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Looking for a new home can be a stressful task, but the process has been made much easier with the rise of online real estate services providers, also known as, e-real estate. In 1999 just as the internet age was kicking off, people realized there was a market for online real estate. One of the biggest indicators for this was the fact that more than 1 million people in the United States alone sold their houses themselves, without using a real estate agent.
However, a long time has passed since 1999 and there are twenty different options that one can go with. Also, people are becoming a lot more dependent on the internet for their home buying or renting. In fact, according to Realtor.com 90 percent of home buyers searched online when looking for a property to buy or rent. In the UK, the statistic is somewhat lower at 50 percent.
With so much traffic, it’s not surprising one would be confused. To help out, we’ve prepared a condensed list of the best websites that you can use in case you’re apartment hunting in New York.
So without further ado, let’s go!
The best part about Naked Apartments is the clearly-formatted listings and the reach they have for their users. You can opt for daily notifications for listings on set criteria. The site also allows you to anonymously communicate with brokers and landlords. Some people would rather they not give all their details too soon in the apartment hunting process, particularly to avoid any salesmen-like tactics. A platform like Naked Apartments, which allows users to maintain anonymity, is perfect for such people.
The search engine on the site is also very nifty, allowing you to fine-tune search results with a whole myriad of search criteria, including fee or no fee apartments as well. Another distinguishing feature in Naked Apartments’ arsenal is the professional broker reviews on different properties. While some might even try to use the above-mentioned salesmen-like tactics in these reviews, it’ll be a little less impressionable since you’ll be seeing it in written form only. Naked Apartments is also Android compatible so don’t worry about being on the go!
When it comes to aggregating listings around New York City, probably nobody does it better than StreetEasy. Owned by Zillow, a real estate giant in its own right, StreetEasy will leave you spoiled for choice because of all the listings you find. You won’t know which apartment to go see first or which one to end up renting.
Moreover, just like the Naked Apartments search engine, there’s a long list of search criteria, allowing you to find just the right apartment for you, whether it’s amenities, square footage, broker fees, landlord-managed, or whatever other criteria you might have in mind. With ever-growing listings and a customizable search engine, you’ll end up finding the perfect home for you and your family.
The feature most unique to Localize.city is its focus on the neighborhood that any giving listing is located. You’ll get details like the number of parks, schools, whether bike-friendly or not, and noise pollution. You’ll also get all transportation options that are near every listing, along with other amenities like hospitals.
This unique feature allows users to get a more immersive idea of what their life and surroundings would be like outside of the apartment they live in. Every platform has listings and search options, but there is very few that focus on the neighborhood as much as the apartment the way Localize.city does.
Zumper is as easy-to-use and as straightforward as e-real estate gets. The layout is easy to use and lets you view the latest listings with ease. The search engine might not be as configurable as other market competitors, but users will be able to choose the necessary features like the neighborhood, the number of bedrooms, price range, and amenities.
A nifty and somewhat unique tool to Zumper is that it lets users track rent trends across the entire city. Zumper has a website and an Android app, and you can even schedule tours on their platform.
The distinguishing feature of Renthop is its rating system, called the “HopScore”. Each listing is rated on a number of different factors such as the date of listing, the neighborhood, the history of the listing agent, the reputation of the landlord, and so on. The rating system lets you filter out less desirable options, making apartment hunting that much easier for you. With its Android app, you’ll even be able to see (and get a notification) whenever a new listing goes up in real-time.
HotPads offers a wider choice of options than just your apartments. You can get everything to do with apartments on the platform, from renting a single room to leasing a brand new apartment in the newest apartment complex. HotPads also does a very good job in managing its listings, removing properties that are no longer available promptly, along maintaining a good stream of new listings regularly. HotPads also has an Android app for those who prefer a more mobile approach in their apartment hunting.
Pad Mapper is pretty much like any other e-real estate platform, with one key difference. The listings are displayed in the layout of a map of the five boroughs of New York City, allowing you to search according to your preferred neighborhood. Undoubtedly the visuals are a bit more appealing than other platforms.
Roomi is ideal for those who are looking for short-term commitments. It even addresses concerns that revolve around short-term rentals, by having safety mechanisms that protect both landlord and renter, along with an in-app payment system. Roomi runs on both iOS and Android.
What started as an internet mailing list in 2003 with all the latest apartment listings in NYC, Listings Project now has a website as well. While they still continue maintaining the mailing list, the website allows users to search available listings according to their criteria.
With so many wonderful websites and platforms available, finding that perfect apartment to rent or own in a crowded city like NY should be a relatively hassle-free experience. Using these various resources can give you the information you need to make more informed decisions about where you want to live and why you want to live there.
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