ts Your Budget and What Amenities You Can Do Without - Squeezing into a smaller apartment than your ideal and a willingness to accept some commonly perceived flaws such as lack of view or natural light, street noise, etc., may save you some money. In addition, rents will vary with the type of building in which the apartment is l1. Timing is Crucial

The housing market is very competitive, especially for those hard-to-find affordable apartments. Be prepared to make decisions quickly since it is not unusual for units to turnover in a single day. Start your search no earlier than four weeks before your desired move-in date and be flexible by a week or two with your plans. Make apartment hunting your life for two or three weeks - that should be enough time to get familiar with the market and what you are looking for.

2. Focus Your Search According to Your Budget

New York City is an expensive housing market and you will likely be forced to make compromises in your choice. Monthly rents will vary depending on several factors; the most important of which is location, followed by apartment size and then amenities.

Consider Where You Can Afford to Live - Manhattan apartments are in the greatest demand and consequently rents are the highest here compared to other boroughs or nearby suburbs. In most areas of Manhattan, you will have great difficulty finding a studio apartment for less than $1,400-1,500 per month. In contrast, there are areas just outside Manhattan (within a 30-40 minute commute) where you can find a decent studio apartment to rent for $850-1,000 per month.

Determine What Size Apartment Fits Your Budget and What Amenities You Can Do Without - Squeezing into a smaller apartment than your ideal and a willingness to accept some commonly perceived flaws such as lack of view or natural light, street noise, etc., may save you some money. In addition, rents will vary with the type of building in which the apartment is lo

r two with your plans. Make apartment hunting your life for two or three weeks - that should be enough time to get familiar with the market and what you are looking for.

2. Focus Your Search According to Your Budget

New York City is an expensive housing market and you will likely be forced to make compromises in your choice. Monthly rents will vary depending on several factors; the most important of which is location, followed by apartment size and then amenities.

Consider Where You Can Afford to Live - Manhattan apartments are in the greatest demand and consequently rents are the highest here compared to other boroughs or nearby suburbs. In most areas of Manhattan, you will have great difficulty finding a studio apartment for less than $1,400-1,500 per month. In contrast, there are areas just outside Manhattan (within a 30-40 minute commute) where you can find a decent studio apartment to rent for $850-1,000 per month.

Determine What Size Apartment Fits Your Budget and What Amenities You Can Do Without - Squeezing into a smaller apartment than your ideal and a willingness to accept some commonly perceived flaws such as lack of view or natural light, street noise, etc., may save you some money. In addition, rents will vary with the type of building in which the apartment is l

choice. Monthly rents will vary depending on several factors; the most important of which is location, followed by apartment size and then amenities.

Consider Where You Can Afford to Live - Manhattan apartments are in the greatest demand and consequently rents are the highest here compared to other boroughs or nearby suburbs. In most areas of Manhattan, you will have great difficulty finding a studio apartment for less than $1,400-1,500 per month. In contrast, there are areas just outside Manhattan (within a 30-40 minute commute) where you can find a decent studio apartment to rent for $850-1,000 per month.

Determine What Size Apartment Fits Your Budget and What Amenities You Can Do Without - Squeezing into a smaller apartment than your ideal and a willingness to accept some commonly perceived flaws such as lack of view or natural light, street noise, etc., may save you some money. In addition, rents will vary with the type of building in which the apartment is l

rbs. In most areas of Manhattan, you will have great difficulty finding a studio apartment for less than $1,400-1,500 per month. In contrast, there are areas just outside Manhattan (within a 30-40 minute commute) where you can find a decent studio apartment to rent for $850-1,000 per month.

Determine What Size Apartment Fits Your Budget and What Amenities You Can Do Without - Squeezing into a smaller apartment than your ideal and a willingness to accept some commonly perceived flaws such as lack of view or natural light, street noise, etc., may save you some money. In addition, rents will vary with the type of building in which the apartment is l

ts Your Budget and What Amenities You Can Do Without - Squeezing into a smaller apartment than your ideal and a willingness to accept some commonly perceived flaws such as lack of view or natural light, street noise, etc., may save you some money. In addition, rents will vary with the type of building in which the apartment is located such as, whether or not the building has a doorman or an elevator.

Decide If You Are Willing To Share An Apartment - You can sometimes cut costs by sharing a large one bedroom, where you can build a wall in the living room to create a second bedroom for your roommate (management allowing, of course).

3. Methods of Searching - Fee v. No Fee Rentals

If you can afford to pay a broker's fee, searching with a broker is highly recommended for convenience and is the most common way of finding an apartment. Brokers often have access to good rental options, can guide you in your search, and make the paperwork easy for you.

Brokers charge a commission for their services. In Manhattan, expect to pay between 12-18% of the year's rent, typically 15% of the year's rent as a commission. That means if your rent is $1,000 a month, the broker's fee works out to $1,000 x 12 x 15%, or $1,800. Fees outside of Manhattan are usually less, ranging from one month's rent to 12% of the year's rent. The fee is payable only at the time of lease signing.

The larger Real Estate firms have Web sites where you can search their listings in advance of contacting them. You can also check their most updated listings in the classified ads in The Village Voice, The New York Times.

4. Financial Re