New York has five main boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island. Newport and other towns in New Jersey have convenient transit access to Manhattan and are also popular rental choices for students.
Manhattan: Midtown (14th–59th St) · Downtown (south of 14th St) · Upper West Side (W59–W125, near Columbia) · Upper East Side (E59–E96) · Roosevelt Island.
Brooklyn: Downtown Brooklyn (NYU Tandon, LIU, Pratt) · Clinton Hill · Park Slope · Bay Ridge · Prospect Park.
Queens: Long Island City (closest to Manhattan) · Jackson Heights · Elmhurst · Forest Hills · Flushing.
New Jersey: Newport / Jersey City / Hoboken (near Downtown Manhattan) · Fort Lee (near Upper West) · Newark & Harrison (Rutgers Newark, NJIT).
Property management companies will review tenants' US income and credit records. The general standard requires annual income to be 40–45 times the monthly rent. For international students with no income or US credit, there are four widely accepted solutions:
a. Hire a US-based full-time worker whose annual income reaches 80× the monthly rent to act as a personal guarantor.
b. Purchase institutional guarantee insurance from Insurent or The Guarantors (one-time fee: 1–1.5 months' rent).
c. Prepay the full year's rent upfront with management approval.
d. Provide increased security deposit after the landlord verifies your domestic bank savings or family sponsor income.
The overseas rental market suffers severe information asymmetry: housing prices and unit availability are not updated in time, application document preparation is complicated, and local brokers usually charge high fees (one month's rent or 15% of the annual rent).
Ehomie's New York team has personal overseas study experience and long-term partnerships with all major apartment management firms. We update complete housing listings and daily pricing every day, provide in-person tours, remote live-stream viewings and VR tours, and assist with all procedures from rental application to move-in — completely free of charge.
i. Multi-dimensional housing selection: browse listings via VR or live virtual tours, or book on-site viewings.
ii. Dedicated one-on-one consultation: 24/7 online advisors to answer all rental questions.
iii. Intelligent roommate matching: our internal system efficiently matches compatible roommates based on your preferences.
iv. Application & lease signing: submit required documents and complete apartment screening with your consultant's assistance.
v. Supporting services: airport pick-up, furniture delivery and moving support available; we also provide a full move-in guide with exclusive discounts.
Ehomie has long-term partnerships with all major apartment management firms across New York and New Jersey. Our database contains tens of thousands of verified rental units, all screened to deliver safe, cost-effective certified apartments.
Ehomie provides fully free housing services for students through corporate cooperation with apartment management companies.
i. Budget below $1,200/person: shared private units in Queens, New Jersey or Brooklyn.
ii. $1,200–$1,500/person: living room space in Newport / Roosevelt Island apartments, or small bedrooms in Queens & Brooklyn private flats.
iii. $1,500–$2,000/person: secondary bedrooms in Newport, Roosevelt Island, Columbia campus area, Downtown Brooklyn or Midtown Manhattan.
iv. $2,000–$2,500/person: master bedrooms in premium apartments of Newport, Roosevelt Island & Downtown Brooklyn, or secondary bedrooms in luxury Manhattan buildings.
v. Above $2,500/person: master bedrooms in high-end Manhattan apartments or standalone Studio units.
Most apartment buildings enforce a "clean in, clean out" policy. The majority of rentals in New York and New Jersey do not come with furniture. Most students buy second-hand furniture or shop at IKEA to furnish their units.
Common channels include university forums, WeChat/QQ groups and Facebook, plus popular US roommate-finding apps. Ehomie's intelligent matching tool recommends candidates based on your housing budget, move-in date and personal preferences.
Unit Type: Studio
A Studio combines bedroom and living space into one open area (also known as 0-bedroom). Kitchen and dining zones are integrated into the main room, with only a separate bathroom. Suitable for 1–2 residents.
Unit Type: 1 Bedroom (1B)
A standard one-bedroom apartment with separated bedroom and living room. Kitchen & dining areas sit in the open living space with an independent bathroom. Can fit up to 3 occupants.
Unit Type: 2 Bedroom (2B)
Two similar-sized bedrooms plus a combined living/kitchen/dining area. Subtypes: 2B1B (one shared bathroom) and 2B2B (two en-suite bathrooms). Maximum occupancy of 5 residents.
Unit Type: 3 Bedroom (3B)
Three comparable bedrooms alongside a shared living/dining/kitchen zone. Classified as 3B1B / 3B2B / 3B3B based on bathroom count.
Converting living rooms into sleeping areas is very common in New York due to high rent. Approved methods by most apartments:
a. Full / Partial Partition Walls: Freestanding closed wall with full door, or partial wall with 6–12 ft ceiling gap for smoke detectors. Construction cost: $800–$1,500 (demolition included by contractor).
b. Freestanding Bookcase Dividers: Self-supporting bookcase-style partitions that do not damage walls or floors, dual-purpose for separation & storage.
c. Furniture Separation: Low-cost solution using wardrobes, bookshelves, folding screens and curtains.
d. EverBlocks Modular Panels: Modular interlocking plastic blocks similar to giant Lego bricks, fully assembled and disassembled at will.
Virtually all NYC apartments are rented as whole units. Monthly rent allocation depends on room size, floor level, window views and must be negotiated with all roommates. Living rooms usually carry the lowest share due to poor privacy & sound insulation.
Standard rent split reference: 2B2B or larger — secondary room = Total rent ÷ (bedrooms + 1), master bedroom & living room adjust ±5%; 1B1B — 55% / 45%; 2B1B — 38.3% / 33.4% / 28.3%.
WeChat OA
Ehomie Mini Program
