I'll be going to NYC to look for apartments later this month. Any advice?

[white_wolf]

Hey everyone. So, I've been to New York several times and always wanted to live there. Now that I've gotten a decent job that will allow me to live wherever, I've decided to take the plunge. Any advice? I've never actually gone apartment hunting before. I'm looking at apartments now and trying to avoid the damn agent's fee, but is it worth to deal with an agent or would I be better off avoiding them?

[jberryhill]

1. I know of a Slovenian lady who recently had some space open up

[Hassin Bin Sober]

20. Fuckin' DU. Don't read while eating. LOL

Almost aspirated a piece of popcorn.

[Sanity Claws]

2. Streeteasy

A lot of people use http://streeteasy.com/

IMHO, craigslist has too many scams. I wouldn't use it.

[HoneyBadger]

3. Pick the neighborhood by walking around at night

See a minimum of 20 apartments.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

21. Might be a good way to get a feel on crime too!

[True Dough]

4. Hopefully you find something affordable

that's bigger than this:

http://nypost.com/2015/08/19/inside-nycs-infamous-100-square-foot-apartment/

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

5. I've been reading the NYTimes

column "The Hunt" in the real estate section for several years now. You should try to read some of them.

I don't live in NYC, but it looks as if it's almost impossible to get an apartment without paying an agent's fee. Article after article told of apartment hunters learning that listings which were advertized as not requiring the fee, were pure fiction.

If your current place has a washer and drier in your unit or even in your complex, you can probably kiss that amenity goodbye. Which means you'll be sending out your laundry every week.

And you'll probably need to spend about twice what you already expect.

Do keep us informed of how the apartment hunt goes.

[Doodley]

6. There is probably going to be a war. Think carefully about living in a city.

[HoneyBadger]

7. You can definitely avoid paying the fee

Which means the landlord is paying the agent, not you. Means less desirable apartment generally. Might mean old people live there, roaches, psychos, commute, etc. Good finances take you far. Minimum for renting is 1:50, i.e. $100k income gets you a dirty little $2k studio in a decent neighborhood. $300k income on the other hand can get you a nice 1 bedroom. A friend just rented a 2 bedroom in Stuyvesant Town for $4500, which is way cheap for an up and coming neighborhood. He loves it and it is no fee.

[white_wolf]

8. That seems a lot higher than what I'm seeing...

Everything I've read seems to indicate a rule that your monthly income needs to be 40 X monthly rent. I've found a few places in Fort Hamilton, for example for about 1.5 to 2,000 ranging from 1-2 bedrooms..Are the ads lying or am I missing something because I don't make 70K a year.

[HoneyBadger]

9. Ft Hamilton is not a desirable area from my perspective

Safe but it is an old people and families neighborhood. So the metric is not what it would be on the Lower East Side for example. If you do not mind where it is, Sheepshead Bay is probably the cheapest nice neighborhood in Brooklyn. Zero nightlife. Go home and go to sleep. Which is not the point of living in NYC for most people.

[white_wolf]

10. I agree with you on the last point, but...

I don't mind a bit of a commute to where the nightlife is if it saves me on rent. My income is about 70K a year so if you happen to know any areas that I should be looking at, I'd appreciate the advice

[msongs]

11. some people seem to think "old people" are undesirables.

[rug]

15. Don't overlook the Bronx.

It's the shortest ride to Manhattan than any borough.

Don't rule out any neighborhood. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[Betty88]

22. 70k a year..

You may need a roommate.

Best way to find an apt in NYC is to know someone. You will probably have to pay the fee if you want something nice. I live in Park Slope Brooklyn, lovely but expensive. Everything you need is just a few blocks away. The thing about the city is a nice area can be in the center of a not so nice one. Come and explore but be ready to pay. Good luck and welcome to NY.

[DFW]

44. 70K is almost slave wages in Manhattan

That's right around what my daughter makes. She gets by, but just barely, and she's a very pretty blonde in her early thirties who gets invited out a lot.

[BuddyCa]

14. old people, roaches, psychos

sounds like Florida.

[jberryhill]

19. Ugh... "old people"

Right up there with roaches.

[Me.]

26. Gosh HoneyB

No offense but what's wrong with old people living in a bldg.?

[HoneyBadger]

29. Nothing, but that is not what people moving to NYC are looking for

They want to go out and socialize with similar people, not hard to understand.

The same reason that a family of 4 will not move into dorm.

[Me.]

30. Well, You Don't Move Into A Bldg. For A Social Circle

Go out is the operative term..and frankly, we consider the seniors who live in our bldg. an asset and do not depend on them for a social life.

[HoneyBadger]

31. Sure you do

There is a building complex infamously known as DORMandie Court. When the East Side used to be desirable, people would ask WTF if you were over 30 and living there. Perfectly nice building, the residents were all about having fun. I remember an attractive woman in her 30's walking by a party in an apartment. The drunkards acted as drunkards do. Which quickly changed to "uhhhh, you are OLD" when they got a close look. It was that kind of place.


http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/dormandie_court_or_dormandy_court_normandie_court

[Me.]

33. Sorry But Will Have To Disagree Here

Cost, location, size of apt. for the money, amenities if you're lucky, what stores are around, nearby transportation, crime rate, any SRO's and so on and so forth. Are any old people living in bldg isn't up there, if at all. One bldg. does not a city make.

As for neighbors, you want good ones but if you're looking to hook up with he/she next door you better hope it doesn't go bad 'cause an apartment bldg. elevator can turn into the most inconvenient meeting place.

[LanternWaste]

34. I pretend to know what people want out of a move as well...

I pretend to know what people want out of a move as well... it allows us the pretense of a cleverness that may not be justified.

