Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with newyork and moving

Help me jump start my career across the country

Skwirl — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:26:33 -0800

I have a $9000 open-ended scholarship (AmeriCorps education award, actually) and will have several grand in savings at the end of September. How can I use this to fund relocation and a mid-Atlantic coast job search? The education award can be used to pay for living expenses if and only if the college approves. Many people have used it to fund vocational school, European trips, Outward Bound, or a new computer by taking the right courses.

I'd like some idea of adult ed, certificate and distance learning courses that I could use to unlock some of that money for living expenses above and beyond tuition for several months after September, and to also have the freedom to jump a Chinatown bus or Amtrak at a moment's notice to interview for jobs. Having a next step in my career is the highest priority, but failing that, it'd be nice to have something like a certificate, extra training or renewed academic creditentials for grad school to show for the time. My academic interests are super broad but focus across non-profit administration, leadership, life coaching and technology. My undergrad degree was a double major in Journalism and Computer Science. I'd be peachy taking one of those As-Seen-On-TV video game production (ITT Tech?) courses, interesting community college stuff, getting a certificate in non-profit admin, starting a slow burn distance learning library sci or MPA distance degree, etc... The sky's the limit. Just to know that it's second to getting a regular job and travelling to do it.

Encouraging comments and any out of the box advice and school ideas are welcome. I could easily talk myself out of a cross-country move and don't need your help pointing out flaws or the economy. =) I am used to living and travelling on a budget and the money I have saved alone will last for at least a few months. Portland is way too small, too distant to other big cities and all of my first-runner-up job leads that would obviously further my career were outside of Portland and mostly east coast phone interviews. There are jobs in my field of expertise and I can make a strong case for myself.

I think I can up the ante if I dedicate myself to being within day's trip distance to high density population centers and face-to-face interviewing. Washington, DC, Richmond, VA, Charlottesville, VA, and Philadelphia, PA are places that I've recently visited and enjoyed. I have family, friends, couches and support systems to fall back on in South Carolina, Richmond, NYC and some points inbetween.

How to move to Philly in one day.

millipede — Sat, 02 May 2009 07:22:10 -0800

Can you recommend a professional moving company that can get my stuff from NYC to Philadelphia in one day? Or barring that, two days? I am moving from NYC to Philadelphia in August. I am already stressing out about it. This is my timeline:
August 14th: last day of work
August 18 or 19: my (very nice) mother flies up from Florida to help me pack all my stuff and generally give support.
August 20 or 21: Hopefully, movers come! (that sounds like I'm not going to make an appointment and I'm just going to sit in my apartment and wait and hope. But no.)
August 21: I have to pick up the keys to my new apartment in Philadelphia. My mom and I will take Amtrak down to Philadelphia.
August 24: I start a pre-semester class. I want to be settled in by this time.

When I was a kid, we moved around a lot and I know it always took several days for the movers to get our things from one place to another. We solved that problem by staying in hotels or by driving from the old city to the new city, which took some time. And as an adult, I've moved around a lot within NYC, and of course, it's always been a thing that happens within one day. I don't know if any company can and will do the one day move when leaving the city (even if it's pretty close, as Philly is)--am I being unreasonable by wanting this? I want to avoid staying in a hotel. I would be okay with a company that could do it in two days, too. I just want to avoid waiting seven days for my furniture. I want to be settled in by the time I begin my pre-semester class on August 24. I cannot move in before the 21st.

Also, renting a truck and driving is out of the question. My furniture is too heavy and I'm moving from a 4th floor walkup to a second floor walkup, and my mother and I are both small and nervous people who won't do well carrying giant dressers or driving trucks through New Jersey.

So does anyone know of a moving company that does this? I have about a 1br apartment's-worth of stuff.

London Calling

CRM114 — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:37:00 -0800

Advice for a New Yorker moving to London. Hello MeFites.

It's looking rather probable that I'm going to be moving to London from New York for work in the next couple of months.

I'm a young professional and I've lived in the US my whole life - apart from a casual appreciation for Premiership football and an affinity for Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares, I don't know all that much about living in the UK.

I've seen previous AskMe threads akin to this, so I've read up on the VAT, the Council Tax, and the benefits of having a bicycle, but there's still quite a bit I don't know:

*What's a good neighborhood for a young professional to live in, and why? I like the bar scene, but I don't necessarily want to live over the bar. And after years in New York I'm hoping a dishwasher isn't too much to ask for.

*Many of the apartments I've seen in my price range on Craigslist are furnished - this is a bit unusual in NYC, but is it fairly commonplace in London?

*What are some common mistakes expatriates make when they move over, and how can I avoid them?

Thanks in advance, friends.

