City renters enjoy perks 

The down real estate market has been a boon for renters in Manhattan and Brooklyn, where rents are starting to level off or even fall and landlords are offering incentives. Some landlords are offering to pay broker’s fees or drop rents for tenants who avoid dealing with a broker. Figures released by brokerage Citi Habitats show that rents remained stable this summer, while The Real Estate Group of New York has reported some dips in certain categories. Owners of large and new buildings are more eager to negotiate to keep fill their buildings, brokers say.