About:
New York City is one of the most densely populated cities in America, if not in the world. Thus the competition for housing is intense. All landlords have specific requirements that you have to satisfy in order to apply, unlikely to be found anywhere else in the world. Looking for a new apartment in New York can be a frustrating experience. To avoid wasting the time and money, stay organized and break down your search into individual steps:

Things You’ll Need:
- Application form
- Letter of employment
- Pay stubs
- Tax return
- Bank statements
- References
- Identification
- Good Credit

Step 1 : The rental apartment search can be a frustrating experience. Collected on this page are articles that cover NY properties, the search, types of available leases as well as documents you should prepare before you set out to find a new home.

Step 2 : How much can I afford?

The most common requirement is that a tenant must have an annual salary 40 to 50 times the monthly rental fee. If you are moving with a roommate or spouse, it is likely the landlord will accept your combined annual salaries. Every applicant is subject to a credit check as a part of the application process, thus if you have late payments or bankruptcies, you credit rating will suffer. In this case, you have a few options. First is to get a Guarantor, someone who will co-sign the lease and makes 80 times the monthly rental fee. The other option is some landlords will allow you to pay additional rent in advance or more security upfront, to make up for poor credit or a limited salary. If you are a newcomer to the US and do not have a Social Security number or any credit history at all, you will almost certainly need extra security, rent and/or a Guarantor who lives in the US.

Step 3 : Looking for a place:

#1:The Internet: Is now New York City’s leading information provider for real estate listing. On the Internet you can find residential and commercial listings for sale or rent, most website also provides you with real estate information at the local level to help you make better decisions in the process.

For New York City top rated Buildings visit – http://www.insideRater.com , The unique building rating section should help you find your desired space and has empowered thousands of savvy consumers by providing them with a vehicle of knowledge. You will also find data and information about your local real estate market without too much work. The delightful building rating function should make your decision making easy and fast.

#2: Brokers are another common methods of finding an apartment in New York City is using a real estate broker. If you know what neighborhood you want to live in, it’s usually best to find a broker based there. Many brokers also have Web sites where you can view available apartments, sometimes even with photos and detailed descriptions.

#3: Word-of-Mouth There is good news for those who would prefer not to pay hefty brokers’ fees: a substantial number of New Yorkers find their units by word-of-mouth, mostly from friends, relatives, and co-workers. If you’re looking for an apartment, make sure everyone you know knows that you’re looking.

#4: Walking Around A small but notable percentage of movers find their apartment when they simply see a “For Rent” sign. It can pay to walk around the neighborhood you want to live in and look around.

Step 4 : Paper work:

* Application form: The first step that will start the process once an apartment is found is filing out an application form. Most management companies have their own form that needs to be used.
* Letter of employment: Must be on official company letterhead. The letter must state your position, length of employment or start date, your annual income and the letter must be signed by a person authorized to verify the information provided. Please note that a signed offer and acceptance letter is usually not sufficient.
* Pay stubs: A copy of your three most recent pay stubs.
* Tax return: Some management companies require a copy of your most recent federal tax return. A tax return is usually required when a person is self employed or if you are basing your income on several different sources of income.
Landlord letter A reference: letter from your recent landlord can always help in the process and is often required. If you are unable to get a letter, have the name, address and phone numbers of your landlord ready.
* Bank statements: Your three most recent statements from your checking account, savings account or any financial institution should do.
Bank account numbers: are often required on application forms. Have them ready just in case you need them.
* References: If you have an Accountant or Attorney you might need their numbers to put down as a reference. Think of other people that could be references in case you need them and have their information handy. Not all landlords will require letters of reference.
* Identification: Many landlords require a copy of a photo ID at lease signing.
Credit reports
* Credit Score and reports: are always run on every applicant and guarantor. The prices of credit reports / application fees range from $25-$100 depending on the management. Unfortunately credit reports obtained on your own are not accepted. A major part of the approval process is based on your credit report.
a good credit runs anywhere between 600 – 800

Step 5 : expenses:

* first month’s rent and broker’s fee
* security deposit (typically equal to one month’s rent or more)
* credit check fee (anywhere from $25- $100 per credit check)
* moving costs (consider the costs of hiring a moving company or moving truck)

Step 6 : Make the Landlord happy:

If you find a great apartment, fend off likely competitors by being prepared: check your own credit history and bring along a current credit agency report; if possible, ask your previous landlord to write a favorable letter of reference; and also ask your employer, co-workers, and friends if you can use them as character references (bring a list with names and telephone numbers).

