[jpwright]

Probably they're living near the Hoyt-Schemerhorn station in downtown Brooklyn. The A/C are good, reliable trains that offer a quick commute to a large number of jobs in Lower Manhattan. And it's absolutely in a safe neighborhood.

As for your search, you need to include apartments with broker fees. That's just a reality of the real estate market in NYC. There are many cases where paying the fee is worthwhile.