Rents may be high, but there are options — if you are willing to share.
Take this luxury penthouse duplex at 109 Norfolk St., known as the Switch Building, in the Lower East Side. The penthouse was on the market as a $15,500-a-month rental. While that might be quite high for an average twentysomething, it’s not as bad when split by three people with deep pockets.
In this case, for three friends who are finance bros, the choice was clear: Say “no” to living alone in a $5,000-a-month, sad little studio apartment, and “yes” to a luxury penthouse with massive outdoor space in a cool ‘hood.
The roommates declined to be named, as per their employers’ rules, said their broker, Nest Seekers International’s Steven Ké.
Ké said the roommates are all in their mid-20s, indeed work in finance and have a combined annual salary of more than $1 million. They tried to rent it on their own but were rejected, Ké said, adding that’s why he stepped in.
“It’s an incredible apartment. It has everything,” said Ké, who helped them get approval by writing a letter to the owner “and presenting them in a better light.”
“I used myself as a reference as well as prior landlord references for one of the tenants, who I previously worked with. I also broke down their financials, which was not just their annual salary. It included retention bonuses and more,” Ké said. “In other words, brokers know what owners look for and brokers know how to properly present an application.”
The guys now have quite the perch. The seven-story building comes with five units. It was built in 2005 and features four floor-through apartments, plus this penthouse duplex.
A private elevator opens to the penthouse, a renovated loft-style home with three bedrooms and 2½ bathrooms.
The modern, renovated residence is around 1,900 square feet. It features an open chef’s kitchen with a double oven, a Sub-Zero refrigerator and a wine fridge. Design details include a decorative fireplace, custom built-ins and wall-to-wall windows.
Two bedrooms share a balcony and a full bath. There’s also a main bedroom suite on the second floor, accessed by a suspended staircase. That suite features a walk-in closet with lots of storage, and an ensuite bath with heated floors and a soaking tub.
There’s also a 900-square-foot private roof terrace with an outdoor kitchen, an outdoor shower and views of downtown Manhattan.
The listing broker was Carlos Jacinto of Keller Williams.