Average Rental Broker Fee In NYC in 2025
Go Back To Previous PageRenting an apartment can be tricky in New York City. There are so many scams and shocking stunts people pull. It’s not surprising that many people prefer to work with rental brokers. Listing agents are professional real estate workers who make a point of vetting renters and vetting apartment owners. It doesn’t always come cheap if you want to rent through a broker. How much is a typical apartment broker fee in New York? The average NYC rental broker fee can range from a standard one-month rent to as much as 15 percent of the annual rental price. Stable and affordable housing will usually have a broker fee of one month. If you want to rent a luxury apartment, the costs can climb as high as 15 percent.
How Much Is The Average Rental Broker Fee For A Typical NYC Apartment?
Rental broker fees in NYC are notoriously high. The typical real estate broker fee ranges from one month (8.33% of annual rent) to 15% of the yearly rent.
The amount of the fee and who pays it depends on what the landlord and the listing broker negotiated.
Realtor showing apartment bedroom to couple
While a 15% rental broker fee is the norm for luxury rentals, it’s more common to see NYC broker fees of one month for less expensive rentals. There has also been an increasing trend toward ‘no fee’ rentals over the past few years, particularly in neighborhoods with a larger supply of available apartments.
Most NYC rent brokers who work with standard apartments will charge one month’s rent.
Why Would A Rental Broker Fee Be Higher Than 1 Month?
Most of the time, rental broker fees get higher due to the high price of a specific rental. Luxury rentals are more challenging, so they must market them more. As a result, they may charge a higher fee simply because it’s so much harder to pair an apartment with an appropriate renter.
Are There Any Rental Brokers Who Will Work For Free?
Rental brokers do not work for free; otherwise, they would be not-for-profit. If you want to rent an apartment and assume a typical broker fee is off the table, it’s best to understand how this works.
What is a no-fee rental in New York City?
When a rental listing is a ‘no fee’ to prospective tenants, it simply means that the landlord is paying the broker fee instead of the tenant. The New York Department of State’s temporary prohibition on tenants paying rental broker fees in NYC in February 2020 exacerbated the trend toward’ no fee’ rentals.
When an apartment is ‘No Fee,’ it either means that
- The landlord agreed to pay the fee or
- The landlord is renting the unit directly without the involvement of a real estate agent.
Where to find a no-fee rental in New York City?
No-fee rentals are more common in parts of the city with large rental buildings, such as FiDi and Midtown. Demand for a “No-Fee rental” in hot neighborhoods with less inventory and more robust demand, such as the West Village, is less realistic. This is because tenants have no trouble finding tenants, and plenty of other tenants are willing to pay the going-rate broker fee.
Who Is Responsible For A NYC Rental Broker’s Fee?
Traditionally, the person who wants to move into the apartment covers the broker fee. This is quite different from the rest of the country, where it’s relatively typical for the landlord to compensate the rental broker. The rental broker fee is usually payable on the day you sign the rental agreement, along with the security deposit, and is legally capped at one month of rent in New York City.
Renters in NYC typically pay the broker fee because of market demand dynamics. Limited apartment inventory and robust renter demand let New York City landlords get away with having the tenants pay the rental broker fees.
So, saving up more than the apartment’s deposit is essential if you are looking to rent an apartment. Paying as much as 3.5 times the monthly rent to move in is customary.
However, some areas are particularly tough to rent for other reasons, such as crime or pests. When a landlord wants to rent out their area fast, they may offer to cover the broker fee for the apartment. You might see “fee-free” apartments listed on major sites.
Why Would An Apartment Owner Be Willing To Pay The Fee?
A tenant pays the rental broker fee most of the time in NYC. If a landlord is willing to pay the broker fee, they are having trouble finding a tenant to rent the apartment. You might find an apartment owner who wants to spend the broker fee for several reasons. These include the following common causes:
- They want to make money fast. The sooner people move in, the better for a landlord’s bottom line. Waiting on the market for people will only burn a hole in their budget. Saving people thousands of dollars in fees is an excellent way to get people to move fast.
- Finding a renter who can afford your price range has been challenging. Believe it, you can have apartments that are too high-priced for a specific area. In some cases, dropping the fee from their burden can be a way to ensure that you win them over compared to other apartments of a similar size.
- Your broker’s cash back. We’ve all heard of apartments with a bad rap in New York. If you’re a landlord of a building that regularly has violations, you might need to go “fee-free” to get a renter willing to do it.
Are Rental Broker Fees in NYC Negotiable, and Is There Any Way To Decrease Rental Broker Fees?
In New York State, brokerage rebates are legal. You can get cash back from your broker if they can rent out your home, and this is a great way to get a discount that kicks in after you rent out your home.
The landlord hired the agent. From his perspective, rental broker fees are just as negotiable as broker commissions on sales in NYC. The savvy landlord understands the vacancy risks and will want to ensure that the all-in cost of the rental from a tenant’s perspective is in line with comparable units. The landlord will try to negotiate down the rental broker fee even though the tenant will ultimately be paying for it.
From a tenant’s perspective, rental broker fees are less negotiable because there is a line of qualified candidates.
Do You Need To Get A Rental Broker For Your Apartment?
Legally, no rent laws bar you from renting an apartment without a broker. Brokers make things easier and safer for everyone involved. Going through a broker who is a Real Estate Board of New York member means that landlords get better-vetted renters.
Get A Better Deal Today
If you are worried about broker fees or similar charges, there is a straightforward solution that you can consider: Talk to a company that offers broker rebates. Having a rental broker is a smart way to ensure you get better deals on rentals—as both a renter and a landlord. Give our office a call today.