[HoneyBadger]

35. I read that as "I pretend........"

[Runningdawg]

12. Be prepared to raise your budget and lower your standards

[Motown_Johnny]

13. If you can live "wherever" don't pick NYC

It is expensive to live in or near the city. If you really can live anywhere you want, pick somewhere with a lower cost of living and pocket the difference.

If you really feel that you must be near NYC then consider commuting. Poughkeepsie is about an hour north up the Hudson and is a really nice area. You can always take the train right into the city if you want to.

I wish you luck, but maybe rethink exactly where you want to be.

[Betty88]

23. Poughkeepsie may be nice

but man that's more than an hour. Westchester is just north of Manhattan, and that's 30 or min by train, nice train too. Key to Westchester is you would need a car. NYC no car needed. Yonkers, just up from the bronx might be a place to check out.

[Motown_Johnny]

32. I picked Poughkeepsie because I lived near there for a while.

Your point is well taken. You could live closer to the city and still not be in the city. I agree completely.

[mnhtnbb]

16. Consider Hoboken, NJ instead just across the river

Much less expensive. Gorgeous views of NY. Lots of younger people. Short ride to get in to the city on public transportation.

Check it out.

http://hobokengirl.com/26-reasons-hoboken-is-the-best-place-to-live/

and comparison cost of living

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=United+States&country2=United+States&city1=New+York%2C+NY&city2=Hoboken%2C+NJ&tracking=getDispatchComparison

I know a couple who just moved to Hoboken after living abroad--in Singapore--for the last few years. Totally cool folks.

[bettyellen]

27. Or Jersey City - both have trains that run all day and night and quick commutes

Jersey City is huge but the areas closest to the PATH train are pretty desirable and usually lively. Both Hoboken and JC have a decent bar and restaurant scene.

[red dog 1]

17. Stay away from Trump Tower!

[white_wolf]

18. What if I want to protest it? n/t

[red dog 1]

36. Then by all means go & protest

I heard that since Twitler stole the election, protesters can't get closer than I block from Trump Tower...(I hope that's not true)

[WinkyDink]

24. "to live wherever" had better mean at least $3000/mo. just for rent. P.S. No joke; Jersey City is

gentrifying like crazy.

[DFW]

25. My elder daughter is in love with midotwn Manhattan, now lives there

She doesn't make a lot of money (mid five figures before taxes) but LOVES the area, and wouldn't trade her tiny place in an east thirties neighborhood for a mansion in the suburbs.

Ironically, her younger sister, who now makes mid six figures and could afford a fabulous place in Manhattan, and wanted more than anything to live in New York, is stuck in Frankfurt, Germany for the immediate future.

I don't know what kind of money you're making, but if you can afford it, allocate as much money as you can, and live in the neighborhood you most want to be in. You'll NEVER regret it!

[white_wolf]

28. That's what I'm thinking.

It sounds like your older daughter is in the same income range as me. I don't need much since it's just me. A studio or one bedroom would be fine since I don't intend to spend too much time in the apartment anyway. If your daughter has any tips that you could pass on to me, I'd greatly appreciate it.

[DFW]

40. She's on a different time zone, but I remember her searches

You may want to take your time with this. The diversity of offerings is staggering. Many buildings are very old inside, and be prepared for some fights with your landlord on timely repairs of water damage, heating, etc. Competition for decent apartments is fierce. Be prepared to compromise, but also be prepared to jump on it if it suits you. If you liked it, chances are, so did someone else. NYC is one very cool place to live, and the secret is kind of out by now. A big rule for NYC apartments is "he who hesitates is lost."

My daughter at first lived with roomies she met online. The first one turned out to be a drug addict whom she ended up saving from a suicide attempt. The second time, she was with two other girls, which worked out for a while, but they started to get on each other's nerves in the cramped space. Now she has her own tiny apartment (40 square meters), which she shares with two cats she adopted. It's on E. 30th street, and she loves living there. She used to be able to walk to work until her company moved, but her office is way up in some new high rise near the new World Trade Center, and she looks out over the Statue of Liberty from work (until Trump orders it taken down, anyway). She says the view is well worth the half-hour commute.

Check out your potential neighborhood. Food and entertainment nearby? Subway station? Who's hanging around? Are these the people you want to be among? Make sure your fridge works!! Meal portions are huge, and many people who go out for food fully expect whatever they order to include tomorrow night's dinner as well. For $8.95, you can get a huge portion of whatever (my favorite is chicken and broccoli in black bean sauce) at a Chinese place on 6th Avenue near 36th street that only MAYBE a sumo wrestler could finish in one sitting. Really good food, too. At lunch, there is a line of Chinese and non- waiting halfway around the block. That's always a good sign. Unfortunately, an icon, the Carnegie Deli, is finally closing, but a few thousand others are still open.

[white_wolf]

43. This was a big help!

Thank you! And yeah, I won't lie, I'm kind of nervous to just grab random roommates from online. Someone can seem perfectly sane for a few hours or days, but two weeks in and it turns out you're rooming with a serial killer or someone who wants you to join a cult.

[red dog 1]

37. Good luck!

[marzipanni]

38. I'd spend a couple of days and nights in an air bnb or small hotel

in an area you have narrowed your search down to, to get a better feel for it.

[crazycatlady]

39. My cousin just moved from Queens to Hoboken

Cheaper COL, shorter commute into Manhattan, and they don't need a car.

[NNadir]

41. Speak softly and carry a big check book, and stay far away from Trump tower.

[AngryAmish]

42. 1. Be wealthy

2. If not wealthy acquire said apartment sixty years ago.

I visited my relatives on the Upper east side last weekend. A four bedroom in their building goes for $20,000 a month now.