If you stumbled across this page, let me be the first person to tell you how amazing Long Beach is and how it is a phenomenal place to call home. I’m excited for you to start your search for a Long Beach New York apartment.
So, you’ve decided to dive into the crazy world of apartment hunting in this Long Island paradise we call Long Beach, New York. Trust me, you’re in for a wild ride! The real estate scene these days is crazy but it’s nothing that you can’t handle! Whether you’re a beach bum at heart or just looking for a cozy spot to call your own, I’ve got five tips that’ll make navigating the Long Beach rental scene feel like a day at the boardwalk (spoiler alert, you will be spending tons of time on the Long Beach boardwalk). Let’s dive in and uncover the secrets to scoring your dream beachside Long beach bungalow!
1. Keep an eye out for seasonal vs. annual rentals
Depending on what time of year you are looking to make your move, it’s important to read the fine print to see “seasonal,” “winter rental,” or “annual lease.” With Long Beach New York being a beach town, many apartments or homes will be places on seasonal rentals with higher prices during the summer months. That means that the same LBNY homes and apartments are offered for discounted prices during the off-season winter months. You may get excited to see some of the listings and prices but if you are looking for an annual lease you need to keep an eye out for these terms.
As for timing, finding annual rentals is typically easier in the late fall or early winter. If you are looking during the summer, you will typically see the summer rentals listed for their winter prices. Keep an eye out for this!
2. Set up saved searches on Zillow or Redfin
There are a lot of places to live in Long Beach, New York, but there are even more people looking to live there. Setting up saved searches on Zillow or Redfin can be your lifeline to being one of the first apartment hunters to reach out to the landlord or listing agent. You can get creative with how you set your searches up – defining the specific neighborhood or area, price, bedrooms, bathrooms, parking, laundry in-unit.. Your options are virtually endless.
Knowing the competitive nature of the market, it’s important to write down your must-haves and your nice-to-haves. Setting up a search that may not have all the bells and whistles you hope for may show more results – and if you’re willing to make due without a nice-to-have your likelihood of landing your dream apartment may come sooner than you expected. If you are unwilling to negotiate on features of an apartment or price, it’s good to go in with the mindset that this may take a bit of time to find and secure your Long Beach New York apartment.
3. Join local Facebook Groups
Facebook Groups are great resources for joining like minded communities. Another added benefit is joining neighborhood Facebook Groups – Long Beach New York has a ton. Some of these groups have sections on apartment or home hunting which makes it easy to find. Or you can search within the group for anyone posting about a Long Beach apartment for rent. If you’re open to roommates, you can also find people posting about open rooms in their existing rentals.
You never know what can come from joining a Long Beach Facebook Group – You may find your dream apartment, but you also may meet some likeminded folks who end up being your Long Beach crew!
4. Ask locals and friends you know
The best way to find an apartment in Long Beach New York is to find it before it gets posted anywhere on the internet. If you are looking to move to to LBNY, chances are you frequent the area for one thing or another. You may even have some friends who already live there. Don’t be shy when it comes to looking for a Long Beach apartment – ask your friends, ask your friends friends, talk to locals at a bar.
You never know who has a lead to someone who will be moving out or needing a roommate in the near future. The more lines you put out, the more likely you are to catch a fish – the same thing goes for apartment hunting!
5. Befriend real estate agents
If you are okay with paying an agent’s fee then this is another avenue that you can take. Befriending local real estate agents is a great way to get the inside scoop of Long Beach apartment listings that may not have hit the market yet. Many real estate agents in Long Beach have worked there for a very long time and have long standing relationships with landlords and apartment buildings. Real Estate Agents are sometimes the first people to know of potential apartment vacancies.
Reaching out to and starting conversations with Long beach real estate agents may ultimately end with you paying a brokers fee, but the ease of searching is no longer on your back. You also may find that hidden gem that never gets posted to Zillow or Redfin and you don’t have to go up against 20+ other applicants who are looking for the same exact living situation as you.
Leave a Reply