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Confessions of an On-Site Leasing Agent
For the past nine months, I’ve worked as an on-site leasing agent for a major Manhattan landlord. Every day people come through my office in various stages of frustration, looking for a suitable place to call home. Having sat on both sides of the table–I personally have rented three apartments in three years, so I understand what a colossal pain finding a place in Manhattan is–I’ve learned a thing or two about how to go about securing the best apartment on the best terms.
The on-site leasing agent at a rental building represents the landlord, not you
Because he or she works for the landlord, not you, an on-site agent is not going to volunteer all of the information at their disposal. For example, if you come in to my office looking for a one-bedroom apartment and I have 10 one-bedroom vacancies, I am only going to tell you about two. Maybe three if I’m feeling generous. This is because landlords don’t want prospective tenants to know how many availabilities they have because it decreases their bargaining power and undermines your sense of urgency. If I show you three apartments and you like one of them, you’re going to feel more compelled to put in an application on the spot than if I had rattled off all 10 choices to you. That’s why it’s important that you explain clearly what your apartment priorities are so that I pick the right two or three apartments to tell you about.
Read the rest on BrickUnderground.com
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