Gifts for new NYC-er and future journalist

greta simone — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:22:24 -0800

Care package ideas for a new journalism grad student and New Yorker- A good friend of mine is starting the Journalism graduate program at NYU this fall and has just moved to Astoria, Queens. I was hoping to send him some fun items to ease his transition, but mostly just for fun. He's not a candy or gadgets kind of guy, and I don't have a lot of money to spend, so I was thinking more along the lines of things he can use and/or read to enhance this new leg of his life.

The only thing I know I am going to get is one of those city-specific Moleskins for New York. He's been reading up on the history of the city (mostly via internet research) and reading some book of interviews of prominent journalists (not sure what it's called). I would like to try to find a book or two in the same vein of these topics to send- any recommendations? He's really interested in learning about his new neighborhood as well.

Lastly, any other suggestions of the non-book variety are welcome. Thanks!

Moving to NYC!

jckll — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 05:31:26 -0800

Moving to New York City. Give me some advice you wish you had been given! I'm moving to Manhattan at the end of this month to start a new job (or, more accurately, first real job out of undergrad). I have an apartment already, UWS, so I don't really need any apartment-hunting advice (although if you have some nuggets for the future, feel free to share). I don't have any specific questions, but I figure there are lots of people on here who have moved to the city and wished they had done things a little--or a lot--differently, and I'm hoping to get some of that insight.

I'll take any advice, from the practical (how to get my stuff there, where to buy furniture) to the metaphysical (how to prepare my aura for Manhattan, what books to bring). Lay it on me.

How do I find a good mover in NYC?

Afroblanco — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:38:24 -0800

How do I find a good mover in NYC? I'm moving from one apartment to a different one in the East Village. I don't have a lot of stuff (think big bed, big TV, and a bunch of boxes) and would move it myself, except that I'm moving from a 6th floor apartment to a 5th floor one.

It seems impossible to find a good mover on the internet. All the reviews on Yelp and Citysearch seem like obvious astroturfing. Plus, lots of my friends have had issues with movers charging them more than they said they would.

So, AskMe, I turn to you. How do I find a good mover in this city? Also, if anybody knows - how much should I expect to pay, assuming that I do all the packing myself?

When do I start looking for an apartment in NYC?

goingonit — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 11:31:54 -0800

I accepted a job in New York City that starts midsummer. I'm in school until the end of May. When do I start looking for a place to live? I'm willing to spend plenty of time looking for a place, but I have a feeling that if I were to scout around the city now, even if I were to find anything they'd be expecting me to move in earlier than I can. I don't want to move in until July (June at the earliest). With that in mind:

-Should I be prepared to move in immediately upon signing?
-Should I put this out of my mind now, get to the city in mid-June and just focus on finding a place until I do? Or is that too risky?
-What can I profitably do right now?

Thanks!

My bleeding heart is shriveling up

zoomorphic — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 09:04:42 -0800

So I moved to Brooklyn, landed a great magazine internship in the city, and seem to be on the right track professionally. One problem: I'm restless and want to leave NYC. Will I sabotage my future as a magazine journalist by leaving Manhattan, the mecca of magazines? It's not that I dislike New York--there are times when I really, truly believe in this city, especially Brooklyn. But more often I'm wary that I'm wasting my youth in the bowels of the universe where I hate my commute, I hate tourists, I hate slow walkers, and I stare through any poor soul asking for change on the street. I'm bitter, neurotic, self-absorbed, and obsessed with work. Everyone in my office--and in a 5 mile vicinity--is the same way. Paradoxically, I also hate people who blithely write off these traits as merit badges for becoming a New Yorker. I moved here thinking I was happening upon a great literary community of engaged, well-read people, but little has turned up.

In short, my job makes me happy, the city doesn't. Thwarting my relocation ambitions is the sinking realization that I lack the self-discipline to freelance, making an in-house journalism job nigh imperative. So what happens if I move? I really love Chicago, but I can't think of any notable magazines or lit hubs there, except the Poetry Foundation and (yikes) Time Out Chicago. What else is out there?

Or should I wipe the city grime from my eyes and keep seeking out the elusive literati lurking in some Brooklyn nook?

Help my friend find an apartment in NYC

unexpected — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 15:46:33 -0800

Asking for a friend: Help me find a cheap, safe, and convenient apartment in the Big Apple. My friend needs a place in NYC starting in January. We know Craiglist is the best place for finding specific apartment, but as Native Texans, we have no idea about what areas to love, what areas to avoid (Brooklyn?, Queens?, Harlem?, New Jersey? It's all the same to us), etc.

Here are the requirements:

1) Safety. Young female who doesn't know her way around New York, so area should be near major subway/other transportation lines.

2) Price: <= $1600 a month

3) 1BR or Studio. Desperately trying to avoid the random roommate search on craigslist.

