Licensed Real Estate Agent Licensed General Contractor
kogut.james

Cell: 315-256-3556
Cell: 914-355-1148                     

46 Howard St, New York, NY 10013

Renting

Renting in New York is a unique and exciting experience. Apartments are expensive, rent quickly, and via the New York City subway a wide variety of neighborhoods are available to fit both your ideal commute and lifestyle.

While you can attempt the search on your own, my team and I know the market, neighborhoods, specific landlords, and can coordinate access to make the best use of your time. We are experts in the field and serve as our client’s coach, advocate, and negotiator in helping secure the best apartment and terms for you.

We understand the hesitation when it comes to paying an additional fee in your apartment search process. Depending on the time of year, neighborhood, and price point, if myself or a member of my team brings you to an apartment that you end up renting, there will be a broker fee from 0 (No Fee) to 1.8 months (15% of the annual rent). As tenant’s agents, we are hired by you, and our fiduciary responsibility is solely to you, not the landlord. We represent your interests and our goal is to find you a new home you’ll love.

Paperwork and Qualifications

Once you’ve found the the place you are looking for, it isimportant to move quickly to secure the location. For this reason, I recommend you check your qualifications and have your necessary paperwork in order.

Credit – Your credit history will be checked as part of your rental application. If you don’t know what your credit score is, I recommend you use CreditKarma.com – a free way to check your TransUnion/Equifax credit score. Being prepared with this knowledge will prevent the stress of you having to make last minute accommodations like providing a guarantor or adding extra security, or even potentially not being approved. Building credit takes time, but CreditKarma.com can show you how to take the best long term steps to make yourself look better in the eyes of a landlord, bank, or any creditor you come across.

Income & Assets – Landlords typically require that you demonstrate you earn 40-50 times the monthly rent as your yearly income. They’ll often ask for this verification via a Letter of Employment or Pay Stub . Having these documents ready can really expedite your renting process.

I also recommend Mint.com to my clients for budgeting and determining how much they can afford to pay on rent. It’s a free and low maintenance way to keep track of your budget. By safely linking your checking accounts, savings accounts, and credit cards to your profile, Mint.com aggregates your financials for easy budgeting, record keeping, and decision making.

Housing – Many landlords in the city will require a former landlord reference. A written statement from your current landlord that says you were a good tenant, that you paid on time, and that they would rent to you again in the future adds terrific credibility to your application.