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Ummm that is very fishy to me!! East 27th and what? Is it in the east river, lol?
Also, free parking does not exist in NYC. Period. So there is something up FOR SURE.
E 27th St and 2nd Ave! Not in the East River as far as google maps shows me ;)
I frankly don't care if somebody was murdered there, at that price! I'd take it! I have NOT seen it in person, but the images of the room available are very similar but not identical to the stock photos of other apartments in the building, which suggests to me that they are legitimately his own photos of the place. I emailed asking to see it in person--no response yet. We'll see!
Hmmm, that does seem too good to be true (although if its, that's a GREAT deal!). The skeptical me can think of these things:
1. Like hilsy said, what's the cross avenue? Although really, anywhere on 27th St for 950sqft full-service luxury is still a steal for $1000.
2. Realtor confirmed it's $1K a MONTH, not a week, right?
3. I've had the experience where a realtor (and this was later confirmed by another realtor acquaintance I talked to that this does happen on occasion) will post an impossibly good deal. You'll contact them and they will say oh that one's taken (it either is or was a fake listing), but let me show you others. I'm not saying this is common AT ALL but it happened to me once!)
4. Is it a sublet?
5. Is it a share?
That's all I can think of for now. Keep us posted, very intriguing!
Ditto all of hamster's questions. Do you have the link to the listing so we can check it out?
It might be a one bedroom that was converted to a 2 bedroom, like hamster said--but even then $2000 for a full service building is pretty good...
And hamster's #3 happened to me ALL the time while I was apt hunting. It's how they draw you in, and then they show you a million other apartments and make you sign contracts that you won't lease an apt from anyone else. I hate realtors, boo.
Yeah something's up with this. Free parking in NYC doesn't exist. Keep us posted once you go see the place - I'm very intrigued.
@hamster: Okay, so it is definitely $1k/month. The realtor, when I emailed him, did not tell me this one was taken. He showed me photos and gave details for the exact apartment I asked about. It is not a sublet or a share.
I am dying to hear back about whether I can see it...I'll definitely keep you posted. I have a family friend who is a realtor and I'm thinking about asking his advice about all this.
I would also ask for the exact address. I find it really sketchy when they can't provide the building number and are just like "Meet me at this random corner". Plus, that way you can google the building :)
Sorry, but I call bullshit on that one 
I live in a smaller apartment (like 875 sq feet) and pay almost triple that. I'd find out what the lease is like. Maybe he'd lock you into a longer lease with $1,000 month only for the the first year and then skyrocket the price? Honestly, I have no idea what this person is up to. I agree that he might just be reeling people in to get them interested and pull the bait and switch (oh that apt is not available, let me show you others...)
Even a studio of that size would cost a hell of a lot more, even in the ghetto of the city. Sorry, but I'm glad you noticed something was off.
Even if everything seems to be on the up and up when you visit, I'd definitely try to talk to his other lessees. Are there some sort of problems with the apt. that you can't physically see, like issues with leaky faucets, faulty appliances, etc. Something HAS to be up, if you ask me.
Yes, if you can get the exact address that would be great - you check them out online and also use sites like streeteasy and nycbits to see comps/rental history :)
@hilsy85: I actually do have the full address! That's how I discovered how much that amount of space usually costs in the building. It's really nice. I don't really want to post the listing, though...because if it is legit, I don't want anyone else to get it! Heh.
This is just so weird though. I will definitely report back...
wow! i'm right in that area and i can say for certain that rents like that do not exist!! seriously, as the posters above mentioned, 950sf in a brand new building can easily rent for $1k a week (i'd say that is even below fair price), so make sure you confirm whether the rent is by month/week. Also, ask how much the broker's fee is and the term of the lease. You are definitely right to be skeptical so I would not make any decision sight unseen.
Yea this deff seems fishy to me.... I live in 750 sq ft and am paying double that... I can't imagine an apt for that price on 27th st... You won't really know until you go look at it. For example....
I thought I had found a steal in Chelsea.. a 1 bedroom for $1400, turns out the reason it was so cheap is because the standing room only shower was IN THE KITCHEN! Yes.. that's right... and it had a clear glass door so anyone sitting at the kitchen table would have an awesome view of you showering!
Anyways, something about this doesn't seem right... Realtors can be extremely sneaky if they are trying to make a sale, so just beware.
@TinyTina: lol amazing...I love NY apartments! When I was looking at studios, most of them didn't have sinks in the bathroom at all...just the kitchen sink!
Okay, so I checked it out on those websites and yeah, the best deal listed there was 675 sq ft for $3050/mo in 2007. The only discrepancy I can find in the information on those sites and the information the real estate guy provided is that he said there is no roof deck, but apparently there is.
Hope he responds soon...
1k a month barely exists in DC, I cannot imagine it exists in Manhattan. This may actually be a very specific type of scam that happened to my college roommate in London:
The guy posting the listing is legitimately subletting the room from someone shorterm. He posts a very low rent, takes deposits from a bunch of different people, then vanishes.
