rent increase; what do you pay?

going to be frank; our landlord is raising our rent $90 to $1,970. we live in a floor-through railroad apartment in a brownstone, four rooms and a kitchen, bathroom. we've heard the average price is $1,500. anyone with a railroad: what do you pay?

needless to say we're not happy to be nickel and dimed in the worst recession ever.

Do you know how many square feet it is, and can you tell the location? Crown Heights is a big neighborhood, and the rent won't be the same between Washington and Classon as between Schenectady and Utica.

Presuming you are unregulated, (less than 6 units), the pain of a rent rollback is more easily tolerated since it can be easily raised when things turn around, I would make a counter offer. Low ball it with room to negotiate. A give back on your part could be a shorter lease. Psychologically, the LL thinks he'll make it up next year when things are better, (ha, ha).
If you can find equivalents that of course is helpful.
As a manager of small RE for even smaller landlords, it surprises me how little stomach tenants have for negotiating. I have at times encouraged it knowing the the LL is just throwing out numbers.
It's strictly business, don't take it personally. The LL will have respect for your position. Seriously!

Maybe you should pick up these flash cards!

http://www.candychang.com/design/pages/tenant_flashcards.htm

I am in a 700sq ft 1BR near northern Nostrand and just got a reduction in rent from 1400 to 1300. I would shop around.

I love the Brooklynian: Everyone here is wonderful! Sorry I'm gushing but I truly appreciate everyone's input and advice. It's extremely helpful.

So Carnivore: We have 830.75 sq. ft. (I measured it for tax reasons); we live on Park Place 'tween Franklin and Bedford. They want $1,970, which I think is way above market; our research, both from records data and word-of-mouth, shows average is about $1,500.

And awesome and thanks CoolTheKid for your rent example, that's good info.

Any others who could provide monthly rent comparisons for apartments with roughly are same characteristics as ours would be greatly appreciated.

Modsquad, your inside advice is also invaluable and much appreciated; and "strictly business" is a much better way to approach it, as it's much less taxing on the psyche. Your counsel makes sense.

and those flash cards are great gross; incredible resource for quick boning up on the law. i know the rent regs pretty well, so I'm good on the law, but I've passed the link along to friends. thanks,

actually, good move with the research.

Have those "records and data" (try your best to make it as official as possible) and show them to your LL in the same letter *CERTIFIED* mail of course.

Say "blah blah blah, the average here is 1500 for and even larger place in the same area, blah blah lbah, we would like 1500, here is proof of rent *show paperwork*"

Sounds like my place could be a good comparison -- we live on Park Place between Franklin and Classon - so 1 block away. We have a 750-ish sq ft railroad apartment for $1200 a month. I am praying that it stays near that when we resign for another 2 years this summer..

Skribe00, I agree that that sounds a bit much for that location, especially with the economy the way it is.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/nfb/1481263309.html
http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/abo/1474627176.html

If they're not willing to budge on the rent, you could easily save hundreds a month by moving somewhere else in the same area. Or if you're willing to spend that much, you could move to a nicer place for the same money. Either way, it doesn't make sense to stay in that apt at that rent.

Sounds like your LL is a bit out of touch OR just hoping you're crazy enough to pay that much.

I know someone who looks in CH for housing might be different from someone who would opt to live in a new luxury building, but at what this person is trying to charge you could live in one of those new luxury buildings in FG (provided that's what you're looking for).

Carnivore wrote: Skribe00, I agree that that sounds a bit much for that location, especially with the economy the way it is.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/nfb/1481263309.html
http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/abo/1474627176.html

If I weren't a broke graduate student in a rent stabe apartment I would definitely look to move into one of those two places.

www.rentometer.com

Hey moving around to save $$$ will help you out. If you pay your rent on time and don't have loud orgies on weeknights your landlord should give you a break. I have heard of a few people getting reductions in rents in our area, and while I think the dip is over rents are still dropping somewhat.

It would behoove you to look around. Just gonna suck moving in December.

I will not let out any secrets regarding whether we'd rather move or not, lest our LL is monitoring this for negotiating leverage. Don't think they'd want to lose us as a tenant though. If we go, then there'd only be one tenant left, living in what's basically a closet upstairs who I doubt is paying much. We're basically the meal ticket. But we now come cheap.

Or, actually, reasonable. Reasonable.

just to give a price point. I live between 6th ave and carlton on bergen st in a 8 apt 4 story building in an apt which is most likely around 900 sqf. It has 2 bedrooms and a a den along with a living room and kitchen. The rent is 2100 and some people are paying 1800 who have lived here around 5 years. So that couple block difference for only a 100 dollar discount seems like a bad deal.

however it depends on the spade of the appliances and stuff.

also I looked at a place across the street around the same size as my place that was 1800 but it was in horrible shape and had purple carpet.

MOVE

I rent railroad apartments in park slope (prime slope) for around 1750. they are 750sq feet.

Take into account that I lowered the rent from around 1900.

I would estimate your apartment to be worth around 1800.....since its a relative large railroad.

but if you like it, you're comfortable, you can afford it, & don't feel like moving::: don't stress it!

vanilla has a point. take into consideration the cost of the actually moving.

I really like Crown Heights, I moved from Park Slope Slope last year, but I would not rent for $1970 in Crown Heights.

I moved here for more space. We have a fairly big apt, but I am quite aware of what I can find in other neighborhoods.

I would look around for better deals, then speak to the landlord. This way if your landlord is not flexible you know what your options are.

I may be late chiming in but just so you have more facts about what people pay. My parter and I rent a 2BR with a private basement and backyard: total square footage around 1500. We pay 2150. We live on st. marks between bedford and franklin. We also have a washer and dryer and newly renovated kitchen. Your landlord is either nuts or their floating mortgage just went up and they are praying they can milk you. 1950 for a unrenovated RR one bedroom?? sounds like slope prices to me and this is most definitely not the slope.

i lowered my tenants rent by $100 bucks to make sure they stayed. I lowered them way before their leases was up and gave option of signing new lease to new rent. but majority of my tenants waited till last 2 week possible to sign new lease, to see if they could get better deal out there.

yeah I live in 3-4 BR railroad, probably about 1000sf and I pay 3000 a month, down from 3300. Apartment is between grand and classon on prospect pl. you sound like you're getting hosed.

Here's a question. A friend of mine is looking at a floor-through apartment on an avenue in CH. The place is 2br with a living room and small office that could be converted to a tiny bedroom if necessary. The landlord is asking $1800. The place was renovated a few years ago, so kitchen is <5 yrs old. Heat included. She's asking if that is reasonable for the neighborhood. Any ideas?

what avenue? for a full 2 bedroom plus office plus living room plus new kitchen that sounds ok (not amazing, but ok) if it was washington, classon, franklin, bedford -- but past rogers it sounds high to me.

i live in the same block, and as much as i love it, the rent seems high.

i have a HUGE 3br in an elevator building for 2000. you are getting ripped off, especially if it's a railroad.

yeah I live in 3-4 BR railroad, probably about 1000sf and I pay 3000 a month, down from 3300. Apartment is between grand and classon on prospect pl. you sound like you're getting hosed.

i think you are getting ripped off too