My girlfriend and I are moving to Manhattan in August. The plan (please comment on the plan) is to fly out to look for an apartment for roughly a week, fly back, load up the rental truck and head on out. Any advice on this process? Is a week long enough or do we need more time? We have a dog which wipes out probably 60% of the places but, what are you gonna do? I've only heard horror stories about the apartment search so I'm more concerned about this than finding a job. Right now, we really like the Upper (Upper) West Side and the East Village (yes they are on opposite ends of the Island but they seem to have good dog runs and somewhat approach our pricerange). Any advice out there? Places to look at, onlince sources, the whole broker thing (I think we've come to the realization that we'll need one)? Thanks.
Don't know where you need or want to be (Manhattan a must?), but maybe you could try subletting first, then moving your girlfriend/pet/stuff later? One week is really pushing it, unless you're willing to pay whatever exorbitant sum they're asking.
A huge problem with Manhattan real estate is the large number of building that are coops. That means that the landlord can approve you, but the coop board can reject you if they don't approve. Attitudes vary based on neighborhood (i.e. Upper East Side equals super picky, East Village equals easier to deal with).
Be sure you and your girlfriend have copies of your last two years' tax returns or a guarantor with substantial income. A job in place helps, too. If you're a student, emphasize your age and responsibilty level, and have a landlord reference or two ready. September is really a tough month to begin a lease, since thousands of students in New York are looking right then. Maybe start your search in July...
My best advice is to become a craigslist hawk. Consider Brooklyn (Ft. Greene is wonderful) or Queens, if the commute is workable. The people are much easier to deal with on this side of the East River, the prices lower, and the lack of noise and bustle a good break from Manhattan. Realtors/brokers on either side of the river are completely shady and not to be trusted, but usually necessary, unfortunately.
That being said, I'm going to have to move back in to Manhattan to be closer to school, I think.
Let me know if you find something good, and best of luck to you!
Thanks for the reply squaresquared. The only other borough that is even and option would be the Bronx (my girlfriend will be attending school in Bronxville, NY). That, and we really like Manhattan. She will have employment for apt. approval and we'll have all the forms necessary. I like the subletting idea, but what the hell do we do with all our CRAP during that time? We were hoping to fly out late July for a week and move August 1 - that's when our lease is up here. Hopefully this can help us avoid the student rush. So one week is pushing it, huh? Two weeks? Oh - Upper WEST Side. Too much Park Ave. on the east side for our taste.
Park your stuff in New Jersey in a storage unit... If you're trying for August 1, come right after the 4th of July. It will not only take you time to find the right place, but also to process the lease.
I don't mean to freak you out, but the rental market in Manhattan is really tight right now, especially in neighborhoods uptown adjacent to the park, as many rent-controlled buildings around there are being converted to Condos. That means lots of people who were driven out are looking for a good deal, demand is up, and thus prices are up, too. The Upper West Side is always in high demand. You'll have to sacrifice something--either space or money or both. The East Village practically exploded with growth the year I lived there.
if you are interested in no fee listings- getting an apartment w/o a broker- this means most likely you will have to live in brooklyn or queens- my tip look at the Daily News on-line- you have to check every day. also, in a simillar vein, but you have to pay, the villagevoice on-line- you also have to check every day. careful with craig's list and ppartments in NYC- lot of scammy stuff out-there, but it is good for finding apartment shares and sublets...
By the way, before you settle on Manhattan as the only place to live (how many people have i heard say that when they are moving there?) check the other bouroughs- you will find that they have a lot to offer, are cheaper, and many times are just as close to where you might end up needing to be in manhattan...
Craigslist - what a great find, I hadn't thought of that.
Anyway, thanks for all your posts. Yes, we're pretty well set on Manhattan. I've heard things about craigslist and that most of those apartments don't actually exist. Brokers just post them to get you to call them, then they proceed to show you a janitor's closet. Doesn't mean I won't check it nonstop. I've got craigslist, NYtime classifieds, Village Voice and the Daily News (thanks - that one's new) so far to scour.
