NYC Short-Term Rentals: $1,900 for a Room in Manhattan

William Swanson, a 22-year-old medical sales worker, moved to New York in June. He needed a short-term lease before his roommates arrived. He found a listing on SpareRoom from a 70-year-old woman named Aleyda. He paid $1,900 for one month, utilities not included.

Short-term rentals in Manhattan are expensive, Swanson said. The apartment was near his hospital job. The arrangement was unusual, he said. It worked well.

Swanson later found a permanent apartment in the East Village with roommates. He pays $1,975 a month before utilities. He called the process “insane” but said he lucked out.

The New York rental market is competitive. Swanson saw 100 people tour one listing. He said connections help – some friends have rent-stabilized units passed down.

Swanson’s roommate, Aleyda, enforced basic rules: no parties or drinking. She was often out with friends. Swanson said the experience gave him stability in a new city.