Idiot's Guide to Moving to NYC
October 28, 2016 5:34 PM Subscribe
I've taken a job in NYC. Yay! The only tricky part is I'm in Texas. I could do with some advice on finding an apartment, neighborhoods, car ownership and the things I haven't thought of yet. Basically, tell me everything, but specific questions below.
What neighborhoods should I be considering? The job is in Soho, near the Spring Street station, so I suppose I want to prioritise the A, C, E, 1 or 2 trains. (Or PATH to Christopher Street maybe. I'd prefer to avoid LIRR/NJ Transit/Metro North and then having to transfer.) My standard for "decent neighborhood" pretty much consists of being able to walk to the subway or bus looking like you might have a laptop in your backpack without being hypervigilant and where you're not worried about getting hit by a stray bullet. Not being burgled would be nice too. Under 45 minutes on the train would be preferable. Not in a hurricane evacuation zone or otherwise going to succumb to global warming a plus. I'd like a neighborhood where there are things to walk to, so probably not somewhere full of single family homes, though I'm mostly interested in having a coffee shop or two rather than bars or restaurants. (I know that's not much to go on. For reference, I lived in Stevens Square in Minneapolis and liked most things about it, aside from the city not considering us rich enough to always bother plowing the street.)
What's the going rate for a 1 bedroom (in a non-fashionable neighborhood)? Playing with various sites, it looks like capping your search at $1700 gets you an assortment of options, though I didn't check proximity to subways. I could reasonably pay more than that if need be. Should I prepare myself to do so? I have a cat. What's the pet deposit/rent situation generally?
I currently own a car (see living in Austin). I spent 6 years in Minneapolis without a car, so the idea of selling it doesn't intimidate me. The only reason I wouldn't sell it is that my boyfriend is in Ithaca and I might like to be able to drive there rather than take the bus. How hard is it to park a car? (I'm sort of assuming nigh on impossible in Manhattan, but possibly entirely possible elsewhere.)
How essential is a broker? I'm thinking I'll make a three day or so trip to find an apartment. I was thinking I'd spent one day looking without a broker and then make an appointment for the second day. Or should I just skip straight to an appointment with a broker? Any recommendations?
What neighborhoods should I be considering? The job is in Soho, near the Spring Street station, so I suppose I want to prioritise the A, C, E, 1 or 2 trains. (Or PATH to Christopher Street maybe. I'd prefer to avoid LIRR/NJ Transit/Metro North and then having to transfer.) My standard for "decent neighborhood" pretty much consists of being able to walk to the subway or bus looking like you might have a laptop in your backpack without being hypervigilant and where you're not worried about getting hit by a stray bullet. Not being burgled would be nice too. Under 45 minutes on the train would be preferable. Not in a hurricane evacuation zone or otherwise going to succumb to global warming a plus. I'd like a neighborhood where there are things to walk to, so probably not somewhere full of single family homes, though I'm mostly interested in having a coffee shop or two rather than bars or restaurants. (I know that's not much to go on. For reference, I lived in Stevens Square in Minneapolis and liked most things about it, aside from the city not considering us rich enough to always bother plowing the street.)
What's the going rate for a 1 bedroom (in a non-fashionable neighborhood)? Playing with various sites, it looks like capping your search at $1700 gets you an assortment of options, though I didn't check proximity to subways. I could reasonably pay more than that if need be. Should I prepare myself to do so? I have a cat. What's the pet deposit/rent situation generally?
I currently own a car (see living in Austin). I spent 6 years in Minneapolis without a car, so the idea of selling it doesn't intimidate me. The only reason I wouldn't sell it is that my boyfriend is in Ithaca and I might like to be able to drive there rather than take the bus. How hard is it to park a car? (I'm sort of assuming nigh on impossible in Manhattan, but possibly entirely possible elsewhere.)
How essential is a broker? I'm thinking I'll make a three day or so trip to find an apartment. I was thinking I'd spent one day looking without a broker and then make an appointment for the second day. Or should I just skip straight to an appointment with a broker? Any recommendations?
Response by poster: I'm basically anticipating not being able to find a shared housing situation given the timeline, but I'm not opposed to a roommate.
posted by hoyland at 5:54 PM on October 28, 2016
posted by hoyland at 5:54 PM on October 28, 2016
Oh hey! That's my old commute. I used to take the C/E to Spring every morning.
I dunno, I think $1600-1700 for a studio or 1-bedroom 45 minutes from Spring St is doable. Keep in mind that W. 4th is only a 10 minute walk from there, and so the B/D/F/M opens up even more options for you. I'd stay away from Queens unless it's off the 7--that's a transfer at Times Sq and not too bad.
Don't keep your car. It's expensive, will get beaten up, possibly broken into, you have to move it 1-2 times a week for alternate side, and parking, even in the outer boroughs, isn't incredibly easy. You could probably fly to Ithaca for what you'd save getting rid of the car.
posted by Automocar at 5:56 PM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
I dunno, I think $1600-1700 for a studio or 1-bedroom 45 minutes from Spring St is doable. Keep in mind that W. 4th is only a 10 minute walk from there, and so the B/D/F/M opens up even more options for you. I'd stay away from Queens unless it's off the 7--that's a transfer at Times Sq and not too bad.
Don't keep your car. It's expensive, will get beaten up, possibly broken into, you have to move it 1-2 times a week for alternate side, and parking, even in the outer boroughs, isn't incredibly easy. You could probably fly to Ithaca for what you'd save getting rid of the car.
posted by Automocar at 5:56 PM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
I'll write a longer post in a bit when I'm not on my phone but:
1. A one BR in the kind of neighborhood you want at your price range is gonna be very tough; I'd assume at least 2k. If you could manage to swing a roommate or be willing to bend a little on neighborhood (for instance, safe, but also quiet and residential) you might have better luck
2. Ditch the car
3. Don't bother with a broker; in New York they're kinda pointless for rentals. I've found three of my last four apartments on streeteasy.com
posted by Itaxpica at 6:09 PM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
1. A one BR in the kind of neighborhood you want at your price range is gonna be very tough; I'd assume at least 2k. If you could manage to swing a roommate or be willing to bend a little on neighborhood (for instance, safe, but also quiet and residential) you might have better luck
2. Ditch the car
3. Don't bother with a broker; in New York they're kinda pointless for rentals. I've found three of my last four apartments on streeteasy.com
posted by Itaxpica at 6:09 PM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
Oh, and 4. a cat won't be a problem, 90% of apartments are ok with them even if they don't allow dogs.
posted by Itaxpica at 6:10 PM on October 28, 2016
posted by Itaxpica at 6:10 PM on October 28, 2016
Extend your search to include the BDFM (Broadway-Lafayette) or NR (Prince St) if they're at all nearby. That gets you like, every train. 45 minutes from there will get you as east as Bed Stuy/Crown Heights (on the AC/2), south as Sunset Park/Ditmas Park (NQR).
