Apartment hunters in New York City got good news on Wednesday when the City Council there passed a bill that would largely compel landlords, not tenants, to cover broker fees, that expensive charge tacked on to the cost of signing an apartment lease.

New York City appears to getting rid of broker fees. In Boston, where 65-percent of residents rent, it's still an issue.

Legislation passed this week in New York City leaves Boston as the last major city where tenants can be required to pay hefty fees for real estate brokers hired by their landlords.