We had thought about the whole New Jersey storage thing, but I'm not sure that would work. We'd need to find a place that accepts dogs while we try to find an apartment. That would save us a flight out there, then back though. We may need to send one of us out to search while the other stays back and hangs with the dog. We were hoping to avoid the doubling up on rent though. But, shit, 2 round trip tickets alone is almost a months rent here.
1. sell or give away all your crap. if you're moving to NY, try to sell it. you'll need the money. be unencumbered by material excess. or any excess at all, you'll need the money for rent.
2. send the dog to one of your parents while you look for a place
Since you instst on Manhattan- you might also try Washington Heights- Its pretty far up but a nice neighborhood with good ethnic food, a nice park and east river acces/views- far cheaper than the other neighborhoods that you mention- and you may be able to get an apartment no broker. The neighborhoods that you are talking about- basically anything below 110th st.- you are going to have to pay a broker fee- that usually works out to about 17% of your rent for the year- usually a couple thousand dollars. i hate these brokers- a couple of thousand so they can hand you a key- believe me thats all they do. consider yourself extremely lucky if you can get into something without paying a broker. i have been there it ain't pretty. if you do pay a fee, then you will need to think about the place you are taking, is it something that you would consider keeping for at least, at a very minimum 2 years, because if it isn't you are wasting your money. also something to look- at does the apartment that you are getting protected by rent control? most of the larger non-co-op buildings built before 1975 are protected, but they have waays and means of getting around that too. i recommend at a minimum a two month sublet that way you have the time to check out what you are getting into. another tip for moving your items across the country- amtrak $2.- a pound. nothing larger than a 3'x3' though. good luck in the hunt!
one more thought...where you live in NYC is all about which subway is closest to you. for your girlfriend that will most likely be the green line- she will need to get to Grand Central to make the commute up to Sarah Lawrence. cross town connections in Manhattan are a bit of a bitch. Again if you were willing to consider brooklyn there are some very nice neighborhoods serviced by the green line- Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights (if you can afford that) and also Cobble Hill is within walking distance...But obviously if you get something in the East Village....
I just got an apartment in Manattan [technically]. Here is the apartment if you would want to check it out, very nice, but comes with a pretty nice price as well [IMO, being from the midwest it is pricey]. www.octagonnyc.com You will find that it is extremely hard to find apartments online. As stated before you will probably need a broker for most places in Manhattan. I was lucky to find this place, and there was no broker for the place. But if it is possible for you to find a place online b4 you go out for that week that would be great. Also start talking to places as soon as you can, dont wait until July or whatever, make them send you photos, etc. Then when you go out you can see for yourself, maybe try to have a couple lined up that you like. As stated before, you might be better off living in another borough. Yes, there is this stigma around living in Manhattan, but in many instances it is easier to get to a place in Manhattan from a different borough through the subway, and apartments in these areas are also less pricey. Im not sure if the place I am in allows for pets or not, it might say on the website. But good luck finding a place that will allow pets, especially in Manhattan.
That is one fat pad dtown. Seems a little suburban but that's just me. I'm leaning towards the "move your shit into a storage locker in Jersey and sublet a place for 1-2 months" plan. Thanks cosmoe, you have a pretty firm grasp of what I'm talking about. What we were looking at in the UWS was the 1 to a crosstown train to GCS or the 50 bus to the Harlem station. The East Village may be easier for us it is sounding (both to find a place and for her to commute to SLC). We were just there a couple of weeks ago and stayed at a place on 103rd (I think) between Amsterdam and Broadway and loved that area. Riverside park would be huge for the dog's sake. We could look at Brooklyn I suppose but we both have a lot of friends in Manhattan and she's pretty set on the attitude of, "If I'm gonna move to NYC for 2 years, I might as well do it right." I don't really disagree. Not that the other buroughs are "not doing it right" at all, but it's an opportunity that I think, if we can afford to live there then we would regret not trying.
