What are my month-to-month housing options in New York City?

June 24, 2010 6:31 PM

Can anyone give me advice (outside of Craigslist) on finding housing options in New York City that run month to month? I've lived in the East Village for two years, but was able to sign a lease. I just finished grad school and don't have a full-time job secured, so signing a new lease is not viable for me right now. I'm looking for something that's under $800 a month, in a safe area, in Manhattan (probably not going to happen at that range), Queens, or Brooklyn, and as easily accessible from the train as possible. Astoria, Jackson Heights, Park Slope, or Long Island City would be ideal.
posted by msk1985 to Home & Garden (10 answers total)

Many of the two or three family houses in Astoria, Woodside, Sunnyside and Jackson Heights do month to month. But you're not going to find anything under $800 a month unless you mean a share and Craigslist is going to be your best bet for that.
posted by Pineapplicious at 6:46 PM on June 24, 2010

Nearly all rentals, especially short term, take place on Craigslist. Unless you know someone personally or want to walk the streets looking for rent signs, Craigslist is your best bet.
posted by decathecting at 7:12 PM on June 24, 2010

Yeah, you aren't going to find much at that price in those neighborhoods. Maybe the worst studio in Jackson Heights. It'll go pretty far in a share, though.
posted by zvs at 7:19 PM on June 24, 2010

(You might want to consider Jersey City? You could actually find a decent solo place for that money there, and there's plenty of cheap, safe neighborhoods.)
posted by zvs at 7:19 PM on June 24, 2010

The Jersey City suggestion isn't bad, but it's still hard to get under $800/mo without a share at this point, especially month to month. JC does have some bad neighborhoods that you probably don't want to get stuck in either, mostly in the western corners - so look before you sign, as always.

But that said: I moved to JC from Astoria, and I love it here, so it's worth an shot. It's closer to Manhattan than most people think.
posted by Remy at 8:01 PM on June 24, 2010

$800 per month for a share is totally doable in Washington Heigts and probably next to impossible in Park Slope.

Plenty of shares are available without a lease on Craigslist.

An apartment on your own without a lease for under $800?? That's going to need either connections (housesitting, catsitting, rich friends, poor friends), enormous luck, or to be way the hell out there , and possibly some combination of those things.
posted by Salamandrous at 6:13 AM on June 25, 2010

Park Slope is right out, but you should try looking for a share in the Flatbush/Parade Grounds/Lefferts Gardens/Kensington area south of Prospect Park. The Q, B, 2, 5, F and G all go through there. My neighborhood friends and I pay between $500-$800 a month depending on how many roommates are involved.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 8:25 AM on June 25, 2010

Response by poster: I actually have a few friends in Astoria and Jackson Heights who are paying around $800/month for their room in a shared apartment in decent buildings, but they signed a lease. Just making sure I wasn't missing some insider's website on housing.
posted by msk1985 at 7:01 PM on June 25, 2010

You might want to check community bulletin boards. Astoria has one as does Jackson Heights
posted by Pineapplicious at 8:04 PM on June 25, 2010

Oops, here's the link to the Jackson Heights community board.
posted by Pineapplicious at 8:05 PM on June 25, 2010