Seeking (a miracle) of an Apartment

Hi there,
I'm a distant neighbor of the Fort Greene territory, and a young-ish (early 30's) newly wed. We've just learnt we have to be out of our apartment (of 11 years for my husband) by Nov 1st as the landlord wants to renovate. Praying for a bit of magic here as our budget is $1350-$1500 and we'd ideally love to have a room/place of our own as we begin to build our lives together. If there's anyone out there who might have an apartment, preferably with light and just enough space to have friends over for dinner - please let me know. Likewise if you have any leads. Much appreciated and here's praying to the heavens! Thanks for reading.
Sincerely,
Holly

Your headline should read: Seeking A Miracle (of an Apartment). Sorry, I'm a grammar nerd.

Check East New York? Queens? Harlem? Midwood? Bensonhurst? Doubtful you'll find that in Crown Heights anymore.

Yes, to maximize your chances of finding a place quickly, expand the areas you are willing to live.

And, while they won't be able to get you a place by Nov 1st, enter every and any housing lottery you are eligible for.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/hpd/html/apartment/lotteries.shtml

You might win in the future....

I like the website Padmapper. You can probably find a 1BR in Crown Heights south of Eastern Parkway. Here's a link:

http://www.padmapper.com/?lat=40.669000741280065&lng=-73.9634179050783&minRent=1000&maxRent=1600&searchTerms=Words+Required+In+Listing&maxPricePerBedroom=6000&minBR=1&maxBR=2&minBA=1&maxAge=7&imagesOnly=false&phoneReq=false&cats=false&dogs=false&noFee=false&showSubs=false&showNonSubs=true&showRooms=false&showVac=false&userId=-1&cl=true&pl=true&aptsrch=true&rnt=true&airbnb=true&ood=true&af=true&rltr=true&zoom=15&favsOnly=false&onlyHQ=true&showHidden=false&am=false&workplaceLat=0&workplaceLong=0&maxTime=0

And for what it's worth, the Prospect Park B/Q/S station and the Franklin Ave 2/3/4/5/S are the express stops in Crown Heights/PLG. If you take the train everyday, it's nice to live near them, but you'll pay more.

Slightly off topic, but I was looking at the link above and was reminded what shady liars Rapid Reality are: http://www.padmapper.com/show.php?source=8&id=201201602&src=main

Bait and switch..

If the landlord has to evict you it'll take at least six months so you have time. You might get some money from him/her to move out quicker which can help pay a higher rent.

Really pracmaticguy? I'll have to look into that!

Thank you grwd Padmapper looks good!

Whynot31 - yes that's the plan to apply to all lotteries for a better future!

Wbm, damn you're totally right. 4.09 am crazed early hours is my justification. Can't work out how to change it now.

(That's supposed to evoke a laugh

Hi Holly. These guys are being a bit fatalistic. I honestly feel like you could find a studio or 1BR North of Eastern Parkway and east of Nostrand Avenue for under $1500. I only moved here last June and I live in a very large studio between Nostrand Ave and New York Ave and I pay under $1500. I had a Hasidic broker and paid no fees...just first and last months rent, plus deposit. It was only when I signed the lease that I found out that it was rent stabilized which is....unheard of. 

If you need my broker's number you can PM me. He works a great deal in Crown Heights and a lot of the properties he shows are rent stabilized. 

Hi FromSuchGreatHeights, thanks for this vote of confidence! I would love your brokers info.. Bit lost on how to PM you...

HollyH, to PM someone on these boards you touch that person's screen name above his/her post, and then, in the upper left corner of the next screen, touch "send _____ a message".

Hi Booklaw, I don't see "send__ a message" just 'Discussions'...perhaps it will be different on computer as oppose to phone?

Oh yes - was not on 'Full Site' Booklaw. Figured it out. Thank you!

If the landlord has to evict you it'll take at least six months so you have time. You might get some money from him/her to move out quicker which can help pay a higher rent.

This advice is both reprehensible and risky, as having been sued by your landlord for a failure to vacate when your lease is up (which is effectively theft) will make it harder for you to get accepted into a new apartment.

Also, I wouldn't count on the "six months" thing -- a skilled landlord that knows how to navigate the system will get you out of there much, much faster than that.

Ah I see. Thanks Eastblock. We were actually paying a friend who was on the lease (we understood) but no longer living here. Turns out that lease actually finished in 2011 and it's been on a month to month basis since. This means he couldn't/wouldn't sue us - but could effectively still sue our friend? Also he's a lawyer so I'm gathering he knows exactly how to get what he wants.

To take legal possession of the space, the LL would have to get an eviction (which is basically suing the tenant). Whoever is named on the eviction papers would be listed on the blacklist.

...being on the Blacklist is bad:

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=nyc+landlord+blacklist&gbv=2&oq=nyc+landlord+b&gs_l=heirloom-hp.1.1.0j0i22i30l9.1280.4981.0.7381.14.11.0.3.3.0.70.720.11.11.0....0...1ac.1.34.heirloom-hp..0.14.750.SPGMiPI755A

Depending on how he wanted to proceed, he could sue both you and your friend.  It doesn't matter that you are not on the lease.  He would issue you a statement that you have to leave the property, and then start a holdover case against you.  Holdover cases are usually dealt with pretty quickly.

Your friend could be found liable for financial losses to the landlord from illegally subletting the apartment and relating to your failure to vacate the property.  

It would be unethical, and it would almost certainly not be worth the stress.  And a prospective future landlord could easily find out that you were named in a holdover case for refusing to vacate and not want to give you a lease.

Yes that's serious. Thanks very much for this invaluable infomation Eastblock and Whynot.

Shop the local realtors offices around the area east of Nostrand. they often have exclusives to buildings not mentioned on web.  The days of "7 months to evict" are long gone since the laws governing judges power to give away free rent were taken away by the higher courts around 2000.

New poster (but frequent reader) here.

You can find studios and one bedrooms either east of Franklin, south of Eastern Pkwy or in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. A quick padmapper search shows a number of listings.

I used Lang Realty who specialize in these areas. The broker showed me I think 4 places in one day that fit my budget range and location. Her name was Muki.