A trio of 20-something financier brothers avoid paying high rents for sad NYC studios — and share a $15K-a-month penthouse instead

Rents can be high, but there are opportunities – if you’re willing to share.

Take this luxury two-bedroom apartment at 109 Norfolk St., aka the Switch Building, on the Lower East Side. The penthouse was on the rental market for $15,500 a month. While that might be pretty high for a twenty-one-year-old, it’s not so bad when shared by three people with deep pockets.

In this case, for three friends who are finance brothers, the choice was clear: Say “no” to living alone in a small studio apartment for $5,000 a month, and “yes” to a luxurious penthouse with space large in nature. a cute hoodie.

The roommates declined to be named, per their employers’ rules, said their broker, Steven Ké of Nest Seekers International.

Ké said the roommates are all in their mid-20s, actually work in finance and have a combined annual salary of more than $1 million. They tried to rent it themselves but were turned down, Ké said, adding that’s why he went inside.

“It is an incredible apartment. It has everything,” said Ké, who helped them get approval by writing a letter to the owner “and presenting them in a better light.”

“I used myself as a reference as well as previous landlord references for one of the tenants I worked with before. I also ruined the finances, which was not only the annual salary. It included retention bonuses and more,” Ké said. “In other words, brokers know what landlords are looking for, and brokers know how to properly submit an application.”

Boys now have quite a high position. The seven-story building comes with five units. It was built in 2005 and contains four apartments on four floors, plus this penthouse duplex.

A private elevator opens to the penthouse, a renovated loft-style home with three bedrooms and 2½ bathrooms.

The modern, renovated residence is approximately 1,900 square feet. It features an open chef’s kitchen with a double oven, a Sub-Zero refrigerator and a wine cooler. Design details include a decorative fireplace, custom fixtures and wall-to-wall windows.

Two bedrooms share a balcony and a full bathroom. There is also a master bedroom suite on the second floor, accessible by a hanging staircase. This suite features a walk-in closet with plenty of space​​​​​​​​​​ and a bathroom with heated floors and a soaking tub.

There’s also a private 900-square-foot roof terrace with an outdoor kitchen, an outdoor shower, and views of midtown Manhattan.

The listing broker was Carlos Jacinto of Keller Williams.