I've been offered a job in NYC -- advice?

[Shredr]

I've spent my entire adult life in LA, but lost my job recently (thanks Shrub).

I've been offered a job in NYC and, if the money's right, I'm gonna do it.

I'm excited and nervous.

The job's in midtown (right near Macy's).

I don't know NYC at all.

Where should I live? How can I find a nice place to live?

Am I crazy to give up sunny LA and everything I know?

[Kathy in Cambridge]

1. What's your budget for housing?

apartments are outrageously expensive in Manahattan.

[Shredr]

2. That's what I hear.

I'll have decent money, but not great. If not Manhattan, where should I live?

[sallyseven]

28. Brooklyn or Queens Much cheaper

Subways connect.

[RebelOne]

37. Or even across the river in New Jersey is cheaper.

I had a friend who lived in Miami and took a job in NYC, but found that housing was too expensive in the city. He got a reasonably priced apartment in New Jersey.

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

40. Brooklyn

nt

[DuckFan4ever]

3. NYC... Why not?

You are already used to huge cities. You will adjust fine. Gotta go where the job is.

[Shredr]

4. That's true.

And it'll certainly be an adventure. I'm a little set in my ways, here in LA. But I've also been in a rut. Losing my job may have been the best thing that could have happened to me.

[DuckFan4ever]

11. Good attitude.

When one door closes, another one opens. God is providing you with a great opportunity at renewal. It sounds like it wont be too disruptive on you or your family. Load up the car with the most important items you have and go. Good luck. 08)

[Shredr]

14. Thank you.

I'm trying to keep a positive attitude (after the inevitable break down, of course, which I had). I've always been fascinated with NYC. Just trying to figure out where the best place to live is.

[GalleryGod]

5. Whereas LA is a "horizontal" city-NYC is very, "verticle"-

If one lives comfortably in Manhattan-one is allready a millionaire.

To have a life in NYC and old friends in L.A.-is the best of all worlds.

Good luck.

[Shredr]

6. That makes sense.

Where do you live, then? If not Manhattan, where can one live comfortably in Ney York? (In LA, we have a nice sixed 2 bedroom.)

[Reverend_Smitty]

10. If you lived out in Queens or Brooklyn

It wouldn't be too bad because public transportation is excellent and you can always take the subway to work. I'm not sure what neighborhoods are good but housing is certainly more affordable

[AngryAmish]

7. Have to make $120k plus to live decently in manhatten

Better make a lot of money. SoHo is nice. I also kinda like DUMBO.

[Shredr]

12. That's not a problem. I'll be making more than that.

I've just heard that apartments are so ridiculously expensive. I don't even know what's considered Manhattan. Is SOHO part of Manhattan? (For give my NYC ignorance.) How about The Village, is that Manhattan? Any idea how much it costs to live there?

Are there websites where I can familiarize myself with the city?

[Reverend_Smitty]

16. SOHO and the Village are in Manhattan

and have some great places to live but just don't expect a sprawling apartment unless you are a millionaire. But what you lack in space the neighborhood will make up for it because there are so many great restaurants, shops and bars around there

[Shredr]

22. I'm so looking forward to that!

In LA, you have to get in your car and drive an hour to do anything. People are so compartmentalized, because no one lives in the same area.

To walk to a restaurant, a movie, etc, sounds so amazing.

[Reverend_Smitty]

24. unless you live in NJ or some other city suburb

you won't even need a car at all. You'll save on gas and get in shape for sure

[Shredr]

27. I definitely want to live in the city.

At least at first. Eventually (if I stay) I may move to Jersey, but if I'm going to do it, I really want to expedrience New York City.

Getting in shape certainly wouldn't be bad!

[AngryAmish]

21. I'm gonna stop giving advice

I live in Chicago but go to NY a lot. Maybe look at the real estate section of the NY Times on the Web for ideas about housing.

[papau]

25. Soho (long "o's") is "south of Houston" and a name give an area

in the southern part of Manhattan, near the Village, and costing about the same.

Good luck - NYC -manhattan - is electric compared to any other area of the World - but housing is expensive - very expensive for anything north of Houston or not in alphabet city or next to the old world trade area (and this last area has increased a lot of late). Where Clinton is - between 105th and 125th streets - may well be of interest.

[Yupster]

26. Staten Island

is where you could maybe still get a house, but even they've gone through the roof in the last decade or so. Transportation decent pretty much everywhere in the NYC area.

Even Jersey has buses that commute every day to the city.

[Reverend_Smitty]

31. Plus Macy's is only a few blocks from Penn Station

so a train into the city wouldn't be bad either

[sir_captain]

33. You don't have to make $120,000 at all

unless you have a family to support. I live in Manhattan at *much* less than that in a very good neighborhood.

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

41. Check out the Greenwich Village area

Nice places there, you might be able to score one if you're making more than 100k.

[sir_captain]

34. That's not true

if you have a family of 4, maybe. I live on the UWS of Manhattan for a *lot* less. Not a lot of foie gras in my diet, mind you...

[chelsea0011]

8. Nice area to work, expensive to live.

It's been many years since I lived in Manhattan, but I still like the West Side. Upper 70's and 80's is very nice. Good luck.

[intheflow]

9. You've spent your entire adult life in LA...

Whre did you grow up? I only ask because I know people from California who went to NYC to be Broadway actors and nearly had nervous breakdowns from the culture shock. People seem more open and laid-back in the West. People seem more uptight and closed off in the East. Of course, neither is an accurate perception--the seemingly open personality could be masking a mean spirit, and the closed seeming person could be very warm when you get to know them.