All of these are walkable places with coffeeshops outside of hurricane zones. Enjoy!
posted by thirdletter at 6:10 PM on October 28, 2016
All of these are walkable places with coffeeshops outside of hurricane zones. Enjoy!
posted by thirdletter at 6:10 PM on October 28, 2016
(I'm obviously advocating for Brooklyn here^ because that's what I know. Someone else will tell you the Upper West is great too. Don't bother with a broker with that budget – look direct from owner or for a roommate.)
posted by thirdletter at 6:12 PM on October 28, 2016
posted by thirdletter at 6:12 PM on October 28, 2016
I would say if you end up in Jersey City or somewhere out along the PATH, you may want to keep your car, and parking may be relatively easy. Parking in Manhattan is not impossible (outer boroughs are not necessarily any easier; how do people find spots in Park Slope? I have no idea!), but it can be a big pain in the ass.
Most neighborhoods in NYC are not the kind of places where you have to be on guard. Just don't be completely oblivious, as in walking at all times of day and night with earbuds in, staring at your phone. Pay attention!
As has been pointed out in other threads on this topic, try not to spend too much of your income on rent. Too little and you are in a windowless hovel with three roommates above a strip club and you'll never want to be there. Too much and you may have a nice pad all to yourself, but you'll never be able to afford to go out.
Also, welcome to my old neighborhood! I lived near Prince and Spring years ago, and while it has changed a whole helluva lot, I still miss being in the thick of everything.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 6:19 PM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Most neighborhoods in NYC are not the kind of places where you have to be on guard. Just don't be completely oblivious, as in walking at all times of day and night with earbuds in, staring at your phone. Pay attention!
As has been pointed out in other threads on this topic, try not to spend too much of your income on rent. Too little and you are in a windowless hovel with three roommates above a strip club and you'll never want to be there. Too much and you may have a nice pad all to yourself, but you'll never be able to afford to go out.
Also, welcome to my old neighborhood! I lived near Prince and Spring years ago, and while it has changed a whole helluva lot, I still miss being in the thick of everything.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 6:19 PM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
For what it's worth, studio/one bedrooms in Kew Gardens and Jamaica are around that price. If you take LIRR, you can be in Manhattan in 20 minutes or so. Kew Gardens is on the E/F.
Don't bring a car if you don't live in Queens. (Rent a car for visits to Ithaca.) Finding street parking in Kew Gardens took typically about ten minutes, sometimes up to 30 minutes, but the car was always safe wherever we left it...other than parking tickets from not reading the signs correctly. I always felt pretty comfortable in Kew Gardens safety-wise, and there were a smattering of cafes to enjoy. I never really felt myself to be in danger in Queens at night in populated areas.
If you want to find an apartment in your price range quickly, and you're OK paying an extra month of rent, use a broker. We did not have luck until we contacted a broker, but don't pay them a damn thing until you're exchanging your money for keys to an apartment. If you're OK spending money on a sublet or Airbnb for a month, you can skip the broker, spend your time visiting apartments and going back and forth with random by-owner showings.
posted by blnkfrnk at 6:24 PM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Don't bring a car if you don't live in Queens. (Rent a car for visits to Ithaca.) Finding street parking in Kew Gardens took typically about ten minutes, sometimes up to 30 minutes, but the car was always safe wherever we left it...other than parking tickets from not reading the signs correctly. I always felt pretty comfortable in Kew Gardens safety-wise, and there were a smattering of cafes to enjoy. I never really felt myself to be in danger in Queens at night in populated areas.
If you want to find an apartment in your price range quickly, and you're OK paying an extra month of rent, use a broker. We did not have luck until we contacted a broker, but don't pay them a damn thing until you're exchanging your money for keys to an apartment. If you're OK spending money on a sublet or Airbnb for a month, you can skip the broker, spend your time visiting apartments and going back and forth with random by-owner showings.
posted by blnkfrnk at 6:24 PM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
This is advice that is often given in situations like yours, and I'm going to go ahead and give it anyway: sublet. Find a sublet or short-term rental (use facebook, or craigslist, or your soon-to-be-colleagues, or your college alumni network, or the Listings Project) and use that as your base for your first month or two in the city. You'll be so much better prepared to sign a lease or find a share after you've had some time on the ground. Not only is NYC a complicated place that changes from block and block, but the cost of living space is so high that making a decision about the neighborhood you're going to live in just isn't something I recommend doing quickly.
posted by minervous at 6:58 PM on October 28, 2016 [13 favorites]
posted by minervous at 6:58 PM on October 28, 2016 [13 favorites]
Yeah, I would also look to sublet for a month or two. Getting an apartment in NYC is a lot of work, and you'll be better able to identify what you're looking for. From what I've heard, Manhattan is generally too expensive to find a place. Maybe DUMBO?
posted by xammerboy at 7:05 PM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by xammerboy at 7:05 PM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: So... this is going to sound dumb (and maybe I should have included it in my original post because I've thought about this option), but what would I do with my stuff while subletting? It seems like "sublet" in New York means "furnished".
posted by hoyland at 7:06 PM on October 28, 2016
posted by hoyland at 7:06 PM on October 28, 2016
À very small part of your question but Any chance your bf is at cornell and you might be eligible for the campus-to-campus bus? Id rather the bus than driving in the winter...
posted by Tandem Affinity at 7:17 PM on October 28, 2016
posted by Tandem Affinity at 7:17 PM on October 28, 2016
what would I do with my stuff while subletting?
