Rental at 50 West 15th Street

This is definitely the time to get the owner to pay the fee...you can also try and have the owner lower the price.

That is why I left a big firm so I could negotiate my fees. I will never not do a deal because a fee cannot be agreed to, so spread the word. www.theburkhardtgroup.com

I've been looking for a new apartment (not in any hurry) and if I find one I like either the landlord pays the fee or I keep looking. Plus I'll offer less than they are asking. The new mantra "No-fee or landlord pays the fee".

I have landlords that will pay me a fee that other brokers could not accept. Why can't they accept the fee? Because the big firm they work for won't allow it-not enough money, sets a bad precedent. I will take what I can get and move on to the next deal.

Uhm, instead of talking about owners paying fees why don't we talk about finally getting rid of this ridiculous broker system here in NYC? Apartment brokers are totally useless now that we have the... Internet. I'm hoping that one nice side effect of the downturn will be the extinction of apartment brokers. Go get a real job.

ssskit: Your comment provides no insight then ends with a childish personal attack.
Most of my clients are high net-worth people with very busy lives. finding a home is a very personal and important part of most people lives. The affluent pay competent service providers such as lawyers, financial planners, CPA's etc to help make their lives easier. They are willing to pay for a service that makes there lives easier and can offer them useful information to assist them in making an important decision. The owner of a $3 million dollar co-op usually is not going to place an ad in the "Times" field calls, run an open house interview perspective buyers in general waste a lot of time. Time He/She could be with their family, working or enjoying some other aspect of there lives. Selling an apartment is no easy task, no it's not "brain surgery" either but it takes a lot of time and it does require a certain level expertise to make it a seamless transaction. Renting an apartment can be a bit easier...but not always. If you just want a cookie cutter doorman building yes you really don't need a broker to assist you. That said I have clients that still want me to do all the legwork, arrange the appointments and rely on my 17 years experience to find them an appropriate home...and they can afford this luxury and convenience. If you are looking for say a townhouse to rent, or a prewar in the west village you may find the help of a broker necessary Also if you are looking for some other special requirements. Ultimately brokers are service providers people of a certain financial stature are willing to pay for good service that makes their livs easier(not all, but most). Then again if you are looking for a $1200 dollar studio, money is tight, then by all means there are are plenty of resources to help you find an apartment and avoid paying a fee. Actually for people who fall into this category I also will offer my services for a reasonable flat fee or am willing to accept what an owner is willing to pay. Being a broker in Manhattan is a tough, highly competitive job and we are compensated on a 100% commission basis with zero benefits-most could not cut it. It can also be a very rewarding job both financially and through the satisfaction of helping someone find a home then closing the deal. I have played golf with many a client, taken them out surfing to a secret spot or had them to a dinner party. What I am suggesting is a change to the way we do business, offering people another choice in how and with whom they will do there next transaction.

Oh please. There's a huge difference between a service for affluent apartment seekers and locking up the entire market and forcing everyone to pay these outrageous fees. Sure, there are people that desire and want to pay for your services but for the most part, your involvement is not optional. Apartment seekers have no choice but to pony up 10-15% for basically nothing. People in every other city in the country seem to get along just fine without you.

You do have a choice I'm one of them, I offer fee's to accommodate just about everyone(that chooses to you use a broker that is-I will assume you are not one of them). There are many buildings listed on this site/by other posters that offer no-fee through there management office. Regarding co-ops, condo's and other small privately owned homes the owners choose to hire a broker to represent them for a variety of reasons, perhaps you have a snappy remark for them?. NYC is a unique situation in many regards, not just the way real estate transactions go down. But there you have it many options, another thing that makes NYC such a fabulous place to live!. Just curious are you from the Midwest?

The OWNER of a rental apartment is the one who should be paying the fee--the system needs to change. Period.

theburkhardtgroup said:
"Regarding co-ops, condo's and other small privately owned homes the owners choose to hire a broker to represent them for a variety of reasons, perhaps you have a snappy remark for them?. "

Exactly my point--if the OWNERS hire a broker to list their apartment--the the OWNERS should pay the fee. The system is completely insane. It is a rip-off, and tenants are forced to pay an exorbitant "finders' fee" for apartments that in most cases, they find themselves. It's a total racket.

Too much Burkhardt

Great building, very reasonable to rent if you don't want to live there long term