The east village/LES/Nolitta is great- its really the best neighborhood/area to live in in NYC (i know i will get a lot of flak for that statement...). If you can get an apartment there- and believe me everyone knows its a great neighborhood- and can stomach the broker fee- that should be your first choice. if you are only there for two years you wont be wanting to leave from that neighborhood.
Btw- roosevelt island is very cool- not surburban- just wierd. beautiful views, Sert housing, cool tram (as long as you don't get stuck in it!!!). it used to house a leper colony, that building is abondoned, but a cool thing to walk around. the island post war was supposed to house all of the workers at the UN, Harrison even proposed putting the UN at that site. they do have this wierd policy about dogs though, i'm not too sure if its a joke but no dogs allowed signs are posted everywhere.
perhaps where you live now, you and your girlfriend have thought of this, but what happens if you break up while you're in NY?
how do you make sure that the other doesn't just leave and stiff you for 1/2 the rent? how do you divide the collective belongings? or have you worked all this stuff out?
i just ask because i have known many a couple who moved to NY and LA and SF and chicago who never gave these issues a second thought. but then one or the other or both experienced the excitement of a larger dating pool, the stresses of trying to find a place/job, and various other problems, and the relationship wasn't strong enough to handle it. and so either they were living with their exes or one person was leaving, and there were always arguments about how to handle the rent, how to take one person off the lease...ugh.
like i said, maybe y'all have worked all that stuff out. but if not...do work it out beforehand. if your relationship isn't strong enough for one or the other to ask / answer these questions...then maybe you're doing the wrong thing.
I appreciate it ochona but by most people's standards, we're married. We've been together almost 5 years and lived together (in sin) almost 4 years. I understand the issues, but if it happens we'll deal with it then. You're right though, it is something to consider.
As far as all our crap, yes we have a lot - we have 2 cars a truck and a scooter (actually only one car now, I just sold one and we're giving the truck away). We're planning on getting rid of 2 couches and a reading chair, a giant filing cabinet, all our shitty target end tables and random shitty pieces of furniture, half our pots, pans, & dishes, storing our washer & dryer above my parents garage, etc. I think we may be getting rid of our bed too since we need a new one. It's daunting.
I wasn't knocking Roosevelt Island or anything - it truly looks like a nice place - but I laughed when I read this: "A place where you can have your Manhattan, and leave it too." I mean isn't that the suburbia manifesto? I just thought it was funny.
Really - Washington Heights? We never made it up there. One of my girlfriend's best friends lives at 142nd and Broadway. I think that's in that region. We really loved the 80s-100s on Broadway, so who knows, that may get tossed into the mix. But, the 1 train all the way down to the crosstown, to GCS, to Bronxville seems a little rediculous of a commute to me (even from the UUWS). She is only doing it 2 days a week, so who knows.
it all depends on what your tases are- the classic Upper West Side- near the park below 95th- is home to Woody Allen, Friends and Seinfield, co-op's and poodles- nice, i have some friends that live there, just not my bag. the park is beautiful- no doubt. East Village, formally Downtown 81 (Basquiat), now fauxhemian- but still in my opinion great. still somehow a little more diverse. Washington Heights- cuban little leauge, J-Lo, the best garlic chicken ever and scruffy community gardens. probably is too far for your needs, its just that unless you plan on coming in and making $70k a year (which you may be, so i will shut up now) you may need to rethink a bit where you can afford to live and what type of space is available, and what apartment building will allow a dog. still, i don't want to discourage you, shoot for where you want to live, just keep in mind other options. your idea about subletting will give you that flexability...i actually don't live in nyc anymore, but if i were to move back, which i probably will in the future, there is really only one place that i would consider living- brooklyn. (unless someone handed me a sweet deal in the east village) to me Booklyn, and to some extent Queens is where a good chunk of the nyc arts culture is now produced, and i like to be around that environment.
