Negotiating a lease renewal, net effective rent explained, & more

By Austin Havens-Bowen | August 21, 2020 - 3:30PM

This week, readers visited Brick Underground to learn how one Brooklyn renter negotiated a lower rent with his landlord when he renewed his lease. He researched rent drops and concessions for similar Brooklyn apartments and asked for a 12 percent discount—and ultimately accepted a 10 percent discount.

Also of interest: Have you noticed the term "net effective rent" in apartment listings. It's not the rent you'll actually pay—it reflects a free month or maybe two, spread out over the term of the lease. The real rent is called the gross rent and our article tells you how to figure that out.

Here, in full, are this week's most popular posts.

1) I negotiated a lower rent when renewing my lease. Here’s how I did it

2) How much does moving to the suburbs cost vs. staying in NYC?

3) NYC rent-to-own condo programs gain momentum in the Covid era

4) What does 'net effective rent' mean? Here's how to calculate your real monthly rent

5) My neighbor's dripping AC is driving me crazy. What can I do?

Austin Havens-Bowen

Writer

Austin Havens-Bowen is a writer and reporter. He previously covered local news for the Queens Ledger and The Hunts Point Express in the Bronx. He graduated from Hunter College with a BA in media studies. He rents a one-bedroom apartment in Astoria with his boyfriend and their two cats.

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