How would brokers know if rents are going to increase in 2009? Most haven't even figure out yet that they've been falling for months. I'd be surprised if rents start rising by 2010.

I agree: most apartment rental brokers know nothing and want to portray themselves as experts in something. TheRealDeal needs to back these statements up with some substantive info (i.e. demand to increase because x,y,z). Relaying the myopic opinions of apartment rental brokers is not good reporting. It is no different than asking a used car salesman what he thinks about the auto industry... He doesn’t give a rat’s ass, as he only wants the quick hustle, not the big picture.

Most experienced rental brokers have known for more than 6 months that there is a very diminished demand hence, an abundant supply. Lower prices, much lower in fact, attracts the most interested renters. Brokers want to rent, not continuously show overpriced units. However, too much of the media followed the moron Daniel Baum's assessment of rent prices going up-He's probably been in the busines for 1 year, maybe 2, and knows nothing.

Actually it is coming up 8 years now in the Manhattan market, thank you, and if you spent a few moments to research before posting, you'd find we have been reporting on the rental market for over 18 months now and were the first to inform the public that the rental market was losing momentum way back in August of 07 to be precise.