When we were there, we got of the F at Houston and walked around. We like that strip on Houston. My girlfriend's a writer so she fell in love with Clinton St. (Leonard Cohen sang about it) but there was absolutly nothing around for a dog. We didn't really get that Friends feeling from where we saw the UWS, maybe we were too far north, maybe we're delusional. Although the first bar we went to there was an absolute nightmare of underage Brittany Spears wannabe's singing along to 80's music (BAD 80's music - like Journey [BAD Journey]) on the e-jukebox but we got out and hoped it was only that bar. If the area is truly like that, we would have a hard time. In the east village we went to a few incredible little joints - Rai Rai Ken (we could live on this place) and Pommes Frites (near 2nd & 9th) and liked that area although we went to a bar there and it sucked too (Thirsty Scholar?) but not as bad as the first. I don't know if we'll be able to afford that area though. I will (hopefully) be making atleast that much or a little more than that (according to the AIA 2005 survey atleast) + whatever my girlfriend can pull down.
Now that we're looking at her going to GCS for her commute maybe Brooklyn isn't out of the question. Before going out there, we thought Harlem was the answer (near the Metro North station), but from what we saw of it (not all that much to be honest), we decided it wasn't in our future. She would definitely prefer to be at the pulse of the art scene (as would I, it's just not as high on my priority list).
The bar scene and food selection in LES/East Villge/Nolitta is definitely better then the UWS. If you posted for suggestions on archinect- you would get a ton, a ton. i am not to sure what the rent comparison is like these days, but food, shopping (especially with chinatown near-by) and entertainment is definitely cheaper in the east village. i have friends that are so righteous about living in that area, that they don't "dare" even set foot above 14th street (though threy are now taking occasional forays into willamsburg). i guess that you also know abouyt the dog walk in thomkins sq.?
quick moving advice:
ship your books! the usps "media rate" (covers books, film, cd's, dvd's, etc) is really impressive. you, as an architect, and your girlfriend, as a writer, probably have tons of books and they really do take up a large amount of space (not to mention gas cost) if you're trying to drive them across the country. when i moved across the country i was absolutely shocked at how cheap it was to ship all of my books.
also, an added question for you current new-yorkers: a friend of mine sitting here is looking to move and lots of people mention brooklyn. any particular neighborhoods you'd recommend?
I live in Greenpoint and love it. It's quiet and diverse, and not overrun with adult-children running amok, and split-second gentrification. There are great restaurants and bars, though fewer and way more low-key than neighboring Williamsburg. There's a great grocery (The Garden) and video store(Photoplay).
I live in an 850 sq. ft. loft with a view of midtown Manhattan and pay less than I did for my 250 sq. ft. East Village studio two years ago. The main drawback, and reason that Greenpoint has stayed reasonable as far as rent goes, is that it's not near a subway that goes directly into Manhattan. A small price to pay for heaven!
Other Brooklyn neighborhoods that I would consider living in are Ft. Greene, Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens and North Slope.
I have heard good things about the Clock Tower building in the Port Morris/Mott Haven area of the South Bronx. The NYTimes ran an article about SoBro[sic] revitalization last year singing its praises. Port Morris is right off the 6 train which would get you to GCS quickly.
This ad is always on craigslist, which makes it a little dubious, but you might want to give it a shot, since they say pets okay and the price is right:
I think if you posted a rental price range which you are looking for people might be able to offer more specific help and suggestions. The areas suggested so far vary wildly in price.
I lived in the east village for 3 years and I honestly feel it is the best neighborhood in the city (biased of course). Even better now than when I lived there with the new "Grocery Row" at 14th st. The area is no longer any where near cheap however, and living in the Alphabets is no longer the guaranteed deal that it once was. Places tend to be small and dirty. I have seen some apartments in this area that cost a ton and were disgusting.
If you must live in the city (and I doubt that you must) the deals that are still able to be found are either in Harlem, Washington Heights, Financial District and surprisingly the Upper East Side (the closer to York the cheaper).
Brooklyn offers much of the charm that non-NY'ers want at a better space/cost ratio than Manhattan, however the commute can sometimes be very long. Parts of Queens are great and lack the sea of hipsters (a positive for me, a negative for some) that Brooklyn draws.
