In the city that never sleeps you’ll be able to experience cuisine from around the world, Broadway shows and a plethora of world-famous museums. Whether you’re a New York native or new to the Big Apple, NYC has apartment buildings for rent that will provide just the right home base.

While the building structure and apartment buildings for rent  style may be the same, how it’s owned and managed can make a huge difference in your rental experience. There are three primary ways that apartments are grouped together to form an apartment building for rent: co-ops, condos and a full service buildings. These types of buildings can range in size from 4 to 5 stories and offer the most affordable options in the market.

Affordable Apartment Buildings for Rent

Coops are a group of individual owners that own their own units in a building and must agree to let other people live there. The coop board reviews applications and conducts personal interviews with potential tenants. The process can take a month or more and there is usually a fee associated with applying to the coop board.

Condo buildings are comprised of individuals and investors that own their individual apartments in the same building and share ownership of common areas and maintenance. There are fees associated with renting a condo and a building owner typically manages the property.

Studio apartments in NYC are a common type of rental and have one room that functions as living space, kitchen and bedroom. This arrangement can be challenging for those who are used to traditional living and often requires creative solutions such as furniture placement, curtains or temporary partitions.