What is the FARE Act and how does it affect Brooklyn landlords?

The FARE Act is a New York City law that took effect in 2025 requiring landlords to pay the broker fee when they hire an agent to list and lease their property. Previously, broker fees were often passed to tenants. The change means landlords now budget for the broker fee as a cost of finding a tenant. A well-placed tenant found quickly costs less in lost rent than a vacancy that drags on, making the broker fee a sound investment in doing the rental correctly.

How do I find a qualified tenant in Brooklyn?

Finding a qualified tenant requires broad marketing reach and careful screening. Listings placed through a licensed agent reach the MLS and major rental platforms, attracting a larger and more qualified pool. A thorough screening process covers employment history, income verification, credit, and references. Tenant quality matters as much as speed of placement. A tenant who pays on time and respects the property is worth considerably more than one who does not, regardless of the rent.

What does a rental agent do for a Brooklyn landlord?

A rental agent handles pricing strategy, listing preparation, professional photography, marketing through the MLS and rental platforms, tenant inquiries, showings, application review, financial qualification, and lease coordination through signing. For landlords who live out of town or manage multiple properties, a good rental agent also serves as the point of contact for move-in and move-out coordination and any issues that arise during the process.

How long does it take to rent an apartment in Brooklyn?

A correctly priced, well-presented Brooklyn apartment in a neighborhood with strong rental demand typically finds a qualified tenant within two to four weeks. Units that sit longer are almost always priced above where the market is, or are not being presented and marketed effectively. Timing also matters: spring and summer are the most active rental seasons in Brooklyn, while winter tends to move more slowly.

Brooklyn Rental Agent for Landlords | Craig Yoskowitz

Renting Your Brooklyn Property

Renting out an apartment or townhouse in Brooklyn is not simply about finding a tenant. It is about pricing the unit correctly, presenting it well, attracting qualified applicants, and placing the right person in your home. Do any of those things poorly and the consequences follow you into the tenancy.

I have spent 15 years focused on Brownstone Brooklyn, leasing more than 100 apartments for property owners across Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Windsor Terrace, and surrounding neighborhoods. Some of those relationships have lasted a decade. One landlord in Park Slope has been working with me for ten years across four different tenants. Another relies on me entirely from Chicago to find tenants, manage move-ins and move-outs, and handle whatever comes up in between.

That kind of trust is built transaction by transaction. It starts with doing the work correctly the first time.

Pricing: The Number That Drives Everything

Rental pricing in Brooklyn is not a static exercise. Demand shifts by season, by neighborhood, and by unit type. What commanded a premium six months ago may sit today if the market has moved. What looks underpriced on paper may be exactly right for the moment.

Getting the price right requires a current read on comparable active listings, recent leases, and how tenants in this neighborhood are actually behaving right now. The goal is to minimize vacancy without leaving income on the table. Overpricing extends vacancy. Underpricing costs money that cannot be recovered.

Preparation and Presentation

Tenants form their first impression from the listing photos before they schedule a showing. A well-photographed, clearly presented apartment generates more inquiries, attracts more qualified applicants, and rents faster than one that is not. This holds at every price point.

I treat rental listings with the same attention as sales listings. Professional photography, a clean and accurate description, and marketing through the MLS and major rental platforms. The extra effort at the front end consistently produces better results at the back end.

Tenant Screening

Placing the right tenant matters as much as pricing correctly. A tenant who pays on time, respects the property, and communicates clearly is worth considerably more than one who does not, regardless of the rent.

I manage inquiries, coordinate showings, collect applications, and review financial qualifications carefully before presenting candidates to the owner. Employment history, income verification, credit, and references all factor in. The screening process is thorough because the alternative is expensive.

The FARE Act: What Brooklyn Landlords Need to Know

Under the FARE Act, which took effect in New York City in 2025, landlords pay the broker fee when they hire an agent to market and lease their property. Tenants are no longer required to pay broker fees on landlord-listed apartments.

In practice this changes the cost structure but not the value equation. A well-placed tenant found quickly costs less in lost rent than a vacancy that drags on while you try to rent it yourself. The broker fee is a cost of doing the rental correctly.

For Out-of-Town Landlords

Several of my longest-running landlord relationships are with owners who do not live in Brooklyn. They rely on me not just to find tenants but to be present when they cannot be: coordinating move-ins and move-outs, managing repairs when something comes up, and making judgment calls that keep the tenancy running smoothly.

If you own a Brooklyn property and live elsewhere, I am glad to talk through what that kind of relationship actually looks like.

My rented properties

Craig Yoskowitz, Brooklyn buyer's agent at Corcoran

Let’s Connect

I have lived and worked in Brownstone Brooklyn for more than twenty years. If you are thinking about renting your property, I am glad to talk through pricing, timing, and what the process actually looks like right now.

Contact Craig