He found a handful of options, knowing it was likely the friends would need to split a one-bedroom. They were aiming for something with a good kitchen, convenient laundry and a well-equipped gym. Their price range was $3,500 to $4,500; anything less for a home within walking distance of Juilliard seemed unrealistic.

The first place, at 180 Riverside Boulevard, was in the former rail-yard neighborhood sometimes called Riverside South. Ms. Pineda liked the river views and calm sidewalks, traffic noise from the highway notwithstanding.

Image A one-bedroom at 180 Riverside Boulevard had river views and calm sidewalks, but also an unworkable layout. Credit... Katherine Marks for The New York Times

One-bedrooms there were in the $3,000s and $4,000s, and only one was available. It had a rectangular bedroom, but the rest of the apartment was an unusual “not-square, not-even-triangle shape,” Ms. Pineda said. It seemed impossible to make it workable for two.

A sunny corner unit in a condominium building on West 47th Street, west of 10th Avenue, was farther from school but had great appeal. It had two large bedrooms, two bathrooms and four closets — and it came fully furnished. The rent was $4,475 a month.

But the owner wanted to sell the unit, meaning the roommates would need to let prospective buyers in for viewings. And if the apartment sold, they would have to vacate. They appreciated the agent’s honesty in explaining the limitations, and knew that they couldn’t risk a month-to-month lease, with the possibility of being booted out. (The apartment is currently for sale for $1.075 million, with monthly charges of around $1,700.)

Image A sunny corner unit in a building on West 47th Street had two large bedrooms, two bathrooms and four closets. But the unit’s owner was eager to sell it. Credit... Katherine Marks for The New York Times

Finally, they came to the Max, on West 57th Street near 11th Avenue, a 15-minute walk from the school. When Ms. Pineda visited, “I was in awe,” she said. “I had never seen a New York apartment like this in my dreams, ever. There is that huge lobby, and it was just so welcoming. I was, like, ‘This cannot be an apartment building. This is a palace.’”