Step 7 : Read the Lease!!!
It is important that you examine your lease carefully. Once you and your landlord sign it, the lease is considered executed and you have in effect agreed to every provision inside it.

About:
New York City is one of the most densely populated cities in America, if not in the world. Thus the competition for housing is intense. All landlords have specific requirements that you have to satisfy in order to apply, unlikely to be found anywhere else in the world. Looking for a new apartment in New York can be a frustrating experience. To avoid wasting the time and money, stay organized and break down your search into individual steps:

Things You’ll Need:
- Application form
- Letter of employment
- Pay stubs
- Tax return
- Bank statements
- References
- Identification
- Good Credit

Step 1 : The rental apartment search can be a frustrating experience. Collected on this page are articles that cover NY properties, the search, types of available leases as well as documents you should prepare before you set out to find a new home.

Step 2 : How much can I afford?

The most common requirement is that a tenant must have an annual salary 40 to 50 times the monthly rental fee. If you are moving with a roommate or spouse, it is likely the landlord will accept your combined annual salaries. Every applicant is subject to a credit check as a part of the application process, thus if you have late payments or bankruptcies, you credit rating will suffer. In this case, you have a few options. First is to get a Guarantor, someone who will co-sign the lease and makes 80 times the monthly rental fee. The other option is some landlords will allow you to pay additional rent in advance or more security upfront, to make up for poor credit or a limited salary. If you are a newcomer to the US and do not have a Social Security number or any credit history at all, you will almost certainly need extra security, rent and/or a Guarantor who lives in the US.

Step 3 : Looking for a place:

#1:The Internet: Is now New York City’s leading information provider for real estate listing. On the Internet you can find residential and commercial listings for sale or rent, most website also provides you with real estate information at the local level to help you make better decisions in the process.

For New York City top rated Buildings visit – http://www.insideRater.com , The unique building rating section should help you find your desired space and has empowered thousands of savvy consumers by providing them with a vehicle of knowledge. You will also find data and information about your local real estate market without too much work. The delightful building rating function should make your decision making easy and fast.

#2: Brokers are another common methods of finding an apartment in New York City is using a real estate broker. If you know what neighborhood you want to live in, it’s usually best to find a broker based there. Many brokers also have Web sites where you can view available apartments, sometimes even with photos and detailed descriptions.

#3: Word-of-Mouth There is good news for those who would prefer not to pay hefty brokers’ fees: a substantial number of New Yorkers find their units by word-of-mouth, mostly from friends, relatives, and co-workers. If you’re looking for an apartment, make sure everyone you know knows that you’re looking.

#4: Walking Around A small but notable percentage of movers find their apartment when they simply see a “For Rent” sign. It can pay to walk around the neighborhood you want to live in and look around.

Step 4 : Paper work:

* Application form: The first step that will start the process once an apartment is found is filing out an application form. Most management companies have their own form that needs to be used.
* Letter of employment: Must be on official company letterhead. The letter must state your position, length of employment or start date, your annual income and the letter must be signed by a person authorized to verify the information provided. Please note that a signed offer and acceptance letter is usually not sufficient.
* Pay stubs: A copy of your three most recent pay stubs.
* Tax return: Some management companies require a copy of your most recent federal tax return. A tax return is usually required when a person is self employed or if you are basing your income on several different sources of income.
Landlord letter A reference: letter from your recent landlord can always help in the process and is often required. If you are unable to get a letter, have the name, address and phone numbers of your landlord ready.
* Bank statements: Your three most recent statements from your checking account, savings account or any financial institution should do.
Bank account numbers: are often required on application forms. Have them ready just in case you need them.
* References: If you have an Accountant or Attorney you might need their numbers to put down as a reference. Think of other people that could be references in case you need them and have their information handy. Not all landlords will require letters of reference.
* Identification: Many landlords require a copy of a photo ID at lease signing.
Credit reports
* Credit Score and reports: are always run on every applicant and guarantor. The prices of credit reports / application fees range from $25-$100 depending on the management. Unfortunately credit reports obtained on your own are not accepted. A major part of the approval process is based on your credit report.
a good credit runs anywhere between 600 – 800

Step 5 : expenses:

* first month’s rent and broker’s fee
* security deposit (typically equal to one month’s rent or more)
* credit check fee (anywhere from $25- $100 per credit check)
* moving costs (consider the costs of hiring a moving company or moving truck)

Step 6 : Make the Landlord happy:

If you find a great apartment, fend off likely competitors by being prepared: check your own credit history and bring along a current credit agency report; if possible, ask your previous landlord to write a favorable letter of reference; and also ask your employer, co-workers, and friends if you can use them as character references (bring a list with names and telephone numbers).

