Hi, i'll be travelling to New York in february and i'll stay for two months.I'm looking for a studio for feb/march 2012. Where should i look? Is it safe with craiglist? Or is it better with an agent?Thanx for your help,
Valentina

No - Craig's list is NOT safe. A sizable number of the listings are scams of one type or another. If you know someone in NY who can check the apartment out for you - then it may be worth taking a chance - but never do it blind. (A young woman in my office sublet an apartment this way - even being on the spot it was a scam. The "legal tenant" was a former boyfriend of the woman that really lived there and knew she was on vacation. He showed her apartment with a keyhe still had and apparently "sublet" it to 3 different people, collecting rent in advancce - before being caught by the super. Luckily the young woman in my office was the last and got her money back. The others were out the funds and the old boyfriend took off out of state with the cash.

Depending on where you want to stay - and our budget - you might have luck going through university housing offices.

If you are looking for a more upscale place I would definitely use a service - but only one with a 24 hour landline.

If you tell us your budget and what size apt you are looking for people may be able to make recos - but do realze that most landlords don;t allow subletting (and co-ops and condos usually allow only longer-term sublets - with a full financial check and interview with the subletter).

I was thinking of a really small studio.
All i need is a room. It looks like prices are a little more affordable in the east village, monthly around 1600$.
I'm thirty years old and not a student anymore.. unfortunately for the university housing option!
I found another website called www.nyhabitat.com , did anybody ever rented a place with them?

"I'm thirty years old and not a student anymore.. unfortunately for the university housing option!"

Does that mean you are too old to 'fit in' at university - that it isn't your style? -- OR -- Did you mean you're too old and they wouldn't rent to you?

Any age can rent university housing.

University housing offices often have info about sublets if grad students or even lecturers are taking some time off. It's worth at least checking out to se what they have - since it won;t be a scam.

I read on their website that i should be a university student to use their services.
I'll instead be going to a private school of english. I have no university card/id or anything..

Not aware of any private schools of English - but if that's what you'll b doing - then don;t they have a housing office?

They do but its way more expensive, i guess theres a commission so i was thinking of finding a place on my own

Corcoran Realty might be able to help. You should also consider staying in Brooklyn or Long Island City or Queens where short term rentals might be a little more affordable.

http://www.nyu.edu/housing/offcampus/craigslist-scams/


http://newyork.timeout.com/shopping-...-deconstructed

Valentina, I'm not sure how much more expensive it would be, but there's a company called Oakwood that has monthly rental corporate apartments. It's a legitimate company, unlike many of the so-called "sublets" you'll see advertised. But I suspect a studio there is also more like to be in the $2000+ range. Still, it's worth checking. They have buildings all over Manhattan.

Oakwood is very expensive. The last time we used them we paid $3750.00 a month for a studio apt. all in.

Thank you!!
I'm going to have a look at all of them, i'm sure i'll find something!

I guess it will be safer through an agency. I read the articles, thanx