4) Convenience. Workplace is in downtown Manhattan. This is last on the list, but it'd be a bonus if place was close to work (commute-time wise, we know it's going to be impossible to find a place in Manhattan in this range)

Broker/agent recommendations for Jersey City rentals, please!

cyrusdogstar — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 09:07:35 -0800

Looking for some specifics and some general advice: broker/realtor/agency recommendations for finding a rental in Jersey City, and/or links to general resources for someone new to real estate/apartment hunting. This is a semi-followup to my earlier JC-related question, for what it's worth. In addition, from perusing other such threads, I've already bookmarked Del Forno Realty and Armagno Agency. However, if possible I'd like recommendations for other such groups, or specific individual agents who specialize in Jersey City.

As with the other thread, please do not mention New York City or Hoboken resources unless they also deal with Jersey City, and yes, I have heard of that quaint little "Craig's List" WWW thingy, thanks :) And we've heard the "no brokers, they suck" argument ad infinitum, and have taken that viewpoint into account.

Journal Square is the dumps!

cyrusdogstar — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 09:23:24 -0800

We're thinking of moving to Jersey City from points west, and have some questions about it which aren't answered in this previous JC AskMe. Sincere apologies for the length! (I've bookmarked related threads here. Also: Please do not suggest we move to a NYC borough, or Hoboken--I will ask for that sort of advice if/when I need it :))

My fiancee and I live in the Jersey 'burbs (on the Raritan Valley NJT line, which runs once an hour off-peak and requires a transfer in Newark). While it's nice and quiet, the commute is getting old, especially since we've made lifestyle changes recently.

We're interested in Jersey City because it's centrally located (thanks PATH!) and appears more affordable than NYC proper, especially compared to those areas with similar commute times. Our target is a 2-bedroom place for ~$1000-1400/mo; we currently have a "1 1/2" bedroom for ~$900/mo.

With that back-story out of the way, my questions:

1. Neighborhoods. I'm looking for any advice about the various areas that you can provide, and I'll spit out my own observations here:

Most of the apartments fitting our criteria on Craigslist are near Journal Square, or in neighborhoods south. We visited that area last weekend, and it's as run-down as I expected.

Others are in the Heights, which looked nicer, but seems like it's a hike from PATH, and the closest such stop being in JSQ, which I'm not even sure I want to walk through twice a day. My fiancee was troubled by the power-plant on the slope west of the Heights, too (we saw it walking up JFK).

Then there's downtown, near the Grove Street PATH, Hamilton Park, Paulus Hook (nice, but unfortunately too expensive), Van Vorst Park, and etc. The old thread said the only nice areas were Paulus Hook and Hamilton Park; does that include the areas in between, the ones near the Grove Street stop? We visited the area last year but I don't remember it well, nor did we cover all of it. As far as I can tell it's our best bet w/r/t getting a nice-ish area close to PATH.

2. Groceries. One odd thing we noticed during that downtown trip was the relative lack of delis/markets/grocers. Was that just bad luck/poor perception, or does everyone hoof it up to the supermarket near the mall?

3. Crime. Just how bad is it? From reading JCList.com, you'd think that there are break-ins every few days, with scattered muggings for flavor. I realize that the area has crime, but is it any better or worse than, say, the gentrified neighborhoods in Brooklyn, or Astoria? Pointers to sources at which I can research this myself would be welcome.

4. Locals. If anyone reading this is currently residing in Jersey City and would like to give us a more focused tour of the better areas, or to just gab about the place in general, I'd greatly appreciate it. Email is in the profile.

How do I get over my fear of moving in NYC?

scazza — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 09:00:28 -0800

How do I get over my fear of moving? How do New Yorkers deal with this overblown rental market? My fiance and I are moving. We need an apartment with rooms and walls (living in a one room loft is hard on a couple), I'd like to be able to walk to the park like I could in Chicago, I'd like trees on the street (Park Slope/Windsor Terrace). But mostly we need walls, oh and our current apartment is way overpriced for this shit neighborhood.

The last time I moved it was really bad. I regretted moving to New York at all. Chicago to New York, lost the apartment we had halfway there, drove through the aftermath of hurricane Ivan, stayed in an extended stay place on Long Island for 2 weeks with my cat and plants, we put our stuff in storage while we looked for a place, no one would take us, finally we get a place, we get in an accident with our rental car while moving in, and our new apartment has 12' windows with no shades for weeks, and we have no furniture and no money and no jobs. It took about 2 months for things to get settled at all.

I know there are a lot of factors in that story (the accident, the hotel, no furniture, no jobs, no money, the chicago to nyc transition) that don't apply here. We actually have a place to live right now. But, I feel a small fear that that is going to happen again, everything falling apart, that that is what moving in NYC has to be. I feel that I'm getting paralysed in the face of it and that I'll just put off looking for an apartment. I'm scared of dismantling what was such a struggle to put together, the packing, putting my things in boxes again. I'm scared of dealing with New York brokers.

