Woman's Massive $800 Rent-Stabilized NYC Apartment Has People Shook

Manhattan has one of, if not the most, expensive housing markets in the United States today. Finding an apartment there for $1,000 a month or less isn't easy, and finding a place at the price point that's actually spacious and comfortable is even rarer- though not impossible, if you happen to get very, very lucky like Alissa Moulster did.

In an unbelievably savvy real estate move, Manhattanite Alissa managed to score an incredible, rent-stabilized apartment in the city for just around $800 a month. Whatever you expected an $800-a-month Manhattan apartment to look like, I bet it wasn't anything like this:

The real estate gods were clearly smiling down on Alissa (aka @alissaxxjo ) when she scored these sweet digs. Her new Manhattan apartment had an incredibly spacious living room and dining area, a bedroom with charming French doors, a cute bathroom with faux-marble flooring, and two walk-in closets ! The only downside was the tiny kitchen, which had next-to-no counter space, but Alissa said it does everything she needs it to do. I've seen Manhattan apartments like this go for several thousand dollars a month, but thanks to rent stabilization, Alissa pays only a mere $814 a month in rent!

Related: Actress' Tour of Her Tiny NYC 'Microstudio' Apartment Is Full of Fun Surprises

Obviously, people were shook by Alissa's unbelievable luck. With all things considered, people didn't even think the micro-kitchen was that big of a drawback!

"Even if you ate takeout for every single meal of the day, you'd still save THOUSANDS on rent. The kitchen doesn't even matter," marveled TikTok user @nolapeachtee.

"Never been more jealous in my life," admitted @briyanna.riah. Same... and I don't even live in NYC!

Finding a Rent-Stabilized Diamond in the Rough

Fortunately for New Yorkers looking for cheaper digs, Alissa shared her secrets for finding cheap, rent-stabilized apartments, utilizing the skills she picked up as a former licensed real estate agent in New York City- though she acknowledged that a lot of it still comes down to luck.

"Every single building in Manhattan, I'm pretty sure, is legally required to have one rent-stabilized unit for every, like, six apartments they have in their building," Alissa explained in a follow-up TikTok . It's actually a bit more complicated than that: according to the NYS Homes and Community Renewal agency, rent stabilization generaly applies to apartments built between 1947-1974 , apartments removed from rent control, and buildings that receive certain tax benefits. Still, that doesn't negate the rest of Alissa's advice.

While Alissa recommends hiring a trustworthy broker to better your odds, she says that people can do it themselves if they're willing to do their research, reach out directly to brokers with rent-stabilized units, and put in the groundwork. But don't waste your time looking on renting sites: according to Alissa, rent-stabilized units get snatched up so fast, agents don't even bother to post them. Instead, Alissa recommends signing up for email blasts from brokers and agencies, which will send out lists of all their upcoming openings up to a year in advance.

But even if you're on top of the alerts, you're qualified, and you have all your documents ready, Alissa makes it clear that you might need to make a big gamble.

"You should probably apply for it sight unseen, because there's going to be, I'm not kidding, probably 5,000 applicants on a rent-stabilized apartment," admits Alissa. "And most of the time, they just go right in order... You literally don't have time to think about it."

Hey, nobody ever said finding a nice, cheap apartment in New York City was easy, but people like Alissa prove that it's not impossible - though it sure helps to have a little luck on your side!

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