How to Find a Sublet in NYC: Facebook, Reddit, Craigslist and More (2025 Updated Guide)
Evelyn Yen,Co-Founder & CEO
§Introduction
This is a beginner’s guide to finding and securing a sublease in New York City. Whether you’re looking for:
- a fully furnished Manhattan apartment sublet
- the perfect New York apartment summer sublet
- or just any flexible sublet in the city for a short period of time
This guide has you covered. Navigating the market for sublease apartments in NYC can be tough, especially when demand for summer sublet apartments in New York skyrockets. With these tips, you’ll learn how to find a great sublet to rent, avoid common pitfalls, and make your search as smooth as possible.
§Step 1: Decide what you need
Before jumping into the search, you should figure out what type of arrangement best suits your needs: a sublease, lease, or lease takeover.
| Type | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Sublease | You temporarily take over the space, while the original tenant stays responsible for the lease | Short-term stays; perfect for students, interns, or short-term needs |
| Lease Takeover | You take over the current lease and become fully responsible | Longer stays without starting a new lease; good for staying a year or more |
| Lease | You sign a lease directly with the landlord; usually at least 12 months long | Stability; short term leases and flexible leases are much less common than long-term leases |
§Step 2: Define your preferences
One of the toughest challenges in subletting is sorting through countless listings to find ones that fit your needs. With scams being so common, having clear criteria is going to save you time and effort.
§Essential Questions
1. What’s your maximum budget, including utilities?
Utilities typically cost an additional $70–$100, so set your rent budget accordingly.
2. How long do you plan to stay?
- Are you looking for a New York summer sublet, or something longer?
- Subleases most commonly last between 30 days to under 12 months.
- If you want to stay longer, consider if a lease takeover would work better for you.
3. What’s important to you in a neighborhood?
While Manhattan sublets are popular, each neighborhood offers unique advantages.
§Step 3: How to find a sublet
Start with your personal network to find sublets in New York City. But if you're new and don't have connections, here are a few of the best NYC sublet websites to search.
§Best NYC Sublet Websites
| Platform | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Facebook Groups | Search for “NYC housing groups” on Facebook to find the most popular ones in the city. | Recommended groups include Young Females NYC, NYC Apartments, Sublets, and Roommates, NYC Short Term Sublets, and Gypsy Housing NYC. We recommend sticking to private groups to avoid scams. However, scams can pop up anywhere, so make sure you know how to spot them. |
| Atlas Rooms | Aggregates sublet apartments in NYC from across the internet, including Facebook, Reddit, and Craigslist | Features a powerful scam filter and real-time notifications for new listings tailored to your preferences |
| Listings Project | Originally for artists, now catering to broader audiences | Sends new listings weekly via email |
| Craigslist | Great for small landlord deals | Heavily targeted by scammers. Only send money after visiting the place, meeting the lister, and signing a sublease agreement. Check out our guide on spotting scams if you plan to search on Craigslist. |
§How long will I have to search for subleases in NYC?
This process can take a few days to six weeks, depending on your needs and how consistently you search.
§Step 4: Send a message
A strong first message generally demonstrates three qualities.
- You're a real person
- You're financially capable
- You're consistent and trustworthy.
§Sample Message
Hi [Lister’s First Name]! My name is [First Name] ([Age][Gender]), and I’m very interested in your listing from [Start Date] to [End Date]. I start as a [Occupation] at [Company] in [Neighborhood of the company office] this [Month], which is why I’m looking for a temporary sublet to get familiar with the area. In my free time, I enjoy [hobbies/activities/whatever you do for fun].
My linkedin can be found [here] and my [social media] here. I can send over my letter of employment & recent pay stubs for proof of income. I’ve sublet successfully a few times before, so I also know where we can draft up a sublease agreement and sign so that both of us are comfortable with the process.
I’m happy to move fast and can hop on a quick call anytime to talk about details! If you’re interested, let me know if you’re free anytime today/tomorrow/this week, and we can talk more. Thank you!
§Step 5: Call the lister
The lister responded—time to schedule a call and do a vibe check to see if it’s a good fit.
§Act quickly
Schedule the call as soon as possible. If this is a Facebook listing, the lister is likely getting multiple inquiries per hour. Most work on a first-come, first-served basis, so secure the earliest available spot.
§Prepare questions
- What’s the neighborhood like during the day and at night?
- How is the noise level at different times of day?
- If the lister is moving out, why are they leaving?
- Can you share info about the roommates (e.g., bios, occupations, hobbies, lifestyles)?
§Step 6: Tour the sublet
When touring your sublet, it’s smart to take cues from what renters check during apartment visits. Then, decide what you’re willing to sacrifice for a short-term sublet.
§Key things to check
Local Amenities
Note the nearest laundromat, grocery store, diner, bodega, gym, coffee shop, and coworking space.
Signal
Test Wi-Fi and cell service strength.
Utilities
Check water pressure, water heat, and try the flush/shower temperature test to avoid cold, weak showers. Do the same for all sinks.
Super & Maintenance
Check if the super lives on-site and look at the garbage area—poor upkeep can mean a bad landlord.
Sunlight
Check which way the building faces, when it gets sunlight, and if anything blocks the sun, like tall buildings.
§Step 7: Sign an agreement
§You have to use one.
A sublease agreement is a contract that spells out the sublease terms between the tenant and the subtenant. It protects both sides if any issues come up, even ones that could land you in housing court. We highly recommend using one, especially if you're giving a stranger online a security deposit of thousands of dollars.
§Three rules of thumb for sublease agreements
- Do not go through with any sublet or sublease if the lister refuses to use a written agreement.
- Do not send any money to any lister without an agreement signed.
- Do not sign a sublease agreement you don’t understand.
§Conclusion
Finding a sublet in NYC can feel overwhelming, but with the right approach, it’s absolutely doable. This guide will help you navigate the housing market, avoid mistakes, and find the right place for you.
§About Us
§Related Articles
Coming Soon Read more about finding summer sublets for 2025 in NYC.
Coming Soon Read more about finding short-term sublets in NYC that are furnished.
Coming Soon Read more about finding sublet apartments in NYC Manhattan.