So should I just not make it personal? Is that possible?
Stay motivated by keeping in mind why I have to move, what I need, at all times?
Emphasize the differences between where I am now, maybe being a more attractive renter, with our situation back then?
How do I deal with a system I beleive is fundamentally wrong, unfair, and exploitative?

I think I need to get out of my own head, so all outside advice is appreciated. Any moving sites, articles that have addressed moving in nyc are appreciated as well.

i want outta here

andywolf — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 16:38:55 -0800

I'm thinking of moving from seattle, going out east. My initial thoughts are of Burlington Vermont, but my company also has a branch in Buffalo New York. Can anyone give me an idea of what the cities are like/have to offer? I also work as an EMT (any idea on the EMS services in those areas?) and will be going on to be an RN. So ideas on decent school options/length of residency? Any other suggestions city wise? I don't want to live in too big of a town. I want to be somewhere that I can visit New York City and Boston fairly easily. Somewhere "politically progressive".

Where should I move?

echo0720 — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 14:02:16 -0800

How do I figure out what city to move to? I'm looking for a new job and basically have two cities that I'm interested in moving to (staying where I am is not an option given my lack of support network, general unhappiness here, etc.) - New York or Chicago. I've lived in Chicago before (albeit briefly, only for a few months) and loved it. I have two good girlfriends there, a good male friend who might be moving away for grad school soon, and a few other casual acquaintances who may or may not become good friends. In addition, I'm from the midwest, so the culture there is familiar. But damn is it cold. On the other hand, I've never had a NY experience, and I have a couple of good male friends (one is probably one of my absolute closest friends) there, and another one probably about to move there (from here, actually), but no close girlfriends. However, my friends there are very outgoing and I'd have the potential to meet a lot of people. And it would be a completely new and different experience. Chicago is more affordable than NY. But NY would probably be more social and probably contains more single men (at my age, sadly, this is a major concern).

Something else for me to keep in mind, one of the jobs I am interested in is focused on high tech and communications, so clients would likely be concentrated on either coast (more travel likely if in Chicago, but if I live in NY, I could either be in town OR have a super long commute to).

So anyway...how do I decide which city I want to move to? I am very torn between the two. I know you won't be able to magically read my mind adn say "move to city X", but if you've ever had such a dilemma and can help me figure out a logical way to determine where I want to live, I would really, really appreciate it.

Also, wow this was long, thanks for reading the whole thing.

rochesta represent!

barnone — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 12:32:15 -0800

Rochester, NY: I am making a welcome kit for a good friend moving there soon. What are the best comic book stores, indie film associations, great theatres, fun markets, cheap eats, coffee joints, weird local nights, etc.? He's a film buff, into alterna and mainstream comics, avid local indie/rock/noise scene supporter, filmmaker, professor, and awesome all around. He's sad about leaving our little enclave and I'd like to give him a jumpstart on the local scene there, maybe including a local guidebook or gift certificate for something cool -- so if you know about anything along these lines, I'd love to hear about it!

Being a New NeighborFilter

softlord — Fri, 10 Jun 2005 16:53:31 -0800

Does anyone have any suggestions for a good way to get in good with my new neighbors? I'm about to sign my name to a lease on a brand new apartment in an area where I dont really know anyone (Queens, NYC).

I'm planning on having a housewarming fiesta to which they will be invited (I'm leaving the door open and posting signs), but is there anything in particular you would suggest to let them know that I'm not a psycho and that they should feel free to pop in for tea?

What would make you say "Hey thats pretty cool of him" when you have a new neighbor in your building?

Recommendations for moving companies in NYC?

skwm — Mon, 27 Sep 2004 19:18:32 -0800

Recommendations for moving companies in NYC?

NYC Movers

Vidiot — Tue, 10 Aug 2004 18:25:26 -0800

Recommendations for movers in NYC? I'm going to be moving soon from one part of Astoria, Queens to another. I'm looking for recommendations of two-people-and-a-van-type movers (or tell me about ones to avoid.) I figure I can pack myself and move most of my boxes, and have these people just move the heavy boxes and furniture. (I'll be moving from a ground-floor apartment to a fourth-floor walkup.)

In particular, does anyone have experience with Rabbit Movers or anyone else on this list?

Moving to Brooklyn

atreyu — Mon, 28 Jun 2004 14:37:07 -0800

My Sig-O is making the big move to NYC this summer and needs to make a housing decision ASAP. Could any knowledgeable gothamefites comment on the safety/quality of this brooklyn neighborhood (with the red star)?