In Manhattan, there are 2 specific ways to avoid paying a broker fee.

1.) There are a percentage of landlords who pay a brokers’ fee up front (usually equivalent to one month’s rent) when a broker brings an acceptable tenant to a lease signing. This is a payment that usually a landlord figures into the rent price and spreads out over the length of the lease.

2.) An apartment hunter can avoid paying a fee by finding a landlord directly, and never dealing with a brokerage at all. There are so many buildings, so many owner’s, and so many management companies out there in the business of renting apartments, it is nearly impossible to avoid dealing with a real estate brokerage during your hunt in Manhattan.

At City Wide, our database comprises 290 owners or management companies, owning or managing a total of some 2000 buildings in Manhattan. This is where we can add value to your search; we know every single one of these owners, every single building, each unique application process, and most importantly where the best apartment for your needs exists and when.