Reasons why I Hate Craigslist

I hate Craigslist! I'm in the midst of a grueling apartment search and I'm ready for it to be over. Back from my trip, I really had to hit the ground running on this as I need to be out of my current apartment around July 1st. Ugh.... I've been trying to avoid using a broker to find an apartment as the fee they charge is usually at least one (and often two) times the monthly rent amount. To me, that's just throwing money away! So, I've told everyone I know in NYC that I'm looking to move, just in case they know of something in their building or of someone moving out of their place. So far, that has led to very few leads. I've also been looking at the "no broker fee" section on Craigslist. Here's why it sucks:

1) There are very few apartments listed that do not have a broker fee attached to them

2) 95% of the no-broker-fee apartments are in Harlem (although most of Harlem is safe these days, I'm trying not to go that far north)

3) Another 4% of the no-broker-fee apartments are SCAMS. Here's how it goes. You find a really great deal...looks too good to be true. Well, it is too good to be true. You email them and they email you back saying they "suddenly" had to move to Europe. They are the only one with keys to the apartment. You mail them your deposit, they'll mail you the keys. Yeah, right. Who would fall for that???

4) After weeding out #1, #2, and #3, above, that leaves about 1 good and real possibility a week. Half of Manhattan wants that one apartment. I went to an Open House for that apartment this week. It was basically a bunch of people competing for the place. I turned in all my paperwork (proof of employment, copy of photo ID, address history, personal references, a blood sample, etc.....) AND I bribed the dude. He mentioned that I have the coolest job of all the applicants, so I told him if he got me in, I'd get him hockey tickets. I was serious and I really thought it would work. It didn't. He picked someone else. He says I'm next if that "someone else" fails the credit test. That's not likely I suppose.

My other big disappointment this week was when I went ready to pay a deposit on an apartment I've been thinking about and in talks with for about 6 weeks. They kept saying they wouldn't deal with me until it was officially listed on June 1st. So, I called Monday and set up an appointment for Tuesday. The studio they showed me was about 1/2 the size of the one I'd seen before. I asked about the original apartment. They said it was also available, but they are building a wall in it to create a true 1-bedroom. That means they are also jacking the price way up. Not gonna work.

I gave in and called a broker today. At least he was referred to me by someone else and I'm pretty sure he's not sleazy like most of them are. I gave him my details on what I'm looking for, but he hasn't called back to let me know what he has.

I hate New York apartment searching. I know that no one who reads this blog lives in the state of New York, but if you should happen to know someone who does and is moving out of a studio in the next few weeks, please let me know!!!

I'm ready for this to be over.