If I’m working with a broker, at what stage of the rental process should I discuss the amount of the broker fee?

You should ALWAYS discuss and agree upon the amount of the broker fee upfront before starting to work with an agent (including before you view any properties).  You should not put yourself in a situation where you decide to apply for an apartment or get approved and then have to negotiate a broker fee after, feeling pressure that if you do not agree to the agent’s terms, you may lose the apartment.  Prevent this from happening by setting the fee upfront during the initial conversation.

Note: Different situations may require broker fees to vary, such as in the case of a co-broke transaction, where two brokers (one representing the management company / landlord and one representing the prospective tenant) are involved in a deal and the fee is to be split.  These types of deals can generally command a 15% broker fee, while non co-broke transactions may require a lower fee.  Therefore, an agreement upfront could be situational and conditional on which type of transaction is completed.