Moving to NYC from DC. I had planned to come up for a weekend or two to tour apartments. When would be the best time? I thought about a month ahead of needing to move - and then coming back a weekend or two later - would make sense. But I am seeing so many listings on StreetEasy that say the unit is available immediately. Any advice? I have a cat so trying to avoid moving into a temporary Airbnb in between to apartment hunt, as I’ve seen some people suggest.

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Winter time (aka now) is a low season for apt hunting so you should find something. albeit it’s been really expensive since things have bounced back from the pandemic. nyc renting acts fast so you can’t just look at an apt, think about it for a few days, then later decide. you have to snatch it up or someone else will.

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You can def get better deals for a winter move-in!

NYC is real estate on crack and you're dealing with a few big factors:
+Places go on market and get snapped up within days, so you have to be willing to pay 2 rents at a time to secure one you want and actually be able to plan a move. Securing a place a month in advance without paying rent for that month isn't really a thing, and that apartment will be gone if you wait.
+Apartments here really run the gamut in terms of amenities, basic needs, wierd layouts, age/renovations, building style, etc, to an extreme, and a lot don't look like the pics the brokers post IRL (that queen room is actually a closet and that cute paint is not speckled, it's mold)
+Neighborhoods are are super unique unto themselves
+Train lines matter. A lot.

I would do an exploratory weekend, first, and check out some neighborhoods to get a feel for where you want to be, what your most typical commutes will look like from each, and book some apartment tours -- not to actually rent at this point, but to get a sense of what's on the market, the bones/dimensions of different types of NYC apartments, what you can and can't live without, etc. Don't forget to confirm what utilities are included. A lot of older places pay for heat/hot water.

Then when you've narrowed down your area, keep an eye on apartments, be ready to come up for a tour asap (or if you have a friend here, see if they could do a video walkthrough for you), be prepared to apply/sign paperwork immediately if you find one you like. Also, get a sense for how different brokers/landlords are accepting 1st/last/security, as you'll want to be able to access that money and have it in the form they want ASAP.

When I found my current apartment I was the first person they showed it to and I literally filled out the application with deposit that evening to secure it before they showed to anyone else. I then had to scramble to get my money in order because I hadn't planned on actually liking the apartment and they won't hold these suckers for long 😅 The apartment across the hall from me was shown 4 times and off the market within 3 days. It's crazy out here.

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Agree with M1. NYC rental market is basically just in time. I would look for apartments 2 to 3 weeks before you want to move. You can snag something earlier but as you say, most listings are of the "Immediate move in" variety.

It's better to be here full-time for a week or two. Find a hotel and scour Streeteasy like a full-time job. Run to these listings with same day urgency. Have your paperwork ready to go in advance. Don't "enjoy the city" during the day. This is work. Just commit to it and get it over with, you'll find something.

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