Put it in storage (like, a CubeSmart self storage or U-Haul self storage or a Manhattan Mini Storage, etc.) for a month. I don't mean to be blunt, but this is exactly what I did when I moved from Boston and sublet for a month in NYC while apartment hunting (so I also feel qualified to give this advice, as I have actually done it).
It of course will add several hundred dollars to your costs, depending on how much stuff you have/how diligently you hunt for a deal, but don't let this stop you from subletting.
I would also not sell your car until you have found your permanent place, as it will come in handy in the initial moving stuff to-and-from the storage unit or apartment and doing some bulk shopping.
posted by andrewesque at 7:32 PM on October 28, 2016
Put it in storage (like, a CubeSmart self storage or U-Haul self storage or a Manhattan Mini Storage, etc.) for a month. I don't mean to be blunt, but this is exactly what I did when I moved from Boston and sublet for a month in NYC while apartment hunting (so I also feel qualified to give this advice, as I have actually done it).
It of course will add several hundred dollars to your costs, depending on how much stuff you have/how diligently you hunt for a deal, but don't let this stop you from subletting.
I would also not sell your car until you have found your permanent place, as it will come in handy in the initial moving stuff to-and-from the storage unit or apartment and doing some bulk shopping.
posted by andrewesque at 7:32 PM on October 28, 2016
Definitely move here and sublet for a bit (I'd say 2 weeks - 2 months is fine); finding an apartment remotely is very difficult here and you won't know what you're looking for anyway. In my experience, a lot of the budget apartments have 'quirks' which you wouldn't notice without looking in person so you definitely want to be in town for your search. Also, let me encourage you to consider Jersey City -- the PATH commute isn't bad and IMO it's a great town, though rents are definitely going up.
Are you using movers to move? If so, you can have them hold your stuff for a bit (and even if you don't, it'll probably take a few weeks to arrive) -- that's what I did with my move from CA and it worked out fine. Otherwise, you can keep it at a storage facility.
Keeping your car is probably a bad idea unless you live in relatively far-off parts of the city. Paid parking is expensive, street parking is a huge hassle, driving in the city is usually not worth it (since parking at your destination will suck and cabs / Uber / public transit work well) and with the money you'll save on parking / insurance / repairs will easily pay for an occasional rental if you need it. Hint: for longer trips, you can rent a car at an airport (I use EWR but that's because I live in Jersey City) for much less than in NYC.
posted by bsdfish at 8:21 PM on October 28, 2016
Are you using movers to move? If so, you can have them hold your stuff for a bit (and even if you don't, it'll probably take a few weeks to arrive) -- that's what I did with my move from CA and it worked out fine. Otherwise, you can keep it at a storage facility.
Keeping your car is probably a bad idea unless you live in relatively far-off parts of the city. Paid parking is expensive, street parking is a huge hassle, driving in the city is usually not worth it (since parking at your destination will suck and cabs / Uber / public transit work well) and with the money you'll save on parking / insurance / repairs will easily pay for an occasional rental if you need it. Hint: for longer trips, you can rent a car at an airport (I use EWR but that's because I live in Jersey City) for much less than in NYC.
posted by bsdfish at 8:21 PM on October 28, 2016
Consider northern Manhattan, near the A train -- like Washington Heights or Inwood.
Use StreetEasy.
posted by merejane at 8:44 PM on October 28, 2016
Use StreetEasy.
posted by merejane at 8:44 PM on October 28, 2016
Washington Heights or Inwood to Spring St. runs over 45 minutes even in the Google-Maps-ideal-trip scenario. $1700 for a one bedroom with no roommate and an under-45-minute commute is very unlikely to put you in Manhattan at all.
Craigslist is a good 85% scams, especially for non-roommate situations. Streeteasy is far more legit but is mostly broker listings (NOT one month's rent--15% of a year's rent, though occasionally negotiation is possible). Nybits.com lists no-fee buildings, though you may have to be perseverant in following up contacts there.
Renting in NYC is not for triflers. You should have with you your offer letter stating salary, current bank and investment account statements, a recommendation letter from your current landlord if at all possible (length of occupancy, regular payment of rent, and lack of damage), and your previous year's tax return. Also you should be ready to write a check for a sub-$100 application fee (covers credit check). If you aren't ready to commit right away, you do run the risk of the place getting snatched out from under you, but that's hard to predict. You will probably not get a decision that day, but rather within a week or so.
The landlord will usually require that you demonstrate (through your offer letter) that your annual income is at least 40x the rent, e.g., for a $1700/mo. apartment you will need to be earning at least $68K. You will also usually have to be able to cough up at least the first month's rent + one month's security deposit at the time you sign the lease. Some ask for the last month's rent also, though this is less common.
Pets are tricky. Cats are easier than dogs, I think, and overall pets are more welcome than they used to be, but there are still many landlords who won't take either. A landlord who does may request a larger security deposit. "Pet rent" is still not a common concept here, except in the newest, chain-iest developments, which are out of your budget range anyway.
Most NYC apartments include heat and hot water in the rent. Usually you are responsible for electricity and cooking gas, if applicable. But this does vary.
Be aware that a dishwasher is an unlikely amenity in your price range and an in-unit washer-dryer an improbable one. You may not even have a laundry room in your building--make sure to ask!
Subletting first isn't a bad idea, but it does add on the costs. Not all sublets are furnished, though of course many are. There's plenty of self-storage in the city.
posted by praemunire at 10:04 PM on October 28, 2016 [5 favorites]
Craigslist is a good 85% scams, especially for non-roommate situations. Streeteasy is far more legit but is mostly broker listings (NOT one month's rent--15% of a year's rent, though occasionally negotiation is possible). Nybits.com lists no-fee buildings, though you may have to be perseverant in following up contacts there.
