While we all like to brag about how NYC is the greatest city in the world, the cost of living has exponentially sky-rocketed in recent years. Finding affordable apartments in NYC is near-impossible these days—not to mention finding compatible (or, at the very least, sane) roommates. Spare yourself a panic attack and take advantage of 21st century technology! We tested out the below real estate apps for your convenience.
RECOMMENDED: The complete NYC apartments guide
★★★★★
If there’s an apartment listed in New York, you’ll likely find it here. The aggregator pulls available spots from popular agencies like Bond New York and Douglas Elliman and alerts you when places that meet your criteria hit the market. As for apartment browsing, there’s zero guesswork—simply choose between a map or a list view and tap away at spots that catch your eye. zumper.com
★★★1/2
A simple interface and all the basic filters (price, number of bedrooms, pet policy, etc.) make navigating PadMapper a breeze. But pay close attention to listing sources—Airbnb is among them, and you’re probably looking for something more permanent than a weekend stay in a Williamsburg, Brooklyn, loft. padmapper.com
★★★
Want to stay in—or at least near—your ’hood? MoveMent culls open pads using GPS technology, only verifying them when agents upload photos. Nifty, right? Sort of. While there are quite a few Manhattan listings, outer-borough options are paltry at best. Also, we found 11-
and 14-week-old listings, a red flag that tends to mean a place is either horrible or already taken. movementapartments.com
★★
Because of a possible bug, the same photos pop up for multiple listings on this app (we spied a studio in Woodhaven, Queens, and a two-bedroom in Harlem with identical pics). Try a ’hood search before you log out, though. Those are pretty solid and include area-specific stats such as rent medians and the percentage of buildings with elevators. nakedapartments.com
★
Are you looking for a place in Weehawken, New Jersey? Because apartments there were the first to appear when we searched for units in the West Village. The photos are nice, and the listing seems to be legit. But, again, Weehawken. mynewplace.com
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