In this episode of the Brick Underground Podcast, the discussion is all about the tips and tricks of analyzing online listings. Brick Underground’s managing editor, Jennifer White Karp and Constantine Valhouli, the founder of the real estate research and analytics firm NeighborhoodX, team up for the column Take It Or Leave It where, along with freelance writer Lambeth Hochwald, they pick over the pros and cons of a rental listing and conclude who it might work for and whether it's worth it.

This week we bring the column to our podcast listeners, discussing what to look for in rental listings and how to avoid getting tripped up by—among other things—net effective versus gross rent, and legal bedrooms versus dens. Host Emily Myers joins the conversation as they consider slick photography, virtual staging, and the importance of zeroing in on the building via Google streetview when you are looking at a listing.

While it's important to dig for the dirt, keep in mind that the less-than-perfect aspects of a listing can present renters with an opportunity for negotiation, so being fully informed about the apartment might just give you the edge.

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