Optimal Case: NYC apartments

Optimal Case helps you rent or buy in Manhattan and the Hamptons. Compare apartments by what they really cost, walk through every viewing room by room, and test the numbers before you sign. It uses the same rules and figures as the calculators on optimalcase.com, worked out on your phone or tablet.

THE TRUE COST OF EVERY RENTAL
• Add the rentals on your shortlist: rent, lease length, free months, broker's fee, deposit, fees, extras and utilities
• See each one's all-in monthly cost, net effective rent, cash to move in, lease total, cost per square foot and commuting hours
• Rank your shortlist by your own priorities: cost, space, commute, light, quiet, condition, amenities and move-in cash
• Compare up to four side by side, with the cost over the lease on a chart
• The fee check says what New York City and State rules (including the FARE Act) say about the fees you entered, with sources
• Dates for viewings, applications and lease ends, with reminders and "Add to calendar"
• Not sure where to start? "Try with three examples" adds a sample shortlist, labelled as examples

VIEWINGS AND INSPECTIONS
• Start a viewing and get a room-by-room checklist built from the number of bedrooms and bathrooms
• Rate each item Good, Fair or Poor, and add notes
• Take photos tagged to the room and item, stamped with the time and, if you allow it, the location; or add photos from your library
• Voice notes turned into text (on the device where your phone supports it)
• Log defects by severity, with an estimated repair cost
• Readings: a noise-level estimate, light, phone signal and Wi-Fi strength
• Move-in and move-out condition reports
• Make a PDF report of any viewing to share or print
• A notification keeps the viewing in progress one tap away

CALCULATORS
• Cash to buy: closing costs and the cash to close in Manhattan or the Hamptons, with CEMA and town rules
• Affordability: the highest price your income, debts and cash support, and what sets the limit
• Rent or buy: year by year, owning against renting and investing the difference
• Net effective rent, the 40× income test, refinance, net proceeds from selling, and a co-op board worksheet
• Each result can be shared and links to how it is calculated on optimalcase.com

PRIVATE BY DESIGN
• No account and no sign-up
• Everything you enter stays on your device: no ads, no analytics, no tracking, and the app has no internet access
• Photos and reports leave your device only when you share them
• Optional app lock with your fingerprint, face or screen lock
• Erase everything from Settings at any time ("Erase everything on this device")

MADE FOR ANDROID
• Home-screen widgets for your next viewing and your lowest true cost
• Shortcuts to start a viewing, add a rental or open Cash to buy
• Two-pane layouts on tablets and foldables
• English and Spanish, light and dark themes

Optimal Case gives illustrative estimates, not financial, tax or legal advice. Lenders, co-op boards and landlords apply their own tests. A viewing report is your own record, not a professional inspection.

Optimal Case is a trading name of Caldrion LLC. Questions: [email protected]