So this guy is either posing as an agent or you just found the 1 in a billion apartment. But really, there's no logical reason for landlords in NYC to lose out on thousands of dollars in rent a month :)
@TinyTina: "the standing room only shower was IN THE KITCHEN! Yes.. that's right... and it had a clear glass door so anyone sitting at the kitchen table would have an awesome view of you showering!" hahaha WOW.
Yeah, I am definitely going to keep my eyes peeled and asks lots of questions if I ever get to see this place. I'm also going to consult with realtor family friend...I agree that there must be something up. I have no idea what it could be, but something...
Definitely check it out in person. I agree with what everybody else has said re: the realtor bait-and-switch. I just finished the apartment hunt a month ago with the help of a sweet, not-shady realtor (and managed to find one where we didn't have to pay a broker's fee which was fantastic). I'm happy to give you her info if you're interested. We didn't have to sign anything saying we'd only use her.
Also, keep in mind that photos can be really deceptive. Something can look bright and airy and have nice wood floors, but when you get there, it's on the 6th floor of a walk-up and the halls smell like urine and the finish is peeling off the floors and what the realtor calls a "living room" is actually a slightly-wider-than-normal hallway and also you'd have to stand sideways to fit in the shower.
Not to discourage you though. I moved here fairly recently and it's well worth the hassle and expense! Just be aware of what's out there. And get ready for more amazing vegan food than you can shake a stick at. :-)
No harm in looking, but this doesn't sound real to me.
Murray Hill isn't the most expesive neighborhood, but it's not THAT cheap. Note that it's the only apartment in that area to pop up in a <$1,000.00 rent search. That a red flag right there.
Keep in mind that the person to whom you are speaking is the broker, NOT the landlord. He doesn't set the rent and, because he's paid on commission, his only goal is to get you into an apartment so that he can collect his fee. ie: Whatever it takes to get you to meet him in person, he'll do.By all means make an appointment to see it, but don't be surprised if the rent magically skyrockets to day you visit, after you've made your application or if the apartment is suddenly rented the day you're scheduled to meet up.
I looked up the listing and am reasonably confident in saying the apartment pictured in the photos is not the one you'd be renting for $1,000.00 a month. For one thing, a first floor unit won't have those views. In fact, I'm almost positive that a building at those cross streets wouldn't have those specific sighlines.
I lived in this area until recently and paid $1,800.00 for a studio in a non-doorman building.
I've seen a LOOOT of rental scams on Craigslist, etc.
They browse real estate for sale listings, take the photos and information, and post it as their own. Then, they ask for a deposit BEFORE you see the apartment. Then they take off with your money. I read all about it, it happens all the time.
If you know the exact address, run it through Google Maps and see if any real estate for sale listings come up. If you have questions about how to do that, PM me.
We did some looking in SoHo, and the "shower in kitchen" thing was the dealbreaker on more than one apartment.
Oh, I see that you already have the address. So, yeah, look it up to see if it's for sale anywhere.
Thanks for all the great advice everyone, I really appreciate it.
@teaadntoast: I'm not sure we're looking at the same apartment...the pictures I've seen don't show any views, and the listing doesn't state which floor it's on. In all the pictures, you can't see what's outside the windows at all. It could just as easily be a first floor as a penthouse, for all I can tell. Also, the man I spoke to via email about the apartment--I just realized this--says he is actually the owner of the apartment. I don't know what that means. The apartment building isn't for sale. Can people own individual apartments in a building (see, I'm such an apartment newbie)?
Umm, yeah that's a scam. Through and through. What will probably happen is that when you meet up with the broker, he'll tell you that the apartment you wanted was already taken but he's available to show you other ones.
I agree with teaandtoast wholeheartedly. I live in the hood, in Brooklyn, and I couldn't even get that rental price. It would be nice though...
@veganglam: Yup they can; he would be subletting the apartment. I guess it MIGHT be possible, if he really wanted to find someone quickly and so listed the apartment for waaay under market value. But I would still be veeerry suspicious and make sure to see the apartment for yourself and get everything in writing.
Yes, people can own individual apartments in a building, if it is a condo or co-op (technically in a co-op, the own shares of the building corporation, but for your purposes they are similar).
Now that I know that he's the owner of apartment, one thing I can think of is if he doesn't live in it (let's say if his job requires a lot of travel) and wants to rent it out.
Or, the more nefarious scenario would be where he *says* he's the owner renting it out but he doesn't actually own it. The pictures are picture of a random apartment he found on the internet and it's a scam.
The only way I know of this is a few years ago, I saw a listing for an apartment "for rent by owner" that was listed for $1800/month that I KNOW goes for at least $5K/month. I was curious, so when I emailed to inquire, the person responded and asked for my mailing address to mail a key because they were "out of town." I looked this up online and found it was a scam. Sad, but true. Could it be possible that this guy is impersonating the real estate agent you found on WSJ?
