Let our team of experts guide you through each step of your journey.
You should start your reach around 30-45 days before your ideal move-in date; however, most landlords will want prospective tenants to start their leases for vacant units within two weeks of the application date. That being said, the more you look, the more knowledgeable you will become, enabling you to make quick decisions in the moment.
Apartments rent quickly in New York City, and having your documents in order will help you act quickly when you`ve found the right place. Make sure you have the following at the ready before you start looking:
Landlords typically require tenants’ combined annual salaries to equal or exceed 40x–50x the monthly rent. If you do not meet this requirement, many landlords accept guarantors, a third party who is willing to guarantee the entire rent and other provisions in the lease in case the tenants are unable to fulfill their obligation. Guarantors need to provide the same application support documents as you do. It is usually expected that guarantors are US citizens and earn an annual salary of at least 80x–90x the monthly rent. In some cases, pre-paying extra rent or security is acceptable.
For an unparalleled real estate experience where your real estate goals can truly thrive, look no further than The Thrive Real Estate Team at Compass.
I have never had such a hassle-free experience looking for an apartment as I have with this one. All questions were answered with ease, all the paperwork and documentation were arranged, and the entire process was professional and much appreciated. Thanks to all the assistance we received from Thomas and Kevin, the apartment is fantastic and we're both really happy to be spending time here.— Jacob
I partnered with Thomas Hollingsworth in the search for an apartment in NYC. His amiable nature, prompt responsiveness, and willingness to assist made the experience remarkably smooth. Thomas thoughtfully provided thorough explanations to all inquiries, adding to the overall pleasure of our collaboration. Without a doubt, he is someone I would definitely rent from in the future.— Aidan
Thomas was lovely to work with. He responded to us very quickly and made it easy to schedule a viewing. My boyfriend and I love our new apartment and were very pleased with the assistance that Thomas provided throughout the application process.— Rachel
Thomas was an amazing agent to work with. Very down to earth & real about the property he showed us! It felt like we were talking to a friend when we were discussing how we felt about the place- he was also VERY knowledgeable and willing to help! Before and after we met Thomas he was in consistent communication with us (not overly either!) and helped us every step of the way! I would definitely recommend working with Thomas as he definitely cares about the places he represents as well as his clients!— Serena
My experience with Thomas was incredible. He made it easy to communicate with my team regarding an apartment rental. When it came time to see it, it was smooth and comfortable. It felt like my home from the moment I was in there! Thomas was friendly, outgoing and was quick to ask questions. The best part was once we were ready, he sent us everything we needed to submit the application. Once that was done, within 48 hours the approval was in. Woah! So thankful for people like Thomas!— Michael
My experience working with Compass was very positive. On the day that I saw the apartment, the agent was very friendly and punctual. The apartment was in great condition, which shows that Compass chooses well maintained building to represent. Once I applied for the apartment, I received word on my approval, and next steps within about 2-3 business days. Overall, it was a very smooth process, and I would definitely work with Compass again in the future.— Jessica Grossman
Javier Perez-Karam and his team were referred to me after my previous agent made vital errors in marketing my rental apartment, and miscalculating the market. They approached me with honesty and sincerity telling me what I needed to hear and not what I wanted to hear. Under their direction my apartment was re-listed, and I received multiple offers within a month, which led to my apartment being rented. I would later ask Javier and his team to sell a townhouse that has been in my family for over forty years. They approached the sale with a plan that produced multiple offers within a month, and we sold it above the asking price, just as planned. Javi...— Mr. Mitchell
My partner and I worked with Javier throughout the process of purchasing our first home, over the course of about nine months. Overall we had an incredible experience with him and can’t recommend highly enough working with him. We were pretty overwhelmed at the beginning with the process of buying an apartment in NYC, but Javier helped to break it down into manageable steps and supported us throughout. He was extremely attentive, quick to respond via text or phone call. He went with us in person to countless tours over the first several months, and was really patient as we worked through figuring out what we liked and didn’t like, what our nonneg...— Kimberly & Daniel
I'm very grateful to Thomas and the team for making my experience in finding and leasing a new apartment very fast and painless. It's a stellar team that really gets things done quickly and correctly. I love my new apartment. Thanks very much! Best regards,— Erick
