How to find a room in NYC?
August 27, 2011 7:42 AM Subscribe
NYU grad student desperately seeking an affordable room in Bklyn or lower Manhattan. She's my cousin from Uruguay, early thirties, just arrived in NYC. She's tried craigslist with no success. I am not in NYC. Where else should she look for ads? Feel free to memail me.
I think there must be some misunderstanding if she has had no success on Craigslist. Can you share what "affordable" means to her, and the specific neighborhoods where she is looking? Has she been unsuccessful because nothing is in her budget, or because she doesn't like the places where she's looked, or because places she liked didn't want her to move in?
posted by telegraph at 8:10 AM on August 27, 2011
posted by telegraph at 8:10 AM on August 27, 2011
Padmapper, Streeteasy, Hotigloos.com (owned by a friend of mine) are all options.
I don't understand the affection for Craigslist; I find it to be awful for this kind of thing.
And, yeah, it would help to know what your friend's budget is. Also, what amenities, if any, is your friend looking for? Doorman? Elevator? Washer and dryer in the unit? Etc.
Then we could reliably inform her of what neighborhoods to look at.
posted by dfriedman at 8:17 AM on August 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
I don't understand the affection for Craigslist; I find it to be awful for this kind of thing.
And, yeah, it would help to know what your friend's budget is. Also, what amenities, if any, is your friend looking for? Doorman? Elevator? Washer and dryer in the unit? Etc.
Then we could reliably inform her of what neighborhoods to look at.
posted by dfriedman at 8:17 AM on August 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
Lots of NYU people live in Jersey City, which is closer than most of Brooklyn in terms of travel time to NYU. And of course, it's cheaper!
Hoboken is also close, but it's as expensive as Brooklyn or Manhattan. Journal Square in Jersey City is farther, but cheaper. I'd suggest looking within walking distance of the Exchange Place, Grove Street, or Newport PATH stations.
Wherever she looks, travel time via public transit to NYU -- not map distance -- should be part of her criteria. If she's right near the East River in Brooklyn, but she has to take a bus to a subway and then transfer, it makes much more sense to live farther out, but walk a block to the subway and then ride the same line all the way to school.
And seconding other posters, knowing her search criteria and method would help -- there's no shortage of apartments, but how she's looking and what she's looking for make all the difference.
posted by lesli212 at 9:45 AM on August 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
Hoboken is also close, but it's as expensive as Brooklyn or Manhattan. Journal Square in Jersey City is farther, but cheaper. I'd suggest looking within walking distance of the Exchange Place, Grove Street, or Newport PATH stations.
Wherever she looks, travel time via public transit to NYU -- not map distance -- should be part of her criteria. If she's right near the East River in Brooklyn, but she has to take a bus to a subway and then transfer, it makes much more sense to live farther out, but walk a block to the subway and then ride the same line all the way to school.
And seconding other posters, knowing her search criteria and method would help -- there's no shortage of apartments, but how she's looking and what she's looking for make all the difference.
posted by lesli212 at 9:45 AM on August 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
Her budget is going to be really key, here.
Also: is she only looking in Manhattan? I went to NYU as an undergrad, but my first apartment -- which I rented during my senior year -- was in Brooklyn. The commute isn't that bad, and she'd have a much easier time finding something.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 10:31 AM on August 27, 2011
Also: is she only looking in Manhattan? I went to NYU as an undergrad, but my first apartment -- which I rented during my senior year -- was in Brooklyn. The commute isn't that bad, and she'd have a much easier time finding something.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 10:31 AM on August 27, 2011
I'm not that savvy with Queens but from my understanding there is an Uruguayan community in Jackson Heights. She could possibly start perusing community newspaper listings around there if she doesn't mind the commute.
posted by cazoo at 12:22 PM on August 27, 2011
posted by cazoo at 12:22 PM on August 27, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks all, she's had no success with the NYU housing office, but these are some good leads.
posted by mareli at 2:27 PM on August 27, 2011
posted by mareli at 2:27 PM on August 27, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by oinopaponton at 7:51 AM on August 27, 2011 [1 favorite]