I hope that's not the case, but just wanted to give you a head's up! Hope it works out!
wow...that definately doesn't sound right...and btw free parking DOES exist...i have it in my luxury building
Haha bkchi. FI has lived in Brooklyn his entire life and their tiny apartment (well, by my standards, since I grew up in the suburbs) in Bay Ridge is $1600/month. Yeah. So to find this for $1000 right in Manhattan was completely unbelievable to him and me. Heck, we're paying $900/mo for our current apartment in the Philly suburbs, and it's smaller than this. No dishwasher, crappy kitchen, etc.
and @hilsy: sorry but can you explain long-term subletting? The guy says he "owns" the apartment and the lease could continue indefinitely. I'm only familiar with subletting for a few months or whatever, and if I were to sublet the apartment I have now, I certainly wouldn't say I own it. Why would someone sublet the apartment they were renting for, I don't know, $4k/month for just $1k/month for an indefinite period of time? Gosh I just find this so weird. Something is definitely making this not all add up right. I just can't tell what the exact problem is.
Also, yeah, of course this guy could be impersonating the man I found in the WSJ and stuff. One thing I just noticed which seems really sketchy is that he lists no contact phone number. His email is hisfullname@gmail.com. I guess I would suspect that this guy would have a company email, but then, my current leasing agent uses an aol email account. Gah. I don't know.
When I sent the email asking to see the place, I also asked point-bank why he was renting it for so low. I'm curious to see the response, if there will be any.
@veganglam: If we're not looking at the same listing, then disregard my opinion of the actual. I glanced through CL and a few other apartment-hunting sites and saw only one notice that fit your description (but it matched to a "t" so I assumed).
Whoops!
This definitely sounds like a scam... I have really only looked at apartments on the upper east side (also pretty east on the island), but the luxury one bedrooms (w/o all utilities, free parking and a plasma tv) were minimum $2300.... I would just be super careful.
I would also be careful with brokers when you do eventually start looking. they will show you apartments that you can rent directly from the management company and then charge you a brokers fee. I saw a few brokers doing that with the management company we wound up renting from (their apartments have a distinctive style, so it was easy to spot)
Okay all! Just discovered that this is definitely, beyond a shadow of doubt, a scam. I searched around the website of the company of the guy who was supposedly emailing me and found a notice that said someone had been using their company's information for online real estate scams. What they described didn't fit my scenario to a 'T', and I still don't know exactly how the guy emailing me planned to scam me, but this pretty much confirms it. So if anyone is looking for apartments and comes across something advertised for way too good a price by "Security Properties" and/or John Orehek, then tread carefully! Here's the info for the company: https://www.securityproperties.com/johnorehek.html . Sorry I don't have a link to the listing, all I have is the property details the guy responded to me with. I didn't bookmark the listing, sigh. If anyone wants any info on that, feel free to ask.
I really appreciate all your advice! I still need to find an apartment, so I'll keep this all in mind as I continue my search.
@veganglam: sorry, I may have used the wrong term...but anyway, there are some buildings that are all rental buildings, there are some buildings that are co ops and some that are condos. In condos and co ops, someone owns the apartment, and they can choose to rent it to someone else if they don't live there (for instance, it may be an investment property). For instance, FI and I are renting our apartment from a couple who owns our brownstone, but who live in Italy most of the year. There's no difference at all in the rental process, but sometimes with an owned apartment, you can get away with not paying a broker's fee if you do it directly through the owner.
@veganglam: sorry, I may have used the wrong term...but anyway, there are some buildings that are all rental buildings, there are some buildings that are co ops and some that are condos. In condos and co ops, someone owns the apartment, and they can choose to rent it to someone else if they don't live there (for instance, it may be an investment property). For instance, FI and I are renting our apartment from a couple who owns our brownstone, but who live in Italy most of the year. There's no difference at all in the rental process, but sometimes with an owned apartment, you can get away with not paying a broker's fee if you do it directly through the owner.
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Okay, so I like to think that I'm a smart person who can generally tell a scam when they see one. But I've only rented an apartment once (lease just began this summer), and that is in suburban Philadelphia. I've been browsing NYC apartment listings just to see how bad my living situation is going to be for the next ten years and discovered something which seems waaaay too good to be true. It's a 950 sq ft one-bedroom apartment on E 27th St. It is absolutely beautiful and very modern/up-to-date and comes with a dishwasher, big windows, a free parking garage, an amazing gym, the works. It is also comes with a huge plasma TV. ALL utilities are included in the rent. The rent? $1000/month! What?!
Now, I immediately assumed this was a scam. The rent is unreal for ANYWHERE in Manhattan, but especially a huge apartment in a luxury building. I contacted the real estate agent for more information and he provided every last detail I could possibly think of. I googled his name and he is a very well-know real estate agent who has been interviewed by the WSJ and stuff. So what is he doing renting an apartment for what I discovered is under a QUARTER of the average price for this much space in that building?
What could I be missing here? Are there any sort of 'gotchas!' to look out for, or questions I could ask about the place to discover if this really is legit (aside from asking to see the apartment in person to confirm that it is a real place)? Help!