Scammer Beware: Don't Let Fake Ads Happen To You

It’s a sad but true fact that more than few Brooklyn dwellers fall victim to craigslist ads boasting of low priced apartments with seemingly “too good to be true” rental propositions. If you’re looking at an ad for a one bedroom apartment in Greenpoint with a dishwasher for 1200 dollars a month - you’re probably staring a scam right in the face. We like our clients to be informed about what they want, optimistic about the outcome, but ultimately realistic about their budgets and credit scores. 

Avoid the Bait and Switch method with phony ads that seem to be independently produced. If a company logo isn’t on any picture, or a working office number isn’t provided, you may want to rethink the legitimacy of the ad. Many rental scam artists across the internet disguise themselves as brokers usually seeking one thing: a non refundable application or deposit fee, after which they vanish forever into the depths of the unknown internet.

We recommend fact checking any ads you run across, because if it seems too good to be true - it probably is. If an apartment has been vacant for awhile, you should ask yourself why. 

Familiarize yourself with typical rental data in your desired neighborhood and stay informed to what a fair price may be. If the price is suspiciously low, it’s reasonable to believe that more than a few details have been falsified.

At StayBK, we recommend having your apartment search personally tailored for you by in-house professionals. Having a real estate agent you trust can go a long way! We encourage clients to call or email our office, or any reputable office for that matter, and find your ideal apartment through an agency with current listings on the market. Maintaining a positive relationship with your rental agency will definitely serve its purpose. 

A New Kind of Work Environment

In the past, a lot of my previous work environments have been cold and sterile buildings with people who keep their heads down as they fiddle with their keyboards. This one coworker’s face, I never even saw, as it seemed to be permanently blocked by a monitor.

When I started working for Stay BK, things were completely different. It was a communicative environment complete with group lunches and a collection of memes tossed back and forth via office chats. It was a laid back but oddly progressive office conducive to creating a group of agents who worked harder than you would expect in a this sort of environment.

We’ve all been raised to believe that an iron fist and mild micromanagement can get the work done, but after personally witnessing otherwise, I’m inclined to believe that a person will rise to the occasion when they are given the space to do.

At Stay BK, agents are given the opportunity to communicate with their clients on a personal level. With in house marketing, they are given all the tools to perform their responsibilities to the best of their abilities. They are also provided with transportation, if necessary.

Agents at Stay BK are here to stay because they feel supported daily in their careers. If you, or anyone you know, is interested in a career with Stay BK, hit us up! We’re always excited to add more talent to the team!

Brooklyn Living - Money Pit Or Mecca of Opportunity?

As we sit here listening to Uptown Funk, with our espresso from the local kolache bakery in hand, we see one renter after another walk in with that same nervous look on their face. Are they making the right decision? Is Brooklyn really the right place for them? Are the made to last in a city so rambunctious and ever-changing? The truth is, you can never really know that. Even years into the game, you’ll wonder if this city was ever meant for you. There are frequent highs and lows that you’ll experience during your days spent in Brooklyn. Some lows may be transit delays, a homeless man who gave you side eye, or an over priced lunched. It’s our experience, however, that the good often outweighs the bad. Sure, a real estate agency may be biased, but there are few of us who are actually native Brooklyn dwellers. Each one of us moved to Brooklyn looking for opportunity - a quick way to create avenues for ourselves and our families.

Brooklyn does that. It has a way of making you the strongest version of yourself. After some time, the small things don’t phase you because you’re too busy looking forward and onto the next big picture you have in your mind.

You are forced to know your neighbors and communicate like they did back in the 1950’s because you’ll find that, sometimes, you’ll need to count on other people. You’ll try new places, mainly out of convenience and intrigue, something you may not have done in another less cultural city. You’ll make connections, with people you never thought you would even connect with in the first place. It’s a city on Speed, that puts you on a fast track to becoming who you’ve always wanted to be, and that is definitely worth the price of an expensive cup of Brooklyn coffee.

A Commentary On Brownstones: Brooklyn's Finest Feature

As cities go, each one carries a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ that makes it uniquely different from other places. New York’s boroughs are no different as each one has particular features that set it apart from the other. For most, the term ‘brownstone’ is immediately coupled with Brooklyn, and rightly so. From Park Slope to Brooklyn Heights, brownstones, dating as far back as the late 1800s, line neighborhoods. With worn stone steps leading up to large antique wood paneling that often frames an ornate door, you can’t help but feel like you’re stepping into history. The quintessential charm of Brooklyn homes is consistent, despite the never ending changes made by the artists and academics who live in the area. Storefronts and street art may change frequently, but brownstones never will.