BrickUnderground

Photo Credit / alamodestuff

When I first came to New York 2009, I rented a studio apartment in Auberndale, Queens, that I found on Craigslist for $750 per month. Well, actually it was the basement of a house belonging to this older couple from the old country and by old country I mean Greece.

They thought it was just ever-so-sweet that a Greek Australian comedian was going to be their tenant. It wasn't.

Being a landlord myself (I own an apartment in Perth, Australia), I would say that I'm a landlord's dream. I'm extremely clean, efficient and respectful of where I'm living. I don't smoke, drink or have really crazy loud parties.

On my second night, the cheap, wood paneled walls began to snap, crackle and pop whenever the boiler would kick in. When I notified my landlords about it, they told me that it was nothing to worry about, it's just the boiler and the steam and that eventually, I'll get so used to it, it'll put me to sleep. Really?

Lack of views helped nix this one-bedroom Hudson Heights co-op, now listed at $265,000.

Within a couple of months after the Brooklyn apartment fiasco, I decided to stop pouting and start looking for a new place.

In truth, it wasn’t so much an act of revitalization as desperation: I wanted to get the deal done before I had to file income taxes. As a freelancer, my lender required I show maximize income, which meant minimizing my deductions—a business decision that in 2011 cost me an extra $12,000, and nearly sent my teeth-gritting accountant to the dentist.

Online, I checked out a two-bedroom HDFC (income-restricted) co-op in Washington Heights. At $250,000 and with a maintenance of $508, it seemed too good to be true.

The broker arranged an appointment the next week. He was upfront: The building would have to be approved by a lender and I would have to go through additional rigorous financial reviews to ensure I did not exceed the income cap for HDFC.

This $4,100 two-bedroom apartment at 1501 Lexington Avenue is a tad on the small side, but the luxury building amenities -- like a roof garden and gym--might make up for it.

 

This $4,100 two-bedroom apartment at 1501 Lexington Avenue, at 97th Street, is available May 1.

Pros: The apartment is in a full-service building (gym, roofdeck, doorman) and on the same block as the 6 train. The kitchen and bathrooms have recently been renovated. The master bedroom has an en suite bathroom.

Cons: The apartment seems to be on the smaller side (particularly the second bedroom). 

No-Fee Rental of the Week showcases an apartment that’s currently on the market and is being offered with no broker fee (otherwise known as the holy grail of New York City rentals). For tips on how to find more no-fee apartments, check out the The 8 best websites for finding a no-fee apartment in NYC and our Guerrilla Guide series.

Create an extra bedroom if you’d like in this $1.625m three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath townhouse in Park Slope. The rear bedroom on the top level can easily be divided into two rooms. 

Let’s face it -- when you’re investing in a new home, you’d like it to be, well, exactly the way you want it, so some flexibility in the layout or having a say in the renovation could be an attractive option. This Friday's edition of StreetEasy’s Most Wanted -- the 10 apartments StreetEasy users saved more often than any others this week -- highlights a group of apartments that’ll let you use your imagination.

You’ll have some flexibility with a $1.625m three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath townhouse on 11th Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues in Park Slope. The rear bedroom on the top floor can be converted into two rooms, and the built-in couch on the parlor level can be used as a day bed should you require the space. You can taste some fresh air in the back garden, which also has a stone terrace and gas barbecue.

This stunning triplex one-bedroom is available from May until August...it is the perfect summer rental -- and did we mention it's in a renovated 19th Century firehouse?!

We know an over-1,400-square-foot one-bedroom in New York sounds like a fantasy...but it can be your reality, at least for a little while.