Lucy Cohen Blatter

Getting a leg up on the rental market's challenging enough in this city. Finding a short-term apartment harder still. Plus, what should you do if you're renting it sight unseen and how can you be sure not to get scammed?

Located on what we can only guess is the top floor of a Village townhouse, this $2,695 studio might seem expensive for a room with a lofted bed, but the details — and the neighborhood — might justify the cost.

The apartment has angled ceilings, a decorative fireplace and lots of windows. Sure, it has a teeny tiny kitchen area, but it's also got serious design cred. That aforementioned loft fits a queen-sized bed.

If you live in Brooklyn and are concerned about pollution, this map of the borough's toxic spills will certainly get you thinking — or quaking in your boots, depending on your disposition.

If prewar charm is what you're looking for, we suggest you check out this $1,750 Windsor Terrace co-op studio. It's got those coveted period elements like arched doorways, hardwood floors and plaster moldings, and according to the listing, two-and-a-half rooms, a relative mansion compared to some studios on the market.

More affordable apartments are entering the pipeline: Two new Bronx buildings are accepting applications for units that are way under market rate.

While we've learned to take them with a grain of salt, the first quarter Manhattan market reports are out today, and the main thing we've gleaned from them:  NYC is still a playground for the rich, but the super-rich may be headed elsewhere to play.