Renting in NYC is not for triflers. You should have with you your offer letter stating salary, current bank and investment account statements, a recommendation letter from your current landlord if at all possible (length of occupancy, regular payment of rent, and lack of damage), and your previous year's tax return. Also you should be ready to write a check for a sub-$100 application fee (covers credit check). If you aren't ready to commit right away, you do run the risk of the place getting snatched out from under you, but that's hard to predict. You will probably not get a decision that day, but rather within a week or so.
The landlord will usually require that you demonstrate (through your offer letter) that your annual income is at least 40x the rent, e.g., for a $1700/mo. apartment you will need to be earning at least $68K. You will also usually have to be able to cough up at least the first month's rent + one month's security deposit at the time you sign the lease. Some ask for the last month's rent also, though this is less common.
Pets are tricky. Cats are easier than dogs, I think, and overall pets are more welcome than they used to be, but there are still many landlords who won't take either. A landlord who does may request a larger security deposit. "Pet rent" is still not a common concept here, except in the newest, chain-iest developments, which are out of your budget range anyway.
Most NYC apartments include heat and hot water in the rent. Usually you are responsible for electricity and cooking gas, if applicable. But this does vary.
Be aware that a dishwasher is an unlikely amenity in your price range and an in-unit washer-dryer an improbable one. You may not even have a laundry room in your building--make sure to ask!
Subletting first isn't a bad idea, but it does add on the costs. Not all sublets are furnished, though of course many are. There's plenty of self-storage in the city.
posted by praemunire at 10:04 PM on October 28, 2016 [5 favorites]
Just a small thing but make sure you double check the subway map. The 1 will get you to Canal and Houston streets, which are pretty near to Spring, but the 2 won't. And someone mentioned the Q upthread but it doesn't stop at Prince Street (though you could of course transfer to the N or R--or R or W, once the 2nd Ave subway opens).
/obnoxious subway pedantry by someone who works with transit
I think the suggestion for Inwood is a pretty good one. It would be a little longer than your desired commute time but not too bad. I used to go from Canal Street to 207th on the A pretty regularly and it routinely took about 45 minutes. You could walk to Spring from there, or transfer across the platform to the C/E at W 4th, and it wouldn't be too bad. If you go up to Inwood have some pastries from Darling Coffee for me!
You may also want to look in Bed-Stuy along the C. Or along the G, if you have exhausted other more convenient options--I know the G train has a terrible reputation but it's actually not bad at all in my (long) experience and you could switch to the C train at Hoyt-Schermerhorn (or, I guess, the E at Court Square in Queens, but living in northern Brooklyn would definitely be a way long commute). On that train reputation note, I will also mention that the C is definitely not one of the city's more frequent or better-maintained trains (though that still makes it better than trains pretty much anywhere else in the US). The E is better, but only runs in Queens, which overall would make for a longer commute.
Good luck!
posted by ferret branca at 7:03 AM on October 29, 2016
/obnoxious subway pedantry by someone who works with transit
I think the suggestion for Inwood is a pretty good one. It would be a little longer than your desired commute time but not too bad. I used to go from Canal Street to 207th on the A pretty regularly and it routinely took about 45 minutes. You could walk to Spring from there, or transfer across the platform to the C/E at W 4th, and it wouldn't be too bad. If you go up to Inwood have some pastries from Darling Coffee for me!
You may also want to look in Bed-Stuy along the C. Or along the G, if you have exhausted other more convenient options--I know the G train has a terrible reputation but it's actually not bad at all in my (long) experience and you could switch to the C train at Hoyt-Schermerhorn (or, I guess, the E at Court Square in Queens, but living in northern Brooklyn would definitely be a way long commute). On that train reputation note, I will also mention that the C is definitely not one of the city's more frequent or better-maintained trains (though that still makes it better than trains pretty much anywhere else in the US). The E is better, but only runs in Queens, which overall would make for a longer commute.
Good luck!
posted by ferret branca at 7:03 AM on October 29, 2016
Use TripTrop to identify neighborhoods that work with your commute.
Agree that you should definitely sublet until you have a chance to get a feel for the different areas. Honestly, I know people do it, but I don't know how you would even get a lease without being local. A lot of places expect you to commit so quickly and have so much documentation.
Consider finding a garage for your car outside the city (along either metronorth or nj transit). It'll be much cheaper, you can get to it when you want to drive to Ithaca, and you won't have to worry about it on a regular basis.
posted by oryelle at 9:22 AM on October 29, 2016
Agree that you should definitely sublet until you have a chance to get a feel for the different areas. Honestly, I know people do it, but I don't know how you would even get a lease without being local. A lot of places expect you to commit so quickly and have so much documentation.
Consider finding a garage for your car outside the city (along either metronorth or nj transit). It'll be much cheaper, you can get to it when you want to drive to Ithaca, and you won't have to worry about it on a regular basis.
posted by oryelle at 9:22 AM on October 29, 2016
Congrats on the new job in NYC.
3 days to find a place there sounds crazy, I would look for a sublet/non-shady-weekly-rate-hotel/Air-BnB for a month while you find a decent place. IMHO finding a decent place to live in a big city is harder than finding a good job. I found it's the opposite of life in the middle states, where housing is simple and interesting well paid jobs are scarce: big city has lots of neat well paid jobs, but finding an apartment you can afford that doesn't suck is the single greatest challenge. YMMV.
I would hold on to the car until you settle into your place, then sell it quickly. Having a car there is just a pain in the ass liability. Renting a parking space is not only too expensive (those hundreds are better spent on rent, food, or going out), but often a whole commute away from where you live. I found dealing with street parking to be like a second part time job, only it cost me money instead of paying me. For visiting your friend or road trips, it is far easier and cheaper to rent a car when you need it.
In competitive rental markets, Craigslist scam listings can give a false sense of availability of affordable apartments. I would consider a studio apartment, at least for your first year. This will allow you more options regarding location and quality. Once you've lived there for a year, you'll have a better idea of what is available and what your priorities are.
