New York brokerage fees are usually paid by tenants rather than homeowners, which is different from landlords in other parts of the United States who usually pay rental agency fees.
However, not all leases in New York City incur brokerage fees. If the landlord agrees to charge an intermediary fee, or the apartment is rented directly from the landlord without an intermediary, the apartment can be “free”.
In most cases, you can find “vacant” apartments in urban neighbourhoods with large rental houses and large amounts of rent, such as in the banking district. The increase in housing supply means that tenants have more choices, which forces landlords to offer lower prices and pay brokerage fees to improve the business of potential tenants.
What is Broker Fee?
Brokerage fee is a small amount of money you pay for the services of a real estate agent. Agents provide their best service, which is the main source of their family bread and butter. A recent bill prohibits intermediaries hired by homeowners from placing bets. Instead, the owner should be required to pay a commission to the broker.
Who Pays Broker Fee for Rental Apartments?

Renters almost always pay rent agency fees in New York. The supply of apartments in New York is limited and demand is strong, which provides landlords with a bargaining chip to determine rent and determine who pays the leasing agent’s commission.
In other areas of the country where the housing market is weak, it is more common for homeowners to pay intermediary fees than tenants to pay. New York City agency fees are usually paid by renters rather than landlords. This is contrary to what happens elsewhere in the country, where landlords usually pay commissions to landlords.
The increase in housing supply means that renters have more choices, forcing landlords to offer lower prices and pay brokerage fees to improve the business of potential renters.
So, the first thing is, the broker lives on fees. When you work with a typical real estate agent, you need to pay a commission because the real estate agent will help you find an apartment and will usually let you get in touch with the landlord you want. Otherwise, it may fill up the properties of your room.
When you work with a broker for free, the landlord or management company pays a commission to the broker. In this case, the landlord is willing to pay because you have to fill the room, and you’d better not. You have to pay an additional commission, and of course there is no commission unless you use a broker.
Is Broker Fee Negotiable?
Compared with tenants, the brokerage rate is more controversial for landlords.
The rent of a real estate agent, whether it is one month’s rent or up to 15% of the annual rent, is usually negotiated between the landlord and the tenant before the apartment is sold.
Once the agency fee is determined, it is difficult to negotiate as a potential tenant.
This is because most USA rents are in high demand, which means that there may be many other renters willing to rent an apartment and pay the intermediary full commission.
usually has more leeway to negotiate a monthly rent of a luxury home of approximately US $6,000 or more, because the intermediary fee for this type of housing is usually as high as 15% and it takes a long time to find a tenant.
In some cases, if this means renting space and obtaining the agency price as early as possible, the agency may wish to lower the rate.
Advantages of Using Broker for Rental Apartment Search

1# Saves Time
Your time is precious, real estate agents can save you hours searching for rental listings, narrowing the search scope, calling the property manager to check timetables, and more. If they currently live far away from the market where they want to rent an apartment, home agents may be particularly valuable.
2# Market Knowledge
For tenants who have just arrived in the area and do not know where to live or which areas to avoid when renting, housing intermediaries can be a particularly valuable asset. An experienced real estate agent can help you narrow your search and guide you to find the area and building that suits you best.
3# Open Doors
Many agents have good relationships with property managers and landlords and can take advantage of these relationships for their clients. If there is no proxy connection, it is unlikely to work.
Disadvantages of Hiring a Broker
As with buying and selling houses through a real estate agent, cost or expense is the biggest potential disadvantage of using a broker. These professionals do not work for free, and their costs are high. Standard real estate agency commissions are as high as 15% of the first year’s rent in the United State. USA is the most prominent housing rental market for real estate agencies. Prices vary, and some charge the equivalent of one month’s rent instead of charging the full amount. Every year, but the 15% structure is more common, especially in ideal and competitive markets.
In short, if you find an apartment for $3,000 a month, you end up paying up to $5,400 to the agency who helps you find it, which is a huge cost.
Is Hiring a Broker Worth It?
It totally depends. Most United States rental properties have a commission, so you will most likely have to pay for it. You don’t need a broker to rent an apartment in NYC, but many houses have brokers that charge commissions, even if they don’t have their own brokers.
The agency fee is only worth paying if you like the apartment, and you can’t find an alternative that is as attractive as a commission-free lease. There is no doubt that brokerage fees in the United States are high, especially when selling.
Now, make your decision wisely!