Apartment rentals New York with Manhattan Rental Market

Ten years ago, Mayor Mike Bloomberg passed a measure that banned smoking in bars and restaurants throughout New York City. It was a move that was heavily criticized at that point of time, with many saying that it would hurt the city’s hospitality industry. But Bloomberg didn’t flinch, and the naysayers were left grumbling as he went on to expand the ban in 2011, which put an end to smokers lighting up in the city’s parks as well. Now, a real estate company seems to have taken a page out of Bloomberg’s grand book of ideas, and has moved to ban smoking from all of its rental apartments across the country.

2012 was an interesting year for the luxury rental apartment market in New York City. New Yorkers saw rents for homes in the city zooming upward over the course of the year, while the number of vacant apartments in the market stopped to extremely low levels. But as tumultuous as these occurrences may seem, members of the real estate sector were smiling, as they could see that the market was not only alive, but it was doing extremely well too! With last year putting on such a good show, one wonders: will 2013 be able to repeat the performance of its predecessor?

When compared to the cost of buying an apartment in Manhattan, rental prices in the borough aren’t actually that bad. A study released on Friday by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York says that apartment prices in New York City have risen considerably faster than rents have in recent years. This split has raised some serious questions about the outlook for housing prices in the city as well as the sustainability of current prices. “Manhattan price-rent ratios, although off their 2008 highs, are still up dramatically over the past two decades, suggesting less financial ‘value’ today in an apartment purchase there,” said New York Fed economist Jason Bram, writing in the bank’s Current Issues in Economics and Finance.

Manhattan rentals have come a long way in everything from appearance to price. As many renovations have taken place to meet the high demand for luxury rental units, rents have also increased in price. Residents can now acquire the same high-end features and amenities found in Manhattan condominiums without having to buy an apartment. Though rents in the city are at an all time high, they are downright average compared to those listed as the most expensive rentals in New York City. Still, there are many who are willing to pull out the big bucks for a luxury Manhattan rental.

New York City has always been known as a very expensive place to live in. Be it a wholesome meal or even just a ride on the subway, it is a common feeling among New Yorkers that they are paying more “for everything” than their counterparts in other cities around the country. This rift is best seen in the living expenses faced by residents of New York City, and now there’s proof. “Rents Through The Roof,” a new report released by the City Controller John Liu has revealed that almost 30% of New Yorkers use up more than half their income to just pay rent.