While trolling some links I came across this New York Times article about what to prepare when you’re looking for an apartment in NYC:
Pay stubs if already working.
Tax returns for at least two years.
Recent bank statements.
Proof of other income, like revenue from stocks, securities, real estate or trust funds.
Contact information for previous landlords.
Personal reference letters.
Business reference letters.
An estimate of the money that renters might need to have on hand to get a $2,000 apartment (* = not always required):
Nonrefundable application fee — $25 to $150
First month’s rent — $2,000
Last month’s rent* — $2,000
Security deposit — $2,000
Broker’s fee (15 percent of the annual rent)* — $3,600
TOTAL — $4,025 to $9,750
That is an exhaustive and completely necessary and true list of what you need to prepare to find housing in that large apple. That’s also much more exhaustive than the handshake deal I had on my last apartment in Charlotte, NC, which was bigger and on par with the niceness (nicer than most) New York apartments I’ve lived in. HOWEVER - I never saw Fat Joe in Charlotte. And I saw Fat Joe in my neighborhood the first 6 months I lived in New York. So all of this is totally worth it.
