Managing transitions between countries is a complex process. We as customer managers need to take into account a variety of issues that require treatment, and create synergy between them to help you, who are moving around, make the right decisions for efficient management of the transition.
Locating a property abroad, for example, is directly related to other issues in the relocation process: issuing work permits (so that you can sign a lease), locating temporary housing (assuming you did not find an apartment before the final transfer date), international shipping of personal belongings (an address is required to release the container in the destination country), Storage of the contents of the apartment or storage of your personal belongings (assuming that the property is not available at the time the container was released) and more.
For perfect synergy, we use a local relocation consultant, who also specializes in locating properties according to the family’s needs and also provides full acclimatization services and, in fact, accompanies you for several months before the transition until a final placement.
Just before: Questions to ask yourself
A second before you approach the frenzy of searching for apartments in New York and filtering by the size of the bedrooms or the color of the walls, relax, take a deep breath and have a discussion about some important issues:
- Budget: What is the budget you received for the rent? And how much do you want to spend in total?
- Education for children: Will children attend a private or public school? Keep in mind that enrollment in U.S. public schools is done according to the residential address and therefore it is a consideration that affects the location of the neighborhood in which you want to live.
- You should map the areas and neighborhoods that fit in your pocket and the location of educational frameworks for children.
After the conversation about the budget and the type of education framework of the children, it is possible to descend to resolutions:
- What neighborhood do you want to live in? Is it important for you to be close to other Israelis/Jews? Or do you want to be in an international setting with other mobilizers/local residents?
- Do you want to live in the center or in the suburbs? Near employment areas or around parks?
- Do you prefer that the residential neighborhood be closer to your workplace or to the children’s schools? Or both?
- What kind of property do you aspire to? Normal apartment, rooftop apartment, garden apartment, private residence, cottage, loft, duplex?
- Do you care about proximity to public transportation?
- Would you like to enter a furnished property?
- What about proximity to religious institutions such as a sample synagogue?
- What are you not going to settle for in your residential location?
- And what are the additions you would love to receive, but not necessary? For example, a garden.
New York apartment search: A challenging market
New York is one of the most populous and diverse cities in the world. It has everything from a global trading center to hipster neighborhoods and artists. This is probably also why thousands of crossings are carried out every year (between 2010 and 2015, about half a million people emigrated to it).
One of the biggest challenges in this city is undoubtedly real estate, housing prices are at their highest and demand exceeds supply. In addition, unlike the rest of the U.S., where the brokerage fees apply to the property owner, in New York, New Jersey and Boston, the brokerage fees apply to the tenant (up to 15% of annual rent in the case of New York and 10% or a month of rent in the case of New Jersey). And it still doesn’t stop the New York real estate market from booming.
Tenants from abroad: risk for the landlord
In the process of traveling to the U.S., it’s always important to remember that your money is worth less than local money. This lies in the fact that you do not have a U.S. credit history and therefore it is more difficult to gain the trust of New York renters.
I’ll simplify this: If a local wants to rent an apartment in New York, the property owner can go to credit rating companies and get a reflection of his financial situation, for example, whether he has debts, what is his credit, whether he has a criminal record and more.
Unlike local renters, your credit rating cannot be checked because you are most likely not a U.S. citizen and therefore this is a risk for the landlord. That’s also why he’ll be more rigid with you. For example, he will ask for first and last month rents and a higher bank guarantee – and this is in addition to the brokerage fees.
If you decide to pay the rent through bank cheques, keep in mind that you will need to open a bank account. For this, the relocation consultant is available, who will assist in bureaucratic procedures such as the opening of a bank account (Settling In Services).
If your local consultant comes from an old friend with years of experience, it can certainly help allay concern among homeowners and better adapt to the American bureaucracy.
How do you rent an apartment in New York through a relocation consultant?
About two months before the move, a
relocation consultant to New York
contacts you and begins to investigate: who you are, how many people are in the family, and what are the special needs of each and every one of you. Its purpose is to step into your shoes and express all the desires and needs for one property that you will be satisfied with. For example, if there is a child with asthma in the family, apartments with wall-to-wall carpets will not be taken into account unless the landlord is willing to dispose of them and commits to it in advance.
Once you have understood your needs, it will provide you with a full reflection of the relevant residential environments, the assets at your disposal, the educational institutions and segmentation according to the compositions of the population. It should be noted that throughout, the relationship with her remains close – whether it is in emails, Skype, phone and even WhatsApp.
Immediately after the move, you will all embark on a property tour of the selected neighborhoods in New York, depending on what has been decided in the conversations between you. It is important that you have a work visa, as you will not be able to sign a long-term lease without it. If you want to land in New York directly into your new home, so skip the temporary housing phase, you can come for a preliminary visit and go on the tour days with the relocation consultant (assuming you have a work visa).
Negotiations and signing a lease
Apparently, everyone wants to live in New York, because an apartment you’ll see today – tomorrow you’ll get caught. The market is saturated and demand accordingly. Therefore, if you have seen an apartment that you like, you must act quickly. At the end of the tour days, when the long-awaited property is found, the consultant will submit an offer on it and begin the negotiations with the apartment owner.
To apply for a particular apartment, the landlord will ask to see proof of a fixed income, with your total income having to be 40-45 times the rent at the annual level. For example, if the monthly rent is $4,000, you have to prove annual income of $160,000-$180,000.
It is important to know:
You are expected to have first expenses, albeit one-time, but high. Keep in mind that you will need to provide brokerage fees + first month of rent + a deposit of varying heights (depending on the owner of the property) – which can easily reach $20,000 (if it is, for example, a rent of $4,000 per month). Consider these one-time expenses when you enter into negotiations on your employment contract, prior to relocation.
Entering your new apartment
Congratulations! You have a New York apartment. At the entrance to the property, the relocation consultant will review it and specify on a document the status of the property, describe a general snapshot and indicate damages and impairments (if any). This contract will protect you from leaving the property.
In addition, the consultant will assist you in the actions that must be done at the entrance to a new home: connecting to the Internet, gas, electricity, water and more.
And when your missionary period is over, I will be here, ready to manage your process back to Israel as well.
