusations. No one is going to take you seriously with your tone, and you are making yourself and your/our entire profession look bad.

I am sorry, there BKn00b, there is no way for me to message you. You will have to post an email.

Do you think I care if people who post on streeteasy take me seriously or not?

I don't understand what it is about my OP that suggests "unicorn".

Anyway, now that inventory is picking up the OP isn't relevant now.

I've always just walked around and asked the doormen working in the buildings I was interested in. I've found several apartments this way over the years. Just two months ago I needed to rent an apartment to move into while starting a renovation of my current apartment. I just walked around the neighborhood to rental buildings I thought looked nice and asked the doormen about upcoming vacancies. One building had a couple of unlisted units mid-reno. They let me in to see them before putting them onto the market and I rented one.

Just be friendly and ask for what you are looking for.

Good luck!

thanks shny !
and congratulations.