Step 7 : Read the Lease!!!
It is important that you examine your lease carefully. Once you and your landlord sign it, the lease is considered executed and you have in effect agreed to every provision inside it.

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By Tony Pugh | McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Unlike the labor market collapse that killed millions of U.S. jobs in a matter of months, the nation's return to peak employment will not be nearly as uniform nor as swift.

While signs indicate that the worst of the recession may be over, only six metropolitan areas across the country are expected to regain their pre-recession employment levels by the end of 2009, according to projections from IHS Global Insight, a leading economic forecaster.

The areas poised for a jobs rebound later this year are: Anchorage, Alaska; Champaign-Urbana, Ill.; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; Columbia, Mo.; Laredo, Texas; and the Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux areas of Louisiana.

Only five areas are expected to see a similar jobs recovery in 2010: Las Cruces, N.M. and El Paso, San Antonio and the McAllen-Edinburg-Pharr and Austin-Round Rock areas of Texas.

Most of the country — 286 of 325 metro areas covered in the IHS analysis_ aren't likely to regain their pre-recession employment levels until at least 2012.

Of these areas, 112 probably won't return to their recent peaks until 2014 or later. These include Rust Belt towns such as Cleveland, Dayton and Akron, Ohio; Detroit, Warren and Flint, Mich.; the hurricane-ravaged Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss., area and the greater Los Angeles region, where the housing bubble and high unemployment have strangled the local economy.

The bleak jobs picture underscores the long, tough road ahead in rebuilding the U.S. economy after the worst recession since the Great Depression.

Of the 6 million jobs lost since the recession began 18 months ago, nearly 4 million were eliminated between November and April. The six-month freefall included a record four straight months with more than 600,000 job losses.

"This recession is unique because of the way it leveled the playing field," said James Diffley, IHS managing director of U.S. regional services. "The precipitating factor, after housing, was the finance industry, and that affected everybody. Now everybody's cutting back on debt, and the banks are being more cautious about lending, so there's less spending. All those things mitigate against a quick turnaround."

The IHS analysis covers 325 of 363 U.S. metropolitan areas, or population centers, as defined by the Census Bureau. Thirty-eight metro areas weren't included because of a lack of government data, said Jeannine Cataldi, an IHS senior economist.

Diffley said the projections reflect a local economy's response to various economic factors based on a statistical analysis of recent history.

IHS expects Texas, Oklahoma and Alaska to be among the first to match their previous employment peaks because their economies never fell as far as those in the rest of the country.

All three states are dominated by the energy industry and are benefitting from rising oil prices. They also have lower unemployment rates than the national average and have weathered only light-to-moderate job losses compared to the rest of the country. In April, Alaska was one of two states that had more people employed than it had in the previous year.

In addition, none of the states has suffered through the kind of major housing bubble that has sapped housing wealth nationwide. In fact, Alaska has one of the nation's lowest foreclosure rates.

Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, on the other hand, will take years to recover from manufacturing job losses, particularly in the troubled automobile industry.

President Barack Obama this week said that he expects the economic stimulus bill to create 600,000 jobs over the next 100 days, but most economists expect the economy to continue bleeding jobs for the foreseeable future.

"Although we expect the economy to bottom out in GDP terms during the second half of the year, job losses should continue throughout 2009, with the unemployment rate peaking just above 10 percent," said IHS chief U.S. economist Nigel Gault in a recent letter to investors. "We still expect total job losses to exceed 7 million. But the worst news is behind us, and employment declines should progressively soften as the year proceeds."

In fact, by the end of the year, the economy is expected to begin adding jobs. "We'll start to have an uptick, but it won't be very strong," Diffley said.

At least not until mid-2010, when a majority of states are likely to be adding jobs, Diffley said.

Expect much of the new job growth to occur in areas where the population is growing, Cataldi said. Many of the new jobs will be in the areas of professional and business services.