16 staple-these-to-your-forehead tips for hunting down a rental

Like most things in life, practice makes perfect when renting an apartment in this town. We hit up experts--that is, New Yorkers who've signed multiple leases--to get their best insider info for the search.

• "See as many apartments as you can, even if they are slightly above your price range. We were able to get the rent down by $350--from $3,600 to $3,250--in the summer. Our place is in a small building--26 units--and while we were in the process of looking, a different apartment opened up in the same building. It made more sense for them to take our offer, even though it was lower, so they didn't have two apartments vacant at the same time." - Alissa, Upper West Side 

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Be smart about picking a broker

• "Never start your lease in the summer. Rent goes up significantly in the summer." - Michelle, Upper West Side
• "Brokers are in a dog-eat-dog industry. There are a few good ones but most will say anything to get your signature on a lease. Use referrals." - Caryn, Upper East Side
• "I always ask any tenants I see while viewing an apartment if there are any hoarders or bug issues in the building I should know about. Tenants are usually very vocal while agents or management are not." - Kelly, Upper East Side

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If you see tenants in the hallways, ask them about bug issues (Photo credit: Lou Sorkin)

• "If the apartment you're calling about is unavailable, hang up, don't stay on to hear about "other great properties." They're likely pulling the bait-and-switch and leading you to a pricier place." - Rachel, Upper East Side
• "If you see the same pictures advertised for multiple addresses, chances are the place you actually see will look nothing like the pictures." - Jocelyn, Prospect Heights
• "If you choose to use a broker, make sure you ask them if they have actually seen the apartment beforehand, to make sure it meets your criteria and avoid wasting time." - Rachel, Upper East Side
• "Check out StreetEasy before you go look at apartments to have a sense of what's out there. And do yourself a favor and use a broker--it will make your life easier even though the commission is painful. But don't be afraid to resist high-pressure sales techniques--no matter what they say, this is not the last apartment in NYC." - Candace, Park Slope
• "The listings you see online represent only a fraction of what's out there. What that means is you'll likely need a broker to get you access to many of the apartments that are on the market." - Deborah, Yorkville

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Double check that you're hunting in the right school zone