I think the sublet option is sounding the best for you. The neighborhoods you like when you first visit NY are sometimes drastically different than what you might want after getting to know the areas a bit more. I realized that I wanted something a bit more neighborhood and a bit less hipster after living in the E. Village for so long.
As a broker -- not looking for any business -- I will give you a simple fact that you will come to learn soon enough: there is no place in New York that will offer you as much square footage in a safe environment than on the Upper East Side. You will not get any better quality apartment anywhere in a safe neighborhood anywhere in Manhattan.
East Village / Greenwhich Village = either you really know somebody, or you are far away from subways if not too much $$ for crappy apts.
Upper West Side = Nice neighborhood, good schools small apts for more $$
Harlem / Washington Heights, etc -- great apts to be found, good $$ -- nothing to do, and can be sketchy
Battery Park -- 2000k at least for one bedrooms
Roosevelt Island -- dogs ARE allowed. F train sucks -- 1 sports bar for the whole island
For $$ the best deal in New York square footage, safety, ammenities wise is between 73rd and 95th streets between York and 2nd aves.
So not hip, can be really boring, the 4,5,6 trains can get packed, but you have solid ammenities, the safest streets, great parks for the pup and no hip factor driving the price up.
good luck, be well, and look these guys up:
1) eberhartbros.com
2) city and suburban apartments
3) bettina equities
The DREADED Manhattan Apartment Search
My girlfriend and I are moving to Manhattan in August. The plan (please comment on the plan) is to fly out to look for an apartment for roughly a week, fly back, load up the rental truck and head on out. Any advice on this process? Is a week long enough or do we need more time? We have a dog which wipes out probably 60% of the places but, what are you gonna do? I've only heard horror stories about the apartment search so I'm more concerned about this than finding a job. Right now, we really like the Upper (Upper) West Side and the East Village (yes they are on opposite ends of the Island but they seem to have good dog runs and somewhat approach our pricerange). Any advice out there? Places to look at, onlince sources, the whole broker thing (I think we've come to the realization that we'll need one)? Thanks.
Don't know where you need or want to be (Manhattan a must?), but maybe you could try subletting first, then moving your girlfriend/pet/stuff later? One week is really pushing it, unless you're willing to pay whatever exorbitant sum they're asking.
A huge problem with Manhattan real estate is the large number of building that are coops. That means that the landlord can approve you, but the coop board can reject you if they don't approve. Attitudes vary based on neighborhood (i.e. Upper East Side equals super picky, East Village equals easier to deal with).
Be sure you and your girlfriend have copies of your last two years' tax returns or a guarantor with substantial income. A job in place helps, too. If you're a student, emphasize your age and responsibilty level, and have a landlord reference or two ready. September is really a tough month to begin a lease, since thousands of students in New York are looking right then. Maybe start your search in July...
My best advice is to become a craigslist hawk. Consider Brooklyn (Ft. Greene is wonderful) or Queens, if the commute is workable. The people are much easier to deal with on this side of the East River, the prices lower, and the lack of noise and bustle a good break from Manhattan. Realtors/brokers on either side of the river are completely shady and not to be trusted, but usually necessary, unfortunately.
That being said, I'm going to have to move back in to Manhattan to be closer to school, I think.
Let me know if you find something good, and best of luck to you!
Thanks for the reply squaresquared. The only other borough that is even and option would be the Bronx (my girlfriend will be attending school in Bronxville, NY). That, and we really like Manhattan. She will have employment for apt. approval and we'll have all the forms necessary. I like the subletting idea, but what the hell do we do with all our CRAP during that time? We were hoping to fly out late July for a week and move August 1 - that's when our lease is up here. Hopefully this can help us avoid the student rush. So one week is pushing it, huh? Two weeks? Oh - Upper WEST Side. Too much Park Ave. on the east side for our taste.
Park your stuff in New Jersey in a storage unit... If you're trying for August 1, come right after the 4th of July. It will not only take you time to find the right place, but also to process the lease.