I can’t speak highly enough about Thomas and Javier from Thrive. We met Thomas first and from day one we found him easy to communicate with, responsive to all our questions and very informative about the NY housing market. We find Thomas and Javier’s videos about the market very useful as we are the other side of owning our beautiful Fort Greene apartment. We would fly into NY from Oregon every few weeks and Thomas or Javier would be there to meet us for another round of visits. When we became despondent they encouraged us to keep going. When I held out for a renovated apartment by a particular company, Thomas reminded me to keep looking at the re...— Serena
I’d like to take a minute away from desperately searching for my next (and hopefully final) New York apartment to sing the praises of one Parinaz Mohammadi, licensed broker for Compass Real Estate. Be it known that on April 8th, 2021, my partner and I were at a low point: we had spent the entire day looking at one subpar unit after another, faithfully accompanied by a trail of encounters with disinterested, impersonal brokers who only cared about the bottom line. We were exhausted, discouraged, and ready to throw in the towel. Our encounter with Pari was received as a blessed relief. Not only did she keep our appointment, arriving on time, but she ...— Jesse
Thomas Hollingsworth was an extremely dedicated, professional, and friendly agent to work with in my partner and I’s search for the perfect coop apartment. One of the best qualities in Thomas was that he believed in us! Thomas was always very communicative during every step of the way – while we were searching for the right apartment, while we were in the process of putting in an offer, and during the closing process. Buying a home can be a stressful time but Thomas always made me feel very relaxed and I knew everything would always work out with him on our side. As a first time homeowner, I had a lot of questions but with Thomas’s knowledge and...— Andrew and Matt
As a first time home buyer, I highly recommend Javier & the Thrive Real Estate Team @ Compass. Rather than overwhelming me with information, Javier took the time to understand my needs and parameters, and empowered me to be an educated participant in the search process. I never felt embarrassed to ask him any question I had, regardless of how seemingly simple. Javier’s connections helped me assemble a trusted team, and because of him, I enjoyed complete confidence and transparency in every step of the process. The support did not end once the offer was accepted; Javier continued to advocate for me and ensured a smooth and enjoyable closing process a...— Supriya
Thomas helped me look for my first apartment in New York City, shortly after moving to the US. His best qualities are a readiness to help, availability and good spirit. At all times he was very proactive in arranging viewings and later in dealing with the process of buying the apartment. He was very helpful in dealing with the seller’s agent and the other parties involved. Thomas also very knowledgeable of the New York City property market and walked me patiently through the process of buying a home. He diligently answered all my questions and even if he wasn’t the person to ask, he would do his best to find the answer for me. I would highly recomme...— Marko
Thomas Hollingsworth was a wonderful partner in our apartment search. Communicative, flexible, knowledgeable, and always responsive, he was available whenever we needed him. We had met Thomas when previously searching for a rental apartment, and when we were looking to buy he was top of our list. On short notice he came with us to see an apartment we were interested in buying, and from that point forward he was there absolutely every step of the way. Whenever questions came up during the process, Thomas remained his sensitive, friendly, and upbeat self. He also had a great sense of the market so we felt well-informed when putting together our offer....— Beth and Blair
I was so fortunate to work with Thomas Hollingsworth at Keller Williams New York City for my recent purchase in a co-op building in New York City. As a first time homebuyer, Thomas helped me to make informed decisions and I benefited from his extensive expertise throughout the entire process. Thomas was always working to keep the process moving forward, all while keeping me informed every step of the way. He left no question unanswered and was a true advocate for me in getting the deal done. Thomas was personable and easy to work with—I couldn’t have imagined this process without him!— Jonathon
Thomas was very patient, attentive and accommodating with me through an extensive search and a protracted closing process for the right co-op. Our search that took us all over Manhattan and Brooklyn, and through it all, Thomas was the ultimate professional, guiding me with his wealth of knowledge, answering all my questions and addressing all my concerns. He also puts together the best board packages in the industry!— David
My roommate and I worked with Thomas Hollingsworth and received top-notch care. He responded very, very quickly to any questions or messages we sent (following up with the leasing company regularly for us!) and was able to close the deal in record time. The apartment is beautiful and we are so happy-thanks, Thomas! I definitely would recommend it! You’re the best!— Lane