As long as you understand it will be very different and probably really weird for the first year or so until you acclimate, you'll be okay.

BTW, I spent a lot of time in NYC in my youth. My favorite places were Central Park and Soho. You might want to look at housing options outside the city--bound to be cheaper and lots of good public transportation to get around.

Good luck!

[Shredr]

13. I was an Army brat.

I never lived anywhere longer than a year before college. I grew up all over the world, so I'm used to culture shock. Even thrive on it. Although I've lived in LA for 16 years, I've moved all over the city and I've traveled extensively. I work in the entertainment industry, so I'm limited as to where I can live.

[intheflow]

19. If you work in entertainment

you should like NYC just fine. And you'll meet a never-ending supply of potential room mates if you can't swing rent on your own. :)

[tridim]

15. I did that once.. lasted about a year.

My advice is to visit the city first for at least a week and be certain NYC is for you. Then visit Queens and Brooklyn where you'll probably end up living due to budget. Make the subway commute to the city a few times and keep in mind you'll be doing it every day, twice.

In the end, NYC got on my nerves. The people were great (except some merchants), but the city as a whole can be rough if you have to deal with it day after day. Especially if you're a bit cash strapped.

Some people love it, some don't. You'll never know unless you give it a try!

[Shredr]

18. Really good advice! Thanks.

I'll take it.

Where did you move from? Did you go back (after the year in New York) or move somewhere else?

A trip to New York is probably in order. I haven't been in at least 5 years.

[tridim]

23. Kansas City -> New York

New York -> Denver

I'm definitely not a fan of gigantic, dense cities. Mid-size is perfect.

[mcscajun]

17. With a really good income...

You could take an apartment in Jersey City and commute into Midtown; or, find a nice place in Brooklyn or Queens, take the subway into work.

If you're truly adventurous, you could find a little spot somewhere well south of Macy's and walk to work. :)

[Shredr]

20. What a dream!

To walk to work! I live in LA, so I commute. 65 minutes on a good day.

Even ridinng public transportation sounds like a break from driving in bumper-to-bumper LA traffic.

[bettyellen]

29. get the villge voice for apt listings

it's online. and it has great columns on stuff to do too. time out ny is good for a feel of neighborhoods/ events.
hoboken and jersey city are great in NJ. in manhattan, the lower east side is hipsterville, up by wshington heights is really popular now. brooklyn is really interesting too, mostly williamsburg and dumbo.

[Kathleen04]

35. Since you're used to

commuting, Long Island is also an option. You would take the Long Island Rail Road to Penn Station. It costs $ to ride the LIRR, but less than what you're used to spending on gas, I'm sure. Depending on where you lived in Nassau county, it would probably be a half an hour, give or take.

http://mta.info/lirr/pubs/TicketInfo.htm

Penn Station is in the same area as Macy's, which I just looked up on a map, but it looks to be w/i walking distance.

edit: I'm originally from Southern CA too and I love it here so hopefully you will too. Do alot of research, go visit and look at all the different burroughs/surrounding areas. Sounds exciting. :)

[papau]

30. I agree - that would maximize living standard and are the options

(Jersey City/Brooklyn/Queens) that I'd take as I do not make great money anymore, but there is something special about being young (under 50), with money, living in Manhattan, so I'd focus on SOHO, etc. if I could afford it.

[Writer]

32. How exciting! Congratulations!

1. Take the damn job. It will be a terrific experience.

2. If you need to rent, head to Hoboken, Jersey City, or Queens.

3. Expect a more restful commute in - I've always found the long train ride better than the long car ride

4. You will become very, very physically comfortable with your "neighbor" New Yorkers in no time

5. What I would do is pull the village voice online the FRIDAY before a weekend, then fly over that weekend and visit those properties

6. If you PM me I can give you a link to a guy who rents several properties across the Hudson ;)

[readmylips]

36. I tried going back to live in the city of my birth....

As much as I love NYC, once I got used to the suburb and the country-side and more relaxed life-style, I could never go back to the dark tunnels of the subway system going back and forth to work in cattle trains. New York is very expensive and unhealthy even in the country-side. I've lived in many states due to my job and my hubby's and we find Arizona to be the best place to live and grow.

We also lived in different areas, beautiful areas of Los Angeles, and it was crazy fighting the traffic and pollution every day. California has beautiful places to visit but unless you've lived there for over 50 years and still own property, California is no different from NY.

We Love Arizona.

[Shredr]

38. I just always remember that Baz Luhrman song

that said "you should live in New York City once in your life." I think that's true.

[Arugula Latte]

39. You probably won't regret it.

Even if you last a year or so, you'll always be able to look back and remember your time in NYC -- exciting, hard, frustrating, amazing, different, etc. I find it's the experiences you don't take that you always regret.

[Shredr]

44. So true.

I'm tyring to look at it that way and jus tgo for it. Of course, part of me is nervous aobut leaving my "known world" of LA. But I think I will regret it if I don't do it.

[natrat]

42. upper west side upto 116 th st @columbia university but

only along riverside dr or one of the streets over to broadway one block over. Nice old brownstones/beautiful prewar buildings w/ vievs of the hudson. Nice people. That's where you should live. Envious except for the winter-good place to spend a couple years

[natrat]

43. just rembered the grateful dead tune truckin

"new york got the ways and means but just won't let you be"