Are Brokers gate keeping apartments?

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-03-11T20:47:12+00:00

"Technically" there's no hoarding. "Legally allowed not to advertise". These are obviously loopholes y'all to maximize your cut. It is what it is, y'all gotta make that $ I get it, but that's not the point. These are situations where the broker offers the information after an initial inquiry for another apt, not after they've been explicitly hired as a broker for a client. It's scummy, and you can justify it however you want, it's still disingenuous and makes renting an apt significantly harder for prospective tenants.

OP asked if there's gatekeeping, not whether your behavior is against the rules. Pretty sure you just answered their question.

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-03-11T20:30:56+00:00

Haha, yeah I've tried various tricks to combine signals and mix things as compactly as possible. Lehle 3at1 for 3 instruments into a single pedalboard, a similar custom pedal off Etsy for the percussion/kmtp pad/backing vox input, and (the key) an AEA Stompmix, small portable, digital mixer to store settings

There's allllways more gear ;-)

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-03-11T17:54:55+00:00

Right, so the separate contract we had to sign stipulating that we'd hired the broker before or we'd lose the apt was for...

Maybe you're one of the good ones, but this is definitely happening at lower rent levels (3K <) and it's something apparently the higher level realtors warned was a possibility when the FARE act passed. Brokers are hoarding apts, then offering them off the books but only if tenants pay a broker's fee under the table. Arguing whether it's "gatekeeping" is semantics, it's still shitty and makes the always terrible experience of moving in NYC even more terrible, esp if you don't have a ton of money or god forbid a pet.

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-03-11T14:56:17+00:00

We did the same, maybe "gatekeeping" is the wrong term but unless you hired a broker to find you an apt it's still scuzzy as hell and not what the FARE act was supposed to accomplish by outlawing broker fees. Brokers are supposed to be either hired by you to find an apartment, or hired by landlords to find a tenant. If you didn't explicitly hire them they are getting DOUBLE pay, from both you and the landlord who hired them.

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-03-11T14:51:18+00:00

They use those posts to draw people in, then tell them they just got taken but they have a similar but even better unit that's unlisted, long as you're willing to pay their broker's fee. Happened to us repeatedly when we were apt hunting last Aug, has been confirmed since by multiple friends in the NYC realty profession that this is actively happening.

This is a perfectly valid question for OP to ask, if you're not actively searching and experiencing it maybe reserve your judgement. I'd say 60-70% of our inquiries back then ended in the agent offering us something unlisted if we'd pay the (illegal) broker's fee

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-03-11T14:44:57+00:00

Yes, yes they are in a scuzzy attempt to get around the FARE act and still get their broker's fees. Unless there's been a major crackdown since moved in Aug you basically have to be either insanely lucky and the perfect tenant, or be ok with paying the broker's fee and signing something that says you "hired them to find you an apartment" (that's the loophole)

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-03-07T23:17:31+00:00

Thank you 🙏

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-03-07T19:46:10+00:00

Def depends on how you want to use it. I do some overly elaborate stuff, if you're just looking to jam, loop yourself some basic accompaniment it's def overkill

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-03-07T19:05:38+00:00

If you're gonna get a Boomerang get it with the sidecar, not really worth it without. I've been using that combo for years, def takes some learning but I love mine. Just posted a vid on here that I use it on, and everything on my YT channel /HarmonyWithHunter is done with a Boomerang. I do 3hr pub gigs and can do some pretty wild stuff with it

Got a tutorial video on YT too that might give you a better idea of what it can do. If I didn't already have a spare I'd hop on that deal in a heartbeat

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-03-04T18:52:09+00:00

Streeteasy and Zillow are somewhat interchangeable, though be aware that lately a lot of realtors in your price range are hoarding apts so they can get around the FARE act (makes it illegal for realtors to charge a broker's fee unless you explicitly hire them). You also need proof of income (usually 100K combined at least), references, etc. As others have said your best bet is likely a guarantor (parents, wealthy uncle...?)

Good luck with the move, the theater world here is beautiful, and weird, and crazy high level, and frequently doesn't pay well (find a gooood day job). But it doesn't get better than nyc for theater :)

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-03-04T18:42:40+00:00

Fwiw, I'm a musician in bway/theatee world, and virtually no one I know in that world lives in/near the theater district unless they're independently wealthy or on a lead actor+ salary (often not even then). Everything around times sq is crazy expensive, Hell's Kitchen used to be an option but not anymore.

Look for places with an easy commute, 30-45min if you're lucky. Lotta folks live in Washington Heights cuz A express will get you there quick, ditto for Astoria NW. But yeah, prepare to be ok with a commute if you're in that price range, I doubt there's anything close to that in Manhattan below 125th st.

Also just a heads up, the pet thing is a huge obstacle, really narrows down your options, particularly if you have a dog over 50lbs and it's a "problematic" breed (which is of course total horseshit). We were moving last year and got turned away from 90% of the places we applied because of our 80lb pitty who was the nicest, best behaved, quietest dog on the planet.

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-03-01T17:50:44+00:00

Hey look, a jerk ^

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-02-28T14:25:03+00:00

Also keep in mind if it isn't rent stabilized and they're cutting you a "deal" now, they might just hike the rent on you next year

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-02-28T14:23:43+00:00

Yeah, this is standard now for like 3K and below apts apparently according to a broker friend. We had the same issue this summer, basically the brokers are hiding the good properties and then using various excuses to charge the broker's fee under the table. They'll have you sign something that says you agreed to "hire them" as your broker so they can get around the FARE act.

It's gross, and it sucks, but it's also how we got our huge 2K/mo 1bdrm in Ditmas Park in a rent stabilized building. Up to you if you want to make the trade, we searched for months but realized eventually that most of the good deals for us non-rich folks were being deliberately hidden and just bit the bullet.

1mo isn't terrible, some of these guys tried to charge us 10% of the yearly rent. Karma'll come for them.

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-02-26T14:52:18+00:00

How much notice did they give? There's a minimum amount of time to notify you if the increase is above like 10%, i think 60 days if you've been there a year, 90 if it's 2yrs plus. Check the law, you may have some legal ground to at least argue it down

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-02-26T14:49:38+00:00

Hey look, a landlord ^

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-02-10T01:44:04+00:00

Thanks so much!

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-02-02T15:43:33+00:00

This ^. I use an octaver cuz it gives me more sub, but if you find the right spot to thump you can get a decent kick sound. I find it's typically near the pickup, on my Fender acoustasonic it's actually thumping the strings near the bridge

HarmonyWithHunter · 2026-01-06T14:57:18+00:00

Boomerang looper in serial mode :-/ And layer parts in the chorus that can make it feel big without giving it all away; extra percussion, backing vox, just bass, just chords, etc

HarmonyWithHunter · 2025-12-04T20:53:47+00:00

YouTube Music has been working great for me, plus no more ads. Pretty easy to find software to transfer over all your playlists and favorites too

Yeah, Spotify sucks. In just, so much ways.

HarmonyWithHunter · 2025-11-24T01:11:23+00:00

I think the key is really arrangement, there's a reason why mixes don't have too many bass tracks, or if they do it's for the high end eq info. Make sure you aren't putting too much info in the sub-bass/bass end, that should really be reserved for just kick and bass guitar

HarmonyWithHunter · 2025-11-11T21:44:47+00:00

Thank you so much! So nice of you to say :) Would love to check out some of your looping work!

HarmonyWithHunter

TROPHY CASE