*Disclaimer: I've never rented in NYC (just stayed with friends for extended periods), I lived in SF (which seems to be in a contest with NYC over which can be the most difficult to live in city). All my knowledge of NYC is anecdata from friends and acquaintances.
posted by ethical_caligula at 9:50 AM on October 29, 2016 [1 favorite]
3 days to find a place there sounds crazy, I would look for a sublet/non-shady-weekly-rate-hotel/Air-BnB for a month while you find a decent place. IMHO finding a decent place to live in a big city is harder than finding a good job. I found it's the opposite of life in the middle states, where housing is simple and interesting well paid jobs are scarce: big city has lots of neat well paid jobs, but finding an apartment you can afford that doesn't suck is the single greatest challenge. YMMV.
I would hold on to the car until you settle into your place, then sell it quickly. Having a car there is just a pain in the ass liability. Renting a parking space is not only too expensive (those hundreds are better spent on rent, food, or going out), but often a whole commute away from where you live. I found dealing with street parking to be like a second part time job, only it cost me money instead of paying me. For visiting your friend or road trips, it is far easier and cheaper to rent a car when you need it.
In competitive rental markets, Craigslist scam listings can give a false sense of availability of affordable apartments. I would consider a studio apartment, at least for your first year. This will allow you more options regarding location and quality. Once you've lived there for a year, you'll have a better idea of what is available and what your priorities are.
*Disclaimer: I've never rented in NYC (just stayed with friends for extended periods), I lived in SF (which seems to be in a contest with NYC over which can be the most difficult to live in city). All my knowledge of NYC is anecdata from friends and acquaintances.
posted by ethical_caligula at 9:50 AM on October 29, 2016 [1 favorite]
I moved here a year ago. I moved my stuff by Amtrak which is a thing if you don't have furniture or electronics. It took about a week to get here, and I put it in storage.
I stayed at various hostels my first few weeks. I generally stayed at the cheapest one for about five nights then moved to another. This worked because I could show an out of state ID. I kept some bags at work during this time with stuff I didn't need every day but wanted once in a while. I dropped my laundry off at fluff in fold places.
I looked at a few places in Manhattan. It was amazing what they were charging for utter shitholes. I had a friend I wanted to be roommates with, but he was super picky and I gave up on that because I didn't want to spend $1500 a month to live in the living room of a fifth floor walk up.
I then moved into a two bedroom on in New Jersey with a lady that rents out the room to newly landed people on a month to month basis. After a few months, I got my own place in New Jersey. Now I rent out my second bedroom to newly landed people on a month to month basis.
If you've never lived in a tight market before, understand there will be some challenges. People won't answer the phone when you call or may not return your messages. You may have to call 10 places to get one response. It's also really hard to do a search on the weekends. You basically have to do it during the working day. Which is another point for subletting first- you won't be stressing about your housing situation during the first few weeks of your job.
Also, moving to New York is like having a baby- everything takes longer. You have to take time to learn the transit system. (Aka get lost or go the wrong way or miss your stop) You have to find a good laundromat. Where will you get food? You can't just hop in your car and drive to the grocery and pull into a big, empty parking lot. There are a lot of these little headaches.
I would encourage you to sell the car where you are. It will have more value in Texas. Finding parking is hard. I live in south Jersey City which has street parking but it is still hard to find. Then there is street sweeping. My place also has garages for rent, but they have these heavy rolling doors and it is a super tight fit to get out onto the street. No thanks.
posted by Monday at 10:58 AM on October 29, 2016
I stayed at various hostels my first few weeks. I generally stayed at the cheapest one for about five nights then moved to another. This worked because I could show an out of state ID. I kept some bags at work during this time with stuff I didn't need every day but wanted once in a while. I dropped my laundry off at fluff in fold places.
I looked at a few places in Manhattan. It was amazing what they were charging for utter shitholes. I had a friend I wanted to be roommates with, but he was super picky and I gave up on that because I didn't want to spend $1500 a month to live in the living room of a fifth floor walk up.
I then moved into a two bedroom on in New Jersey with a lady that rents out the room to newly landed people on a month to month basis. After a few months, I got my own place in New Jersey. Now I rent out my second bedroom to newly landed people on a month to month basis.
If you've never lived in a tight market before, understand there will be some challenges. People won't answer the phone when you call or may not return your messages. You may have to call 10 places to get one response. It's also really hard to do a search on the weekends. You basically have to do it during the working day. Which is another point for subletting first- you won't be stressing about your housing situation during the first few weeks of your job.
Also, moving to New York is like having a baby- everything takes longer. You have to take time to learn the transit system. (Aka get lost or go the wrong way or miss your stop) You have to find a good laundromat. Where will you get food? You can't just hop in your car and drive to the grocery and pull into a big, empty parking lot. There are a lot of these little headaches.
I would encourage you to sell the car where you are. It will have more value in Texas. Finding parking is hard. I live in south Jersey City which has street parking but it is still hard to find. Then there is street sweeping. My place also has garages for rent, but they have these heavy rolling doors and it is a super tight fit to get out onto the street. No thanks.
posted by Monday at 10:58 AM on October 29, 2016
Response by poster: Can someone expand on the documentation thing? What do I need to have copies of? I'd expect offer letter, last year's tax return, maybe my last pay stub or two (I got a substantial raise in late 2015, so my 2016 income doesn't really look like 2015), proof of the cat's vaccinations and contact info for the last seven years' worth of landlords (thankfully only two). Is the letter-from-your-landlord really a thing?
Are those of you saying sublet doing so because there's no way to make an informed decision in a three day trip or because the rental market is absurd enough that you expect me to fail to find anything acceptable (even if I later regret the location/neighborhood)?
posted by hoyland at 11:00 AM on October 29, 2016
Are those of you saying sublet doing so because there's no way to make an informed decision in a three day trip or because the rental market is absurd enough that you expect me to fail to find anything acceptable (even if I later regret the location/neighborhood)?
posted by hoyland at 11:00 AM on October 29, 2016
I think the suggestion for Inwood is a pretty good one. . . . If you go up to Inwood have some pastries from Darling Coffee for me!
