How to find a Sublet in NYC

Thinking about moving to New York City but not sure if you can make the commitment? Or looking to work in NYC this summer and need a place to live short-term? Whatever it may be — there are many options and resources for finding short-term housing in NYC. Here is our guide for how to find a sublet in NYC.

How to find a Sublet in NYC or Apartment Rentals For Short-Term

1. Craigslist

Craigslist is one of the oldest secrets in the book, and one of the best resources in NYC for any of your housing needs. You can either post that you are in search of a room or look through the classified ads. However, when using craigslist, you should be especially wary of scams. Use good judgement! 

      2. Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace is becoming a great alternative to Cragislist and, in our opinion, can be more trustworthy— although use your own discretion. On Facebook Marketplace, you can see the profile of the subletter or landlord before you message them. This can make the interaction feel less shady, since craigslist is largely anonymous and you don’t always know who exactly you are messaging.

       3. Gypsy Housing

Gypsy Housing NYC is one of the best resources for finding a short-term rental in NYC. Gypsy Housing is a popular Facebook group where people post available rooms in their apartments. Join the Facebook group and browse around. Sometimes, people post some great deals and offer some incredible housing situations.

       4. Roomi

Roomi is a website where people can post their apartments to match with roommates, or post an empty room to try and find a tenant. There, you can find permanent housing situations or month-to-month, or daily rentals.

        5. Spareroom

Spareroom is similar style of website to Roomi where you can post various empty rooms that you need to fill for short term rentals or long term leases. Spareroom only recently became available in the U.S, so it may not be as popular as the other resources– but it is still worth a browse.

        6. Listings Project

Listings Project is a weekly newsletter where many creatively-inclined people post various opportunities ranging from art studio rentals to apartment sublets. Listings Project is one of our favorite places to find apartment sublets or short-term leases. The listings are carefully vetted, which means the sublets listed on the page tend to be particularly nice.

        7. Ask Around/ Word of Mouth

Finally, be sure to make it known that you are looking for a NYC sublet! Make a Facebook status, post on Instagram! Text everyone you know! Sometimes the best deals can arise from word of mouth. And that way there is far less competition and you can trust the person since they are a mutual friend!

Here are some tips for how to find a Sublet in NYC:

If you are looking for a sublet for the Summer months, you may want to start looking in early Spring. Housing in NYC shifts rapidly so it is hard to plan in advance. It’s important to note that lots of NYC sublet deals are made last-minute.

1. First off, decide what borough you’d like to be in. Are you hoping to live in Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Staten Island or Queens? Each borough has a different energy and lifestyle. Next, think about how much you are willing to pay in rent. Are you hoping to have the space to yourself or are you okay with roommates? Do you want a doorman? Do you want to live by the park?

         2. If location is not a concern, try looking in more affordable areas. For more affordable rent, we recommend looking in Bushwick, Astoria and Washington Heights. That being said, you can strike up a good deal anywhere! But be wary, if the deal sounds good to be true — be suspicious and proceed with caution. We suggest you see the apartment in person before you agree to anything. 

          3. Make sure you budget accordingly. Every sublet is different. Sometimes people may require you to sign a contract, pay a security deposit and even take over the lease. Others may allow you to pay month to month without any hassle or need for paperwork. 

Good luck finding a sublet! If you only plan to sublet for a few months, like a summer sublet, you may be able to move all the your stuff yourself. BUT— If you are planning to stay for a longer time, you may require a mover for your sublet. Be sure to do some research on good moving companies in NYC.