Columbus Square Offering Free Rent, $1,000 for Brokers

The Columbus Square developers are either feeling antsy or desperate to sign some renters for their five glass towers between 97th and 100th Streets on Columbus Avenue. They’ve already agreed to make the apartments rent stabilized in return for tax benefits, and now they’re giving tenants 3 months free rent and a $1,000 broker bonus, the New York Times is reporting (the project’s website still says rent is free for 2.5 months if you move in by Oct. 15). The first two apartment buildings are almost complete.

The Times notes that offering the broker a bonus raises some sticky questions — like should the broker give the bonus to the renter, or keep it for herself?

Also, if a two-bedroom apartment is “rent stabilized” but still costs more than $4,000, is it actually affordable to middle class people? And that $4,000 number appears to factor in the 3 free months. If tenants stay more than a year, it looks like they’ll be paying more than $5,000 for that two-bedroom! (photo via Columbus Square NYC)