Renting an apartment in the city has been a nightmare in the past. Finding a place that fits my preferences and budget isn't easy, and when I find something online, the broker either doesn't respond or the apartment is suddenly "unavailable." I can't even begin to count how many times I got my hopes up chasing fake listings. These tactics are obviously shady, so I usually try to avoid brokers altogether.
Needless to say, I was skeptical when I came across a real estate startup that bills itself as a "personalized rental service" without the insane fees. I thought it couldn't be worse than any other brokerage, so I gave Domi a shot.
First off, I didn't even have to search. I took a survey and then the agent (Shea) reached out to walk me through the process and presented a few options. I told her the ones I liked, and she set up a few tours for me that week. I like to know my options before I make a big decision, so we toured a few times before I found an apartment that was a perfect fit. From there Shea contacted the landlord, I sent her all my info, and she took care of everything else. I did have a few questions about the lease, but she got back to me quickly and answered my questions.
The apartment I rented was in a no-fee building, but I still expected there to be some sort of charge for the time she spent doing everything. NOTHING. I didn't have to pay a dime, which honestly I might have been willing to because the whole process went smoothly and saved me a lot of time. But I haven't even gotten to the best part: she managed to negotiate my rent down, which you know is no easy feat if you've ever dealt with these big landlords
If you're new to New York and don't know anything about renting in the city or you just don't want to take the time to search yourself, I would definitely recommend Domi. I'll be contacting them in a few years when I move again. read more