To find a room in New York City can be a daunting challenge. You could start with an online search using big name sites. But they tend to be a bit of a sausage factory, just turning the handle and cramming everything they can through the site without ever thinking to themselves, “Wait a second, someday, somebody’s actually gonna eat that . . . .” You could go on tour and drive place to place yourself, but let’s be honest. NYC traffic is bad enough when you’re going to work. Who in their right mind wants to spend their personal time dealing with Time Square when it has a bad case of the standstills? It’s supposed to be your day off, yuck!

Thankfully, Roomi lets you find high-quality rooms in New York City and elsewhere that have been checked by our dedicated team. Standing as vigilant sentinels against scammers, shady real estate agents, and dilapidated rooms. (While the evolutionary adaptations of the modern cockroach make for simply fascinating bedtime reading, nobody wants them as roommates. Double yuck.) The best part is, you can do it all from the comfort of your own home.

Here’s a list of the challenges you’ll encounter when you try to find a room in New York City, and how Roomi can help you adapt and overcome.

Related: 7 Things To Check Before You Find A Roommate In NYC

How Roomi Will Help You Find A Room In New York City

NYC is super crowded

That’s both good and bad. There are lots of choices, but also no shortage of competition. And while lots of people in NYC are pretty cool, there are some folks out there who are legitimately cray-cray. And some of them are landlords. Roomi has a whole team of people dedicated to keeping listings safe and accurate, so when you see a Trusted Listing, you can rest assured knowing the room is everything it claims to be.

Size matters

Finding a room in NYC is tough! The city is not exactly swimming in open space parks and massive parking lots only full on Christmas day. Real estate runs at a premium, and many rooms in New York City might look good at first glance. Until you realize it’s so small you can’t even open the refrigerator door without hitting the wall and blocking you out of your own food cache. (There have got to be better ways to diet.)

And it’s more than just a number, it’s about layout. 600 square feet sounds tempting until you realize part of that is the communal hallway and the apartment itself is a glorified closet with a view. Of the brick wall of the next building over. Roomi has floor plans galore so you can get a clear idea of not just how big it is, but how that space is distributed.

A room in New York City is sooo expensive

With rent that towers over most of the US, the price tag of the room alone can make or break your ability to move.

Nobody wants to look at the fridge, their pet, and their room in New York City and think to themselves, “One of you has got to go.” Roomi has a huge variety of living conditions, from single occupancy apartments all over town to super fun roommate situations to help keep the rent down.

Related: How To Find An Affordable Room In NYC

You can hear everything through the walls of the room in New York City

The neighbors sound nice. Some apartments are louder than others, and that’s a pretty important thing to know, especially if you’re a light sleeper. Sounds come from more than just gabby neighbors and slamming doors. NYC is so alive. There are events and parties all the time. Lots of people are into that – in varying degrees. Roomi has a secure messaging system so you can ask a potential landlord questions about the apartment’s noise levels.

Use public transportation to find a room in New York City

Hike through the urban jungle on an exciting modern day safari. Or, you know, just take a bus. Public transportation layout around the apartment is good to know when you try to find a room in NYC, even if you do own a car. Short hops around town usually just aren’t worth engaging in parking-meter-battle-royal.

Throwing up the e-brake and drifting the car into a perfect parallel park is exciting in the movies but in reality, it’s just expensive. Roomi includes maps of the surrounding area that have public transportation options pre-populated for you so you can strategize your escape from work. Or how you’re going to make your entrance into the evening’s entertainment.

With one click, Roomi can give you tons of verified information about apartments, the surrounding area, and potential roommates. It’s the ultimate tool to help you find a room in NYC.