I don't mean to freak you out, but the rental market in Manhattan is really tight right now, especially in neighborhoods uptown adjacent to the park, as many rent-controlled buildings around there are being converted to Condos. That means lots of people who were driven out are looking for a good deal, demand is up, and thus prices are up, too. The Upper West Side is always in high demand. You'll have to sacrifice something--either space or money or both. The East Village practically exploded with growth the year I lived there.
Dreaded is right.
if you are interested in no fee listings- getting an apartment w/o a broker- this means most likely you will have to live in brooklyn or queens- my tip look at the Daily News on-line- you have to check every day. also, in a simillar vein, but you have to pay, the villagevoice on-line- you also have to check every day. careful with craig's list and ppartments in NYC- lot of scammy stuff out-there, but it is good for finding apartment shares and sublets...
By the way, before you settle on Manhattan as the only place to live (how many people have i heard say that when they are moving there?) check the other bouroughs- you will find that they have a lot to offer, are cheaper, and many times are just as close to where you might end up needing to be in manhattan...
Craigslist - what a great find, I hadn't thought of that.
Anyway, thanks for all your posts. Yes, we're pretty well set on Manhattan. I've heard things about craigslist and that most of those apartments don't actually exist. Brokers just post them to get you to call them, then they proceed to show you a janitor's closet. Doesn't mean I won't check it nonstop. I've got craigslist, NYtime classifieds, Village Voice and the Daily News (thanks - that one's new) so far to scour.
We had thought about the whole New Jersey storage thing, but I'm not sure that would work. We'd need to find a place that accepts dogs while we try to find an apartment. That would save us a flight out there, then back though. We may need to send one of us out to search while the other stays back and hangs with the dog. We were hoping to avoid the doubling up on rent though. But, shit, 2 round trip tickets alone is almost a months rent here.
1. sell or give away all your crap. if you're moving to NY, try to sell it. you'll need the money. be unencumbered by material excess. or any excess at all, you'll need the money for rent.
2. send the dog to one of your parents while you look for a place
Since you instst on Manhattan- you might also try Washington Heights- Its pretty far up but a nice neighborhood with good ethnic food, a nice park and east river acces/views- far cheaper than the other neighborhoods that you mention- and you may be able to get an apartment no broker. The neighborhoods that you are talking about- basically anything below 110th st.- you are going to have to pay a broker fee- that usually works out to about 17% of your rent for the year- usually a couple thousand dollars. i hate these brokers- a couple of thousand so they can hand you a key- believe me thats all they do. consider yourself extremely lucky if you can get into something without paying a broker. i have been there it ain't pretty. if you do pay a fee, then you will need to think about the place you are taking, is it something that you would consider keeping for at least, at a very minimum 2 years, because if it isn't you are wasting your money. also something to look- at does the apartment that you are getting protected by rent control? most of the larger non-co-op buildings built before 1975 are protected, but they have waays and means of getting around that too. i recommend at a minimum a two month sublet that way you have the time to check out what you are getting into. another tip for moving your items across the country- amtrak $2.- a pound. nothing larger than a 3'x3' though. good luck in the hunt!
one more thought...where you live in NYC is all about which subway is closest to you. for your girlfriend that will most likely be the green line- she will need to get to Grand Central to make the commute up to Sarah Lawrence. cross town connections in Manhattan are a bit of a bitch. Again if you were willing to consider brooklyn there are some very nice neighborhoods serviced by the green line- Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights (if you can afford that) and also Cobble Hill is within walking distance...But obviously if you get something in the East Village....
I just got an apartment in Manattan [technically]. Here is the apartment if you would want to check it out, very nice, but comes with a pretty nice price as well [IMO, being from the midwest it is pricey]. www.octagonnyc.com You will find that it is extremely hard to find apartments online. As stated before you will probably need a broker for most places in Manhattan. I was lucky to find this place, and there was no broker for the place. But if it is possible for you to find a place online b4 you go out for that week that would be great. Also start talking to places as soon as you can, dont wait until July or whatever, make them send you photos, etc. Then when you go out you can see for yourself, maybe try to have a couple lined up that you like. As stated before, you might be better off living in another borough. Yes, there is this stigma around living in Manhattan, but in many instances it is easier to get to a place in Manhattan from a different borough through the subway, and apartments in these areas are also less pricey. Im not sure if the place I am in allows for pets or not, it might say on the website. But good luck finding a place that will allow pets, especially in Manhattan.
