This week readers visited Brick Underground to try to wrap their brains around the application process for New York City’s elementary schools. Many public elementary schools give preference to students who live in their geographic zones. However, lower enrollment these days means even very competitive schools may have seats available for non-zoned students.

Also of interest: In a sign of just how cutthroat the rental market is these days—some renters say they are being asked to bid on the broker fee in order to land a rent-stabilized apartment.

Here are this week's top five posts:

1) The buyer's and renter's guide to NYC's public and private elementary schools

2) Want that rent-stabilized apartment? You may need to win a broker fee bidding war

3) The 21 best questions to ask potential roommates to get the perfect match

4) Why I moved to NYC from Chicago: To live where I envisioned myself, even if I wasn't 100 percent sure I could afford it

5) A housing lottery opens for 160 apartments in Crown Heights, Brooklyn