Virginia K. Smith

There is always, always someone with a worse roommate story than you (Buzzfeed)

For a genuine one-bedroom (not a glorified studio) in the heart of Hell's Kitchen with exposed brick, tons of built-in storage, and a reasonably spacious kitchen and bathroom, $2,250 is not a bad deal. (Especially for an apartment that was originally on the market for $2,575 a month.) Of course, you have to be willing to climb three flights of stairs, and likely sacrifice a certain amount of natural light because there doesn't seem to be a surplus of windows.

All-cash buying still seems to be at an all-time high in NYC, but for those of us who consider saving up for the down payment a battle in its own right, all hope is not lost: with the right moves, you can still win a bidding war, even with the prospect of a mortgage in tow.

Hey, finally, an easy tool to guarantee you're hanging your picture the right way (City Lab)

Think your new, higher rent is illegal? Here's how to know for sure (Bushwick Daily)

We're of the mind that there's a lot to be learned from stock images—women love laughing alone with salads, strainers don't actually look too bad when worn as hats—and the apartment search is no exception. From what to look for in a broker (hint: a goatee) to packing best practices, we've consulted the wide world of stock photos for helpful visual demonstrations of every step of the apartment search.