"as is" lease - what does this mean?

[<In the dark>]

I'm calling a real estate broker back tomorrow regarding an apartment in DUMBO in NY. It's very cheap, but somewhat sketchy.

Its in a 1-apartment building behind a small 3 apartment building. She told me that the building used to be a residential until the LL removed the fixtures and rented it as an office. It is now being rented "as is" and it would be up to me to install kitchen appliances + sink as well as a shower in the bathroom. The bathroom has a toilet and a sink.

I have done some research and coupled with the apartment's shareability and low price this could be a very viable living space. However what does "as is" mean to me as a tenant? Is the LL still legally responsible to make the place habitable(repair leaks and electric, etc)? How do I determine if its even a legal living space zoning-wise and how do I make sure its up to code after that?

Thanks to everyone for advise..
-In the dark

[<JJ>]

goto: NYC Dept of Buildings, online at nyc.gov or go in person or both.
You need to berify that the building has a Certificate of Occupancy that allows residential use.

Zoning is also online, to research if the building is even in a residential-use zone, try nyc.gov for that or search in the old TenantNet forum for it.

'as-is' means exactly what it sounds like; except that it is illegal to rent for resedential purposes a 'dwelling' that does not meet residential codes.

[<In The Dark>]

I went to the Dept of Buildings and searched for the address. Then I called for more details. It is zoned as a 1-family residence + a business. I'm hoping it will be obvious which one the apartment is.

If it is zoned as a business how difficult would it be to make it legal as a dwelling? I mean just the legal aspects of the conversion - not so much the construction.

Thanks

-Ethan

[Cranky Tenant]

Before you get too deeply involved in this, you should consider how much you're willing to invest in someone else's property. As long as the apartment is zoned as a business, you could be evicted by the city for living in an illegal apartment. When and if the zoning is changed to residential, what guarantee will you have that the LL will allow you to remain? He might as well rent it to someone else for whatever they feel the market value for residential space might be.

[<bethmclush>]

Hi if you don't take it I am looking for an office and this might be the one! If you don't want it please post the RE agents name and number thanks!