Empty apartments in Manhattan reach record high, topping 13,000

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Manhattan apartment rentals are still far from cheap. The average rental price for a two-bedroom apartment is $4,620. Yet the so-called effective median rent -- what people pay with concessions -- fell 10% over last year, according to Miller. Aside from offering free rent, brokers are offering to pay broker fees, adding gift cards to Home Depot and other retailers, and offering initial cleaning services, brokers say.

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The surge in empty apartments in the nation's largest rental market is likely to have ripple effects throughout the economy. Housing experts estimate that about half of Manhattan's apartment rentals are owned by small business owners, rather than large publicly traded companies or the big, well-funded real estate families. As the small landlords lose income, they may be unable to pay property taxes, which is New York City's largest source of revenue. A drop in property taxes could result in cuts to services, which could make New York less attractive to new residents.