I do think (as I said upthread) that Inwood is worth checking out. Darling Coffee (great place!) is right by the first stop on the A train, so you always get a seat when heading south if you live anywhere near there. It's not the quickest commute in the world, but it is easy. I just bring a book, and before I know it, I'm where I want to be. And Inwood is very affordable compared to the rest of Manhattan. If you do go, be sure to check out Inwood Hill Park. Maybe have a meal at Indian Road Cafe. Then decide if you want to check it out further!
posted by merejane at 11:20 AM on October 29, 2016
I do think (as I said upthread) that Inwood is worth checking out. Darling Coffee (great place!) is right by the first stop on the A train, so you always get a seat when heading south if you live anywhere near there. It's not the quickest commute in the world, but it is easy. I just bring a book, and before I know it, I'm where I want to be. And Inwood is very affordable compared to the rest of Manhattan. If you do go, be sure to check out Inwood Hill Park. Maybe have a meal at Indian Road Cafe. Then decide if you want to check it out further!
posted by merejane at 11:20 AM on October 29, 2016
It is definitely possible to find an apartment in 3 days but can be stressful, especially if it is already day 3 and the place you fell in love with feel through and now nobody is answering the phone and the train just turned into slush so you are cold and wet (ask me how I know). Subletting minimizes the chances of problems and really, arriving a bit early and subletting for a bit (two weeks can be fine too) is likely to be easier and cheaper than taking the 3 day trip.
posted by bsdfish at 12:33 PM on October 29, 2016
posted by bsdfish at 12:33 PM on October 29, 2016
I've never moved to NYC, but here's my general moving advice after doing some tricky moving a few years running: Get rid of anything you don't need. This is an excellent opportunity to sell that old bicycle you've been "repairing" for three years. Go through your clothing and purge any item that doesn't pass the Marie Kondo test. Throw out or give away stuff that you could easily and cheaply replace, like paper towels and perishable food items. Donate books that you don't plan to re-read to the local second-hand store or sell them. You will find that there are shockingly few things you own that are truly irreplaceable. Moving is kind of a wonderful reminder of that fact.
posted by deathpanels at 12:41 PM on October 29, 2016
posted by deathpanels at 12:41 PM on October 29, 2016
Are those of you saying sublet doing so because there's no way to make an informed decision in a three day trip or because the rental market is absurd enough that you expect me to fail to find anything acceptable (even if I later regret the location/neighborhood)?
It's very much a crapshoot who will happen to get back to you in that period and what places you can manage to arrange to get in to see. If you're picturing, like, showing up at a broker and having them take you on a nice little tour of several available places over the course of a day, that's not going to happen on your budget. You might love the first place you see, put in an application, and get approved right away. But you might not see anything you consider tolerable. Or you might apply at a place but not get a response for several days, leaving you hanging.
When I recently moved back to the city, I planned to spend two weekends in a row searching. I got the flu before the first one and had to do the search over just the second one, which I ended up extending a day due to bad luck in the search. The very last place I saw, which I only got to see because of some last-second scheming, ended up being the one I took, but I didn't even know if I would get it til a week later, so that could have gone bad, too.
posted by praemunire at 3:55 PM on October 29, 2016
It's very much a crapshoot who will happen to get back to you in that period and what places you can manage to arrange to get in to see. If you're picturing, like, showing up at a broker and having them take you on a nice little tour of several available places over the course of a day, that's not going to happen on your budget. You might love the first place you see, put in an application, and get approved right away. But you might not see anything you consider tolerable. Or you might apply at a place but not get a response for several days, leaving you hanging.
When I recently moved back to the city, I planned to spend two weekends in a row searching. I got the flu before the first one and had to do the search over just the second one, which I ended up extending a day due to bad luck in the search. The very last place I saw, which I only got to see because of some last-second scheming, ended up being the one I took, but I didn't even know if I would get it til a week later, so that could have gone bad, too.
posted by praemunire at 3:55 PM on October 29, 2016
The bus to and from Ithaca is really not bad, whether you take the Cornell bus or the regular bus. Driving up there and back on a weekend after you've worked all week is hard, especially if the roads are icy or snowy. If the weather is perfect and the traffic is perfect and you don't get a speeding ticket and you don't make a pit stop it's still an absolute minimum of 4 hours. I've made this trip many many times, trust me on this. Get rid of your car. Use the money you save by not having a car to pay more rent so you can live closer to work.
posted by mareli at 5:26 PM on October 29, 2016
posted by mareli at 5:26 PM on October 29, 2016
A few things:
1. You won't be living in Manhattan alone on your budget. Sole exception is *maybe* in Inwood, but even that is a stretch, both financially and on your commute.
2. If you can afford to spend more than a day or two looking at apartments, it will be worth your time. As people have mentioned upthread, it's hard to find a good place quickly. It can be done, though.
3. Check out Leasebreak.com, as well as brokers' sites. Even if you don't want to use a broker, sometimes you can find real estate groups that have no-fee (i.e. no broker) apartments for rent. This happens because the landlord is desperate to rent the place and pays the broker's fee in advance.
4. Don't neglect Roosevelt Island.
5. Your fears about crime are totally unfounded. New York is not a "stray bullet" and "watch your backpack" city.
6. Absolutely get rid of the car. Use what you're spending on the payments/insurance to increase your apartment budget. You will need it.
7. Don't forget that you'll be paying NYC tax, which is ~3.5-3.8% of your income.
posted by yellowcandy at 8:29 PM on October 29, 2016 [1 favorite]
1. You won't be living in Manhattan alone on your budget. Sole exception is *maybe* in Inwood, but even that is a stretch, both financially and on your commute.
2. If you can afford to spend more than a day or two looking at apartments, it will be worth your time. As people have mentioned upthread, it's hard to find a good place quickly. It can be done, though.
3. Check out Leasebreak.com, as well as brokers' sites. Even if you don't want to use a broker, sometimes you can find real estate groups that have no-fee (i.e. no broker) apartments for rent. This happens because the landlord is desperate to rent the place and pays the broker's fee in advance.
4. Don't neglect Roosevelt Island.
5. Your fears about crime are totally unfounded. New York is not a "stray bullet" and "watch your backpack" city.
6. Absolutely get rid of the car. Use what you're spending on the payments/insurance to increase your apartment budget. You will need it.
