Anecdotal New York City rent evidence:
  Just scouring through the Village Voice classifieds I have noticed some pretty interesting rent drops.  When I moved into Manhattan in 1999, the minimum price of a studio in a doorman building was $1,450.  In 2000, $1450 was the price in just a simple walk-up and that same doorman building studio was going for $1600.  1 Bedrooms on West 96th St were going for about $1,800-2,000 MINIMUM.  You can add $100 for every 10 blocks south of 96th St, and above 47th St.  Therefore the minimum price of a 1 bedroom in midtown was about $2,400.  My former roomate who moved out in 7/00, and an investment banker, lived in a 2 bedroom elevator building "steal" near Lincoln Center and was paying $2,800.
  I am going to put peak rental prices in parantheses.  
  Today, on Dec 31, 2001 here are some sample listings from the same areas:
  59th St W Vic Columbia Circle
  LUXURIOUS DRMN 1BR $1949  ((($2700 peak price)))
  Sauna,Pool,Gym,Views!!
  BROKER 847-8426
  ----------------------------------------
  79TH ST/WEA ELEV STU $950  ((($1500 peak price)))
  Prewar Rent Stab. Wood Floors
  High Ceil Roomy Bthrm Jan 1 Occ
  -----------------------------------------
  102 ST W (B'way & Amsterdam)
  Columbia U area. Students OK. Good size 1BR, elev bldg, large kitch, A/C'd $1400. ($1800+ peak price) ----------------------------------------
  60's W Save On Rent..Go To Paris!
  DAZZLING ELEV 1BR $1495 ((($2000+ peak price))) ----------------------------------------
  60's/70's W Steps to Park
  ELEV 2BR W/GYM $1895 ((($2,800+ peak price)))
  24Hr Security,Has It All!!
  Let me just say that this is a very noticeable drop.  It was impossible to get a piece of sh!t 1 bedroom in a good part of Manhattan for under $2k back in 1999/2000.  Now, some of these same apartments are going for under $1500.  Apartments that were 3k are now 2k.  One can get a studio for under 1k - and on West End Avenue for that matter.  That was hard to do in 1997!
  Oddly, it doesn't seem to have affected property prices that much...yet.  I am seeing more and more deals and I think 2002 is the year of competitive price drops in New York City due to the discrepancy with rents. |