Apartment rentals New York with Manhattan Rental Market

There was some debate at the end of July when people wondered if rising rents in Manhattan had finally reached their zenith and would perhaps come tumbling down in August. After all, like many said, once you reach the top, you can only come down. Well, the numbers are out now and it seems that “the top” has not yet been reached! Apartment rents in New York City continue their upward rise, and the rental market is as robust and vibrant as ever. The numbers showcase this trend best: rents for studio apartments saw an increase of 1.2%, and one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments saw increases of 1.4% and 0.9% respectively.

It’s a fundamental rule of the world: high demand = high prices. And with demand for new rentals in Manhattan at an absolute peak, this rule is certainly holding up. With a relative decrease in the amount of new construction over recent years, any open rental apartment in Manhattan is greatly desired, so it's no wonder that the rents keep rising. The city’s vacancy rate fell to .89% in May, a clear indication that the market's few listings are in high demand. Yet while exorbitantly high rent may be a difficult aspect for many to deal with, there are always ways to find comfortable and affordable living situations in Manhattan.

The luxury rental market boom in Manhattan is just getting started. A dearth of new construction for Manhattan apartment buildings, severe lack of inventory, and high demand for luxury rentals in Manhattan virtually assures that prices will not only stay high or get higher on the top end of the market, they will likely rise for the lower end as well. Rents are soaring right now all around the borough, especially south of 59th Street. Desirable Manhattan neighborhoods like the West Village and Chelsea are setting records for high rents, but rents for formerly inexpensive apartments in Midtown West and the Financial District are also reaching new heights. Studios in Chelsea average $2,332 a month, while one-bedrooms in the West Village average $3,278 a month. Furthermore, newer buildings like 8 Spruce Street have raised the bar for luxury rentals in Manhattan. 8 Spruce in particular has changed the perception that renting is somehow less respectable than buying by offering luxury apartments that match the quality of condos. All over the city, landlords are responding by renovating their rental apartments to meet these new standards, so even though you may pay more for rent than you’d like to, you’ll get more in return.

Much has been made of the consistent rise in Manhattan rents in the face of adversity. In the midst of economic woes, the Manhattan luxury real estate world has prided itself on the steady rise of rental prices: the average monthly rent in Manhattan is up 8% from this time last year and is just $53 off the all-time market peak set in 2007. In spite of this remarkable success, many real estate experts view this trend in luxury rentals in Manhattan as unsustainable. With the market slowdown of winter approaching, signs are beginning to point to rents either remaining stable or declining for the first time since 2009.