7. Don't forget that you'll be paying NYC tax, which is ~3.5-3.8% of your income.
posted by yellowcandy at 8:29 PM on October 29, 2016 [1 favorite]
When I was renting in NYC I found that the only way to find a place was in a day. If you saw a place you wanted, you needed to be at the showing with tax returns, photo i.d., and a checkbook and if you liked the place, say "I'd like to put down a deposit." Otherwise someone else took it. Granted, this was like ten years ago but I can't imagine it's gotten better. The other sad fact of renting was that brokers were unavoidable parasites who made a grand or two for doing something that happens for free in all other cities. Finding an apartment is the very worst part of living in NYC. It's unavoidably stressful, but then there you are, in a city that is profoundly worth living in despite everything. So congrats in advance on being a New Yorker.
Definitely ditch the car. And Inwood/Washington Heights is a good option. It was a little sleepy when I lived there but by the time I moved away, there were more interesting restaurants including the charming and already-mentioned Darling Coffee. The commute downtown is long but you'll get a seat on the subway most days. That's how I learned to knit and made scarves for dozens of friends, and got much better at the Times Crossword, and used to finish the New Yorker! It's actually easier to have a car in Inwood than a lot of neighborhoods but still expensive and not all that useful.
posted by Smearcase at 10:54 PM on October 29, 2016
Definitely ditch the car. And Inwood/Washington Heights is a good option. It was a little sleepy when I lived there but by the time I moved away, there were more interesting restaurants including the charming and already-mentioned Darling Coffee. The commute downtown is long but you'll get a seat on the subway most days. That's how I learned to knit and made scarves for dozens of friends, and got much better at the Times Crossword, and used to finish the New Yorker! It's actually easier to have a car in Inwood than a lot of neighborhoods but still expensive and not all that useful.
posted by Smearcase at 10:54 PM on October 29, 2016
Oh, but if you move to Inwood or anywhere in Brooklyn or Queens, bear in mind that people in other parts of town will consider it sort of a big deal to come do anything in your neighborhood.
posted by Smearcase at 10:59 PM on October 29, 2016
posted by Smearcase at 10:59 PM on October 29, 2016
I live in Brooklyn. All my friends live in Brooklyn. Most people I know that live in Manhattan come and hang out in Brooklyn on the weekends. Take what smearcase said above with a grain of salt. It's simply not the case. That being said, all my suggestions are Brooklyn-based.
I suggest you look for places in Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights. You can definitely find a studio for under $1700, maaaaaybe a 1br if you are lucky and know where to look, though it definitely won't be in some new luxury high-rise. It'll be in a brownstone, with uneven wood floors, probably a pink-tiled bathroom, with window screens that might have some holes, and radiator heat that will force to you keep the windows open in the winter. But that's the charm. And it's great. And you can find some really beautiful old places to live in.
Coffee shops = gentrification, so in Bed-Stuy/Crown Heights, for a nervous newbie, I would try to stay within 8 or so blocks of Fulton St if you want to avoid transfers on your commute (the A/C runs along Fulton), and maybe use Throop as your eastern boundary. Generally speaking, the further east you go, the less gentrified and cheaper.
If you don't mind a transfer, look into Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. More available housing stock, a little cheaper, a handful of coffee shops and restaurants, not terribly fashionable as of yet. Right up against Prospect Park. You could also try Ditmas Park. There are more single-family home kind of places, but those are super pretty and they are surrounded by big apartment buildings. You might also want to look in Sunset Park.
Yes, you'll need as much documentation as you can gather (landlord reference letters, tax returns, many pay stubs, maybe even a print out of your credit score even though they will do their own credit check, everything you can think of that makes you look like an appealing tenant), because an affordable 1-br will get snatched up in a second, so you want to be able to lay everything out on the table and put down a deposit as soon as you can.
If you want to do your apartment search more quickly, use a broker (thought I would still allow at least a week for a broker search). Cuts out the very time-consuming legwork of searching for your own place. But brokers kind of suck and will show you crappy places within your budget so that you'll be led to believe that you will have to pay more for something not-crappy. But if you want to actually really do the leg-work and do your own search, do try to get a sublet for a month and put your stuff in storage. I found my current apartment the old-fashioned way, by walking around neighborhoods I like and calling the signs posted on the side of appealing buildings, and I managed to avoid a broker altogether. If you are planning on using Craigslist, keep in mind that yes, the majority are scammy. And even the ones that aren't scammy will misrepresent the neighborhood saying something is in Crown Heights when it's really in Brownsville, etc. StreetEasy is better in this regard.
In most of the neighborhoods I mentioned, parking is actually reasonably easy to find and street cleaning is only once, maybe twice a week, so you will only have to make sure to move your car once or twice a week. I live in Clinton Hill and parking can almost always be found within three blocks or so and a car can be really nice to have when you want to get out of town or go to Ikea or Home Depot. You just have to be really vigilant about making sure to move the car on street cleaning days because those tickets will definitely add up.
Good luck and happy to help!
posted by greta simone at 6:45 AM on October 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
I suggest you look for places in Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights. You can definitely find a studio for under $1700, maaaaaybe a 1br if you are lucky and know where to look, though it definitely won't be in some new luxury high-rise. It'll be in a brownstone, with uneven wood floors, probably a pink-tiled bathroom, with window screens that might have some holes, and radiator heat that will force to you keep the windows open in the winter. But that's the charm. And it's great. And you can find some really beautiful old places to live in.
Coffee shops = gentrification, so in Bed-Stuy/Crown Heights, for a nervous newbie, I would try to stay within 8 or so blocks of Fulton St if you want to avoid transfers on your commute (the A/C runs along Fulton), and maybe use Throop as your eastern boundary. Generally speaking, the further east you go, the less gentrified and cheaper.
If you don't mind a transfer, look into Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. More available housing stock, a little cheaper, a handful of coffee shops and restaurants, not terribly fashionable as of yet. Right up against Prospect Park. You could also try Ditmas Park. There are more single-family home kind of places, but those are super pretty and they are surrounded by big apartment buildings. You might also want to look in Sunset Park.
