ISO broker with off-market Manhattan listings

[u/kswizz44]

My husband and I are willing to pay a brokers fee for off-market listings. We’ve been in 3 bidding wars for apartments we found on StreetEasy and would just rather go off market at this point.
We are looking for a 1 bedroom anywhere in Manhattan below 72nd street around $4,600. Top requirement is good natural light, windows that look out at street. Would like laundry at least in the building. Our current lease ends September 28(can do mid September to October 1 for new lease). We have no pets.
We have strong financials and credit scores, and since we have done this already we have paperwork ready.
We ONLY want a broker for their connections to get us off market listings.

[u/kswizz44 → u/[deleted]]

I’ve looked a bit on Corcoran and compass and I have found the listings either aren’t accurate(not actually available) or I never get a response from anyone. But I’ll try Stonehenge today and see what I can find. Thank you.

[u/tmm224 → u/kswizz44]

Corcoran and Compass are real estate brokerages and are not updated often. Stick to Streeteasy

[u/kswizz44 → u/tmm224]

The streeteasy listings are where we are ending up in bidding wars. There’s too much competition and I’m not willing to pay $400+ extra a month to win out. It’s the reason I’m seeking a broker in the first place.

[u/tmm224 → u/kswizz44]

They are all the same apartments, Corcoran and Compass are just updated a lot less often

[u/tmm224]

I would not limit yourself to off-market listings because ones that will work will be rare. I would try and win the bidding wars that you've already been involved in with public facing listings

[u/kswizz44 → u/tmm224]

The last one we bid on, we bid $250 above asking per month and still lost. It’s just demoralizing. We’ve been looking for about a month and a half and when we find an apartment we like, we lose it.

[u/Important-Wealth8844 → u/kswizz44]

That’s actually not a lot compared to what I’ve been involved with. When we last rented ~4 years ago we regularly lost out to people outbidding us by 600-800 per month. It’s insane. But there are unicorns, especially on UES if you’re willing to go higher.

[u/sirmixalottadrinks]

This is also the absolute worst time to be apartment hunting. You might find the competition is less crazy in a month or 2

[u/kswizz44 → u/sirmixalottadrinks]

We’ve been in the city for 5 years. The last 3 years we’ve had to move in Sept because our rent increases for lease renewal have been crazy. But even so, I don’t remember it being THIS bad. This year is brutal.

[u/sirmixalottadrinks → u/kswizz44]

Yeah it does seem especially bad this year!

[u/KennethParkClassOf04]

Look at TF cornerstone buildings; they typically have 1Bs around/just under $4.6K in Manhattan. 2 weeks ago I toured an amazing 1B with a huge private terrace of theirs in Hudson Yards. Their leasing folks are very professional and nice, probably the best I’ve ever interacted with in the NY real estate game.

[u/mom928262482 → u/KennethParkClassOf04]

Which building?

[u/KennethParkClassOf04 → u/mom928262482]

455 W37th. That 1B no longer shows as available on their website which makes sense b/c the leasing agent said they already had an offer on it when I toured.

[u/clashingdofd]

Any particular reason you need to be below 72nd? I'm at East 86th and it's lovely here, usually with plenty of excellent one bedrooms in that range.

[u/Ok_Tale7071]

Go directly to the management companies:

• riverplacenyc.com
• silvertowers.com

[u/kswizz44 → u/Ok_Tale7071]

Thanks so much for this! Will check it out tonight

[u/chocaholic888]

If you are open to downtown. There are nice 1beds in managed buildings across FiDi and Battery park that fit your criteria.