9 Apps for Finding an Apartment in New York City

New York City has a reputation for having a pretty ruthless housing market. Just ask anyone who has tried to find an apartment in the city and they’ll regale you with tales of Craigslist apartments gone wrong and realtors who would give even the most ruthless villains a run for their money. If you’re looking for a new place, or you’re planning on moving to New York City, don’t fret. We’ve pulled together a list of 9 easy-to-use apps and websites to help you find an apartment in New York City.

1.Redfin (Web & Mobile)

Redfin is your one-stop shop for buying and selling a home. Their interactive map makes it easy to draw or select search areas to quickly browse available listings. Their data is updated every 15-30 minutes directly from MLS listings, so you can be sure you’re getting the most up-to-date information. You can also book free home tours with a local Redfin real estate agent directly from the app, so no more cold-calling agents.

2. Zillow (Web & Mobile)

Chances are if you’ve ever Googled “apartments for rent” or anything of that nature, you’ve come across Zillow. Zillow has a database of over 110 million U.S. homes, so it’s no surprise that they have the most popular suite of mobile real estate apps. Here you can do a wide variety of things, like look for apartments, houses and townhouses to rent as well as buying and selling a home or property. Plus, their easy-to-use app makes finding the perfect home a breeze.

3. Zumper (Web & Mobile)

Zumper is one of our favorite resources because you can get a free Experian credit report, schedule an online home/apartment tour and fill out an application to keep on file for when you want to apply to an apartment all in one place. Their motto is “we believe renters should be able to see the best apartments in a single place, know the price upfront, and lease the second they’re ready.” No matter your price range, knowing the price up font is pretty important in the NYC real estate game.

4. RentHop (Web & Mobile)

RentHop is another great app to check out if you’re looking for an apartment. Apartment listings are updated in real-time, so you don’t have to worry about sending in an inquiry for something that’s already been snatched up. You can also get in touch directly with the listing agent, which is helpful to get things started quickly if you see something you’re interested in.  In addition, you can also check out the “HopScore” for each apartment, which correlates to factors like how recently it was listed, the reputation of the landlord or manager, etc.

5. HotPads (Web & Mobile)

Here you can find everything from relatively inexpensive rooms for rent to apartment listings in new rental developments. You can also search for a wide variety of housing types, including sublets and income-restricted apartments.

6. Maison International, Ltd. (Web)

This full-service real estate solution is here to offer a one-stop shop for all your real estate needs. They specialize in everything from co-ops, condos, lofts and new developments to classic apartments in legendary buildings, to luxurious beautiful beachfront homes. You can connect with an agent to find unfurnished and furnished rental listings as well as exclusive home sales. This resource is on the pricier side of things, but if you have the budget for it, this is definitely the place to go.

7. StreetEasy (Web & Mobile)

StreetEasy is one of the best-known apartment resources and for good reason— it has one of the largest selections of apartments. You can filter your search so you’re finding everything you need in an apartment. For example, you can filter results by location, amenities, square footage, broker fee, etc. Use this resource for buying or renting an apartment.

8. Naked Apartments (Web & Mobile)

This resource is especially useful for apartment searching because it allows you the option to receive daily e-mail notifications for listings that meet your search criteria. As a prospective renter, you can also communicate anonymously with the brokers and landlords listing particular apartments as well as check out the broker reviews. Our favorite tool they have is the feature where you can enter in your price range and number of bedrooms and they will generate a map that tells you where you will have the best luck…talk about useful! Plus, most of their listings are no fee, which is almost unheard of in NYC.

9. Apartments.com (Web & Mobile)

With Apartments.com you can rent an apartment, condo, home or townhouse all using their comprehensive database with hundreds of detailed and accurate apartment listings. Our favorite feature on their site is the “POLYGON” search tool that allows users to define their own search areas on a map as well as their “Plan Commute” feature that helps users search for rentals in proximity to their office.