Since New York is such a densely populated and relatively expensive city, prospective renters need to be sure that they don’t get hoodwinked when hunting for a new place to live. Here, we’re going to examine how you can use a few basic investigative techniques — just like a reporter — to make sure that you end up at the most suitable apartment for your needs.
Identify the Right Neighborhood for Your Needs
The first step in finding your dream New York apartment is to identify the areas and neighborhoods which best suit your requirements. You could focus on your desired proximity to work and leisure activities — going out for food or drinks, parks, cinemas, galleries, etc. — or concentrate on gaining a sense of the local culture and vibe.
More than likely, it’s not just the neighborhood where you’ll be living, but its vicinity to other, similarly satisfying districts and areas that will help you make the right decision. This is the point where you want to start doing some investigative work.
Conduct Research Using the Internet
We now live in a world where finding out more about an area is as easy as typing a few search terms into your laptop. Start searching posts, articles and reviews which focus on particular districts and their current trends, and also be sure to search social media for relevant comments.
You could even consider looking into city and government websites, since it is possible they will have statistical data on any region that you are interested in. After you have finished your research, you may want to list all of the beneficial points and draw up a comparison table. All of this should help you decide where you want to live, and it is here that your investigation begins.
Visit the Area
Often, the best way to tell if a specific neighborhood is for you is to actually visit and experience it for yourself. Spend a few hours — during the day and the night, if you can — traveling around the district, observing which restaurants and cafes are popular, exploring the local park and chatting with current locals if they are willing.
Obtain a Police Report
It is highly recommended that you also contact your local police station and request a crime report for the area. This will contain numerous details on reported crimes in the district from the past 12 months. Additionally, check the websites of city council meetings and meetings of other precinct-level government entities, as it is possible to gauge neighborhood sentiment from budget discussions about principal services like parks and trash removal. All of this, again, should help you make an informed decision about the area’s suitability for your needs.
Examine Apartment Ratings and Reviews
The Internet can be again helpful when delving into the details of the actual apartments. Forum searches and Google reviews, where present, should give you some indication of the true character of the building, while social media is also a good place to look for research.
Narrow Down Your Search
After this, you should be getting a clearer picture of which area and apartment is right for you. At this point, we recommend making a shortlist of the ones you are interested in, and then contact them to ask pertinent questions, such as the “rent to own” clause, if you want to purchase the home later, or how the security cameras function and how regularly they are monitored.
Interact With Current Tenants and Residents
In many cases, you can also speak with current residents directly: knock on your prospective neighbor’s doors and have a quick chat about the pros and cons of the building. This interaction may give you an outlook on the psyche of the current inhabitants of the building or provide extra insights from the locals who have been living in the area before.
Check the Financial Backers
Finally, it is worth taking the time to research who the financial backers of the development are. You might find some indicatory information that could lead you to halt your search for the apartment — for instance, if the landlord is not the true owner of the building or the source of the funds for the development is a suspicious origin – it is probably best that you look elsewhere for a place to live.
We hope that this article has given you a better understanding of how to investigate your next New York apartment like a reporter. Remember that New York is a big city and there is no shortage of options — so you must do the necessary research to make sure that you are confident in your decision before signing that rental agreement. By following the simple steps outlined above, you will be well on your way to finding the perfect place for your needs.
