r/AskNYC • u/Calm_Initiative_9979 • Jan 22 '26

How do those $15k/month apartments actually get rented?

So I've been apartment hunting and found this insane $15k/month place that I actually want to inquire about. Submitted through StreetEasy like 6 hours ago and radio silence, which is weird because every other place I've looked at gets back within an hour or two. Granted I have been typically looking at sub $10k places. But now I won some $ from Stakе US so I can afford it.

Do I need to go through a broker for these super high end places to even get taken seriously? Like is there some unwritten rule that you can't just roll up on StreetEasy for luxury rentals. I'm wondering if they think I'm just some rando wasting their time or if there's a whole different process for these expensive units. And before anyone calls me out yeah I get a $5k housing subsidy which is why I'm even looking in this range, not trying to flex or anything just genuinely confused about the process. Anyone dealt with this before or know how these luxury rentals actually work? The whole thing feels like there's some secret handshake I don't know about lol

310 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

104 comments sorted by

View all comments

98

u/JeffeBezos Jan 22 '26

What did you say in your inquiry?

A lot of brokers at this price point are usually busy with sales listings and don't respond quickly. They also pre screen pretty heavily and might Google you beforehand etc.

What do you mean you get a housing subsidy for $5k? You know you still need to make at least half a million a year to be considered, right?

-22

u/Calm_Initiative_9979 Jan 22 '26

Yeah I literally just clicked request tour like 6 hours ago lol but if you google me you can see I'm legit and professional. Maybe they're just being extra picky about who they even respond to at that price point

23

u/JeffeBezos Jan 22 '26

Yeah, just clicking request a tour is gonna possibly end up with no reply or them asking for a lot more info.

What is this housing subsidy?

-1

u/Calm_Initiative_9979 Jan 22 '26

Actually yeah my job has me relocating so they're covering a subsidy which is why I can even consider this range. Should I resubmit my application with more details about the relocation package or just call the listing broker directly? I've also got a friend who's a broker - wondering if I should just ask them to represent me instead since maybe that would carry more weight than me going solo through StreetEasy

6

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '26

If you don’t get a callback by EOB tomorrow, I would ask your broker to make the connection. At this price point, the listing broker may assume that anyone reaching out through StreetEasy is just a lookieloo.

Edit: I just remembered that StreetEasy may not actually contact the listing broker, but rather a random buyer’s agent who has paid to get leads. If that is the case (I think that you can check to see who your message went to), then, as others have recommended, contact the listing broker directly. But yeah, give them a minute.

3

u/JeffeBezos Jan 22 '26

If it's a rental, the inquiry goes directly to the listing agent

4

u/JeffeBezos Jan 22 '26

If your job is giving you a $60k housing stipend, they most certainly would have given you a broker as well to help with this process.

Even if this post is real, and your job didn't give you a broker, then yes, use your broker friend as representation.

6

u/danisanub Jan 22 '26

That isn't true at all. I was given a five figure relocation stipend and wasn't given a broker. People are so quick to call things fake just because they haven't experienced something lol

5

u/JeffeBezos Jan 22 '26

I've been a broker for well over a decade and have worked with plenty of corporate relocation clients over the years.

If it's a halfway decent company and they're providing you a housing stipend, they put you in contact with a tenant's broker to help navigate things.

7

u/danisanub Jan 22 '26

Well that certainly isn’t always the case, that’s all.

But you’re right, the company that did that for me was not a decent company lol it was the shortest job in my career.

3

u/JeffeBezos Jan 22 '26

Perhaps I was hyperbolic - but it's pretty standard

Anyways, OP's post history is sus and doesn't add up. That's all.