The 7 don’ts of renting an apartment in NYC

One of the more stressful and seemingly unfulfilling hurdles all New Yorkers have to face is that of finding an apartment in this overpopulated jungle. It is one of the few times in our lives as strong, confident humans that we feel completely helpless. That’s why we teamed up with TripleMint to help you navigate this wilderness with these 7 errors you should avoid:

1. Don’t base your decision solely on pictures

Visit in person! Don’t get stuck with an apartment that looks “cozy” in pictures, but in person makes you self-diagnose as claustrophobic — a very inconvenient diagnosis for New Yorkers indeed. It might not be a bad idea to approach apartments the same way we approach clothes or shoes: you love it most when you try it on in the store. If you’re unsure about it at the time of purchase, you probably won’t wear it later.

2. Don’t get attached to what decorates the apartment

Don’t fall in love with the furnishings or accessories (fixtures). Rent is higher in furnished apartments and there are cheap ways to rent furniture, especially if you don’t want to haul your current furniture to your next rental.

Besides decorating is half the fun of moving in to a new place. Just chill out and enjoy our special selection of pieces to get a bit of inspiration.

3. Don’t ignore the details

Always know what you’re getting into. Are there additional monthly costs for things like utilities? Is there a working smoke/carbon dioxide alarm? What is the water pressure like?

4. Don’t forget to check out the neighborhood too

Remember that you’re looking for a home, not just an apartment. That includes the surrounding neighborhood. Before committing to an apartment, ask yourself: Can I see myself living here for the next 12 months? Is it close enough to the subway? Am I comfortable walking alone at night?

If you feel uncomfortable, look for other options in a place you’ll look forward to going home to every day.

5. Don’t sign the lease without reading it

The biggest lie is probably “I have read the Terms & Conditions.” READ THE LEASE BEFORE YOU SIGN. I know, I know, trying to find an apartment was exhausting and you just want to be done with it. You’re so close and all you have to do is sign your name on the dotted line. But if you want to save yourself a lot of pain in the future, make sure you’re aware of what you’re agreeing to before you actually agree to it, especially if the landlord seems to be unusually pushy. Also make sure to have all of the necessary documents when you’re ready to commit.

Imagine that a random stranger walked up to you in the streets of NYC and said “hey want to sign this paper that will affect you for the next 12 months without reading it so you can’t argue with me if you get screwed over later?” The natural response — hopefully — is no. Read the fine print too.

6. Don’t commit before knowing how much money you have to put down up front

There are many hidden fees that pile up when you first rent an apartment. You may be able to afford the monthly rent, but you’ll need a lot more money to get started in your new apartment.

7. Don’t turn a blind eye to pre-existing damage

Anyone with siblings has a greater than necessary understanding of how frustrating it is to get blamed for something you didn’t do. Don’t lose your security deposit because of the previous tenant’s mistakes. Do a thorough walkthrough, ideally with the landlord, to document damages with time-stamped photos. While many tenant-landlord arguments are he-said-she-said, hard evidence is indisputable.

There is so much that goes into searching for and committing to your next home — whatever length of time that may be — but there are mistakes that you can definitely avoid to save yourself a lot of trouble in the future.

This post is contributed from our friends at TripleMint. TripleMint is a full-service real-estate brokerage that combines technology, teamwork and personalized service. Its advanced, easy-to-use platform pools listings and updates continuously, allowing its users to see everything NYC brokers see. Maybe more.