Yes, you'll need as much documentation as you can gather (landlord reference letters, tax returns, many pay stubs, maybe even a print out of your credit score even though they will do their own credit check, everything you can think of that makes you look like an appealing tenant), because an affordable 1-br will get snatched up in a second, so you want to be able to lay everything out on the table and put down a deposit as soon as you can.
If you want to do your apartment search more quickly, use a broker (thought I would still allow at least a week for a broker search). Cuts out the very time-consuming legwork of searching for your own place. But brokers kind of suck and will show you crappy places within your budget so that you'll be led to believe that you will have to pay more for something not-crappy. But if you want to actually really do the leg-work and do your own search, do try to get a sublet for a month and put your stuff in storage. I found my current apartment the old-fashioned way, by walking around neighborhoods I like and calling the signs posted on the side of appealing buildings, and I managed to avoid a broker altogether. If you are planning on using Craigslist, keep in mind that yes, the majority are scammy. And even the ones that aren't scammy will misrepresent the neighborhood saying something is in Crown Heights when it's really in Brownsville, etc. StreetEasy is better in this regard.
In most of the neighborhoods I mentioned, parking is actually reasonably easy to find and street cleaning is only once, maybe twice a week, so you will only have to make sure to move your car once or twice a week. I live in Clinton Hill and parking can almost always be found within three blocks or so and a car can be really nice to have when you want to get out of town or go to Ikea or Home Depot. You just have to be really vigilant about making sure to move the car on street cleaning days because those tickets will definitely add up.
Good luck and happy to help!
posted by greta simone at 6:45 AM on October 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
This is a pretty decent guide to follow: http://streeteasy.com/guides/moving-nyc/
posted by greta simone at 6:50 AM on October 30, 2016
posted by greta simone at 6:50 AM on October 30, 2016
Response by poster: To be clear, since people are occasionally understanding the exact opposite of what I meant: I don't expect to live in Manhattan. I expressly don't want to live in a recently-built luxury high rise. I've lived in a 100 year old brownstone before and know how that differs from more recent construction (good and bad). I'm not scared of living in a city or in New York or of crime and that's what the comment about stray bullets was supposed to tell you. (Also, I doubt that every square foot of New York City meets the no-stray bullets standard. Really, there are no drive-bys?)
posted by hoyland at 7:22 AM on October 30, 2016
posted by hoyland at 7:22 AM on October 30, 2016
Depending on how old you are: most 20-somethings are more likely to hang out in Brooklyn than in Inwood on the weekends.
posted by airmail at 8:55 AM on October 30, 2016
posted by airmail at 8:55 AM on October 30, 2016
Another area to check out is Astoria. I think the commute may be less convenient for you but no one else has mentioned it yet.
posted by deathpanels at 1:57 PM on October 30, 2016
posted by deathpanels at 1:57 PM on October 30, 2016
I assume you're looking for recommendations based on personal experience, but I do think this article might be helpful, to narrow down neighborhood choices, even if you're not a recent grad. (I can personally vouch for neighborhood #3 on the list.)
posted by merejane at 2:18 PM on October 30, 2016
posted by merejane at 2:18 PM on October 30, 2016
Really, there are no drive-bys. https://maps.nyc.gov/crime/ I'd be more concerned with break-ins or muggings but even those are pretty rare if you are street-smart and not naïve.
posted by greta simone at 2:22 PM on October 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by greta simone at 2:22 PM on October 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
Yeah, sorry if I offended you, hoyland, but you're not going to find those stray-bullet, watch-your-laptop neighborhoods in 2016 New York, unless you go *way* outside your commuting radius.
Even then, it's not that bad. Seriously.
posted by yellowcandy at 7:58 PM on October 30, 2016
Even then, it's not that bad. Seriously.
posted by yellowcandy at 7:58 PM on October 30, 2016
Really, no drive-bys. That was always an LA thing. Stay out of Mott Haven, East New York and Brownsville and you are good to go.
posted by mlis at 8:23 PM on October 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by mlis at 8:23 PM on October 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
I have very little to advise here (never lived in Brooklyn, was only in NYC from 2008-2010). However, here was my experience:
- I was looking in the Kew Gardens / Jamaica area of Queens and found a second-floor shared apartment with my own room & 2 or 3 other Eastern European guys as a sublet through Craigslist. It was a suspicious $490 a month but incredibly was not a scam and I had my own bathroom.
- However, even though I thought it would be convenient to be so close to grad school, I hated living that far out with a fiery passion. I did not realize beforehand that the buses stopped at midnight and that the non-express subway out there would take forever.
- Since it was a sublet, I was able to give only a month's notice after finding a place in the Upper West Side and did a lot of trips via suitcase with my stuff (I did not have a car).
I am so glad that I did not make a permanent housing arrangement before living in NYC for a month or two. If I were you, I would leave as much of your stuff as you can at your boyfriend's place, and sublet in your favorite area for a month or two. Good luck!
posted by amicamentis at 10:37 AM on November 1, 2016
- I was looking in the Kew Gardens / Jamaica area of Queens and found a second-floor shared apartment with my own room & 2 or 3 other Eastern European guys as a sublet through Craigslist. It was a suspicious $490 a month but incredibly was not a scam and I had my own bathroom.
- However, even though I thought it would be convenient to be so close to grad school, I hated living that far out with a fiery passion. I did not realize beforehand that the buses stopped at midnight and that the non-express subway out there would take forever.
- Since it was a sublet, I was able to give only a month's notice after finding a place in the Upper West Side and did a lot of trips via suitcase with my stuff (I did not have a car).
I am so glad that I did not make a permanent housing arrangement before living in NYC for a month or two. If I were you, I would leave as much of your stuff as you can at your boyfriend's place, and sublet in your favorite area for a month or two. Good luck!
posted by amicamentis at 10:37 AM on November 1, 2016
« Older Parts is Parts for Thanksgiving? | Simple two player game that's also good for travel... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
If you're planning on a roommate, I think that's right.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 5:50 PM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]