Four Ways To Get A Subletter

By Lev Novak

So your plans have changed. Or maybe your plan was always the same- to get a subletter to replace you for the summer, for example, or in the two months you’ll be gone to rescue seagulls or whatever it is productive people do.

But whatever you’re doing, the fact remains the same: you’ll be going somewhere else. And you need a person to live in your apartment.

Easier said than done.

1. Put Out a Net

No, you can’t just tweet once about how you have an apartment, if somebody is interested. You have to lay footwork. Craigslist is great, but people are more inclined to listen to you if they know you in person. Post on Facebook and post fairly often: people will recommend it to their friends, and you’ll get a few messages from old pals who’ll pretend it’s a casual drop-in before asking about the apartment.

Yay! Friendship and subletting- it’s a great duo.

2. Get Your Room-mates involved

If your room-mates are staying, ask if they have friends who’d be willing to replace you. It benefits them to fill your spot with somebody they like, and if they’re inactive a good tactic is to mention aloud that you’ll just have to try your luck with randos.

If your room-mates are reluctant to get started, the threat of randos is enough to get them moving. While getting a subletter is still your own responsibility, getting your room-mates involved is a great way to open yourself up to more opportunities at the same time.

3. Be Flexible

When it comes to subletting, it’s the Wild West.

Sure there are some rules, but for the most part it’s mostly about putting a body in a room to pay you money. You’re competing with tons of other apartments for an enormous pool of subletters who are going to be “close” to signing at approximately forty-million apartments and will just stop responding to your texts when you send them.

That’s just the reality of the situation. If you’re not a landlord, then the process of subletting can seem arcane and frustrating. You don’t know how to bargain or what to do or what amount of follow-up is appropriate. You don’t know what selling points to emphasize on your apartment, what angles to take pictures out or even what sites to post on.

It’s okay. Not everyone is a realtor or a uCribs. But with that in mind, it might benefit you to be flexible.

Did you really want one person to sublet but they’re dragging their heels? Replace them. Subletting is a crazy game and you can’t fall in love.

Is a friend just not the right fit financially or personally for your apartment or room-mate? Cut them out. No friends in the sublet game. It’s strictly business, and if you bend too far you’re going to break.

Is someone dragging their heels as the month gets closer to a close? Consider taking a small loss on the apartment and offering a lower rate.

When it comes to rentals, give yourself as much freedom as you can and remember that something is better than nothing. A month of missed rent, especially in a busy or expensive market like New York, is something you should do your best to avoid.

4. Get It Done

Just do it. Offer it to everyone. No loyalty, no “holding the apartment” or anything else. Double text people who visited the apartment- it might be a little awkward, but it makes sense to do it.

This is business. Get it done, fast and for sure. A “maybe” is your enemy here.

And, when you do, take a big sigh of relief.

All you have left is subletting.

We’ll deal with that tomorrow.

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