In my time working with Thomas he has been professional, courteous and most importantly effective in his performance. I had several units that sat on the market for some time. Thomas took over their listings and the units where rented in short order. He is determined in his pursuit of accomplishing a client’s goals and a valuable asset for renting residential units.— Kevin
Thomas Hollingsworth was great to work with! He’s very accommodating, kind, and straightforward. Thank you Thomas!— Buyer | Seller
"Working with Thomas during our apartment search was an absolute pleasure. He was always available and easy to get in contact with. He was very attentive to our needs and wants with each unit we toured, and brought joy into the decision-making process with his upbeat, friendly, and funny personality. He was never pushy and didn't make us feel like we had to settle or go outside our budget. We look forward to working with Thomas next time we are ready to move."— Maddie and Josh
"I had the opportunity to work with Thomas in late 2019 and the first part of 2020 - he worked with me to sell an apartment in a co-op building in Washington Heights. Despite me not being physically located in NYC, he helped with making sure the apartment was ready to be shown, and held regular open houses focusing on getting the best possible offers in a real estate market that had unfortunately slowed down quite a bit — but truly understanding the value of the apartment and helping to make sure I received a strong/fair sales price. Thomas was extremely engaged and responsive throughout the entire sales process from pre-listing to close, and always...— Eric H.
"Thomas Hollingsworth was great to work with! He’s very accommodating, kind, and straightforward. Thank you Thomas!"— Lane S.-
"My roommate and I worked with Thomas Hollingsworth and received top notch care. He responded very, very quickly to any questions or messages we sent (following up with the leasing company regularly for us!) and was able to close the deal in record time. The apartment is beautiful and we are so happy - thanks Thomas! Definitely would recommend! You’re the best!"— Abby E.-
"I was so fortunate to work with Thomas Hollingsworth at Keller Williams NYC for my recent purchase in a co-op building in NYC. As a first time homebuyer, Thomas helped me to make informed decisions and I benefited from his extensive expertise throughout the entire process. Thomas was always working to keep the process moving forward, all while keeping me informed every step of the way. He left no question unanswered and was a true advocate for me in getting the deal done. Thomas was personable and easy to work with — I couldn’t have imagined this process without him!"— Jonathan Williams-
"Thomas was very patient, attentive and accommodating with me through an extensive search and a protracted closing process for the right co-op. Our search that took us all over Manhattan and Brooklyn, and through it all, Thomas was the ultimate professional, guiding me with his wealth of knowledge, answering all my questions and addressing all my concerns. He also puts together the best board packages in the industry!"— David Herman-
"In my time working with Thomas he has been professional, courteous and most importantly effective in his performance. I had several units that sat on the market for some time. Thomas took over their listings and the units where rented in short order. He is determined in his pursuit of accomplishing a client’s goals and a valuable asset for renting residential units."— Kevin, Junction Management
"Thomas helped me look for my first apartment in New York City, shortly after moving to the US. His best qualities are readiness to help, availability and good spirit. At all times he was very proactive in arranging viewings and later in dealing with the process of buying the apartment. He was very helpful in dealing with the seller’s agent and the other parties involved. Thomas also very knowledgeable of the NYC property market and walked me patiently through the process of buying a home. He diligently answered all by questions and even if he wasn’t the person to ask, he would do his best to find the answer for me. I would highly recommend Thomas a...— Marko Javorsek -
"Thomas Hollingsworth was a wonderful partner in our apartment search. Communicative, flexible, knowledgeable, and always responsive, he was available whenever we needed him. We had met Thomas when previously searching for a rental apartment, and when we were looking to buy he was top of our list. On short notice he came with us to see an apartment we were interested in buying, and from that point forward he was there absolutely every step of the way. Whenever questions came up during the process, Thomas remained his sensitive, friendly, and upbeat self. He also had a great sense of the market so we felt well-informed when putting together our offer...— Beth & Blair
"Thomas made the rental application process very smooth. He quickly answered all our questions, provided a secure portal where we could submit our application and kept the process moving efficiently. We greatly appreciated his clear communication, responsiveness, and knowledge of the building which we were applying for. I highly recommend working with Thomas!" -— Caitlin