Craigslist, deconstructed

1 We’ve all heard this one before.

2 Find out what this means. If there’s a broker, ask how he or she is getting paid. Sometimes the owner or landlord pays the broker a set fee; and in shadier situations, the broker might be skimming a fee off the top of a rent that’s been inflated precisely for that purpose.

3 Is the broker legit? “Make sure the agent has a broker’s license,” advises real-estate attorney Lisa Breier Urban. You can do this by searching on the Department of State site (dos.state.ny.us). “If the ad says ‘For rent by owner,’ verify that this is in fact the owner,” adds Urban. Find a list of deeded property owners on the Automated City Register Information System (nyc.gov/acris), where you can search either by owner name or apartment location.

4 Do a little research to find out whom you’re dealing with. Rapidnyc.com, for example, is the site of a largish Brooklyn outfit stocked with a slew of newly trained agents who recite a group chant at the end of each day (watch it for yourself on YouTube). It’s also not only a rental agency, but a development and construction company as well.

5 If a Match.com photo showed a guy’s elbow instead of his face, how quick would you be to write him? Have the same standards for apartment pictures. And give them a good look to make sure they match the written description. That said, sometimes listings with no photos offer the perk of being less popular, which means you might find a gem and have a better shot at it. But that requires an investment of time and energy. Is it worth it?

6 We’re always a fan of the listings that link to maps; that way you can find out if it’s really “steps from the subway” or even in the neighborhood it claims. FYI, brokers: Crown Heights is not Prospect Heights.

*This ad is a composite of real Craigslist ads. Names and photos have been changed to protect the lame-os.

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