Rosevelt Island- No Dogs Allowed!!!
That is one fat pad dtown. Seems a little suburban but that's just me. I'm leaning towards the "move your shit into a storage locker in Jersey and sublet a place for 1-2 months" plan. Thanks cosmoe, you have a pretty firm grasp of what I'm talking about. What we were looking at in the UWS was the 1 to a crosstown train to GCS or the 50 bus to the Harlem station. The East Village may be easier for us it is sounding (both to find a place and for her to commute to SLC). We were just there a couple of weeks ago and stayed at a place on 103rd (I think) between Amsterdam and Broadway and loved that area. Riverside park would be huge for the dog's sake. We could look at Brooklyn I suppose but we both have a lot of friends in Manhattan and she's pretty set on the attitude of, "If I'm gonna move to NYC for 2 years, I might as well do it right." I don't really disagree. Not that the other buroughs are "not doing it right" at all, but it's an opportunity that I think, if we can afford to live there then we would regret not trying.
The east village/LES/Nolitta is great- its really the best neighborhood/area to live in in NYC (i know i will get a lot of flak for that statement...). If you can get an apartment there- and believe me everyone knows its a great neighborhood- and can stomach the broker fee- that should be your first choice. if you are only there for two years you wont be wanting to leave from that neighborhood.
Btw- roosevelt island is very cool- not surburban- just wierd. beautiful views, Sert housing, cool tram (as long as you don't get stuck in it!!!). it used to house a leper colony, that building is abondoned, but a cool thing to walk around. the island post war was supposed to house all of the workers at the UN, Harrison even proposed putting the UN at that site. they do have this wierd policy about dogs though, i'm not too sure if its a joke but no dogs allowed signs are posted everywhere.
some more random thoughts:
perhaps where you live now, you and your girlfriend have thought of this, but what happens if you break up while you're in NY?
how do you make sure that the other doesn't just leave and stiff you for 1/2 the rent? how do you divide the collective belongings? or have you worked all this stuff out?
i just ask because i have known many a couple who moved to NY and LA and SF and chicago who never gave these issues a second thought. but then one or the other or both experienced the excitement of a larger dating pool, the stresses of trying to find a place/job, and various other problems, and the relationship wasn't strong enough to handle it. and so either they were living with their exes or one person was leaving, and there were always arguments about how to handle the rent, how to take one person off the lease...ugh.
like i said, maybe y'all have worked all that stuff out. but if not...do work it out beforehand. if your relationship isn't strong enough for one or the other to ask / answer these questions...then maybe you're doing the wrong thing.
trust me on this one.
I appreciate it ochona but by most people's standards, we're married. We've been together almost 5 years and lived together (in sin) almost 4 years. I understand the issues, but if it happens we'll deal with it then. You're right though, it is something to consider.
As far as all our crap, yes we have a lot - we have 2 cars a truck and a scooter (actually only one car now, I just sold one and we're giving the truck away). We're planning on getting rid of 2 couches and a reading chair, a giant filing cabinet, all our shitty target end tables and random shitty pieces of furniture, half our pots, pans, & dishes, storing our washer & dryer above my parents garage, etc. I think we may be getting rid of our bed too since we need a new one. It's daunting.
I wasn't knocking Roosevelt Island or anything - it truly looks like a nice place - but I laughed when I read this: "A place where you can have your Manhattan, and leave it too." I mean isn't that the suburbia manifesto? I just thought it was funny.
good deal. just seen too many really shaky relationships turn out bad in the big city...
and good deal on getting rid of some of the stuff.
btw, washington heights is awesome. love that part of town.
Yeah, Washington Heights reminds me of what NYC used to be like when I first visited there in 1988- pre boutique...
Really - Washington Heights? We never made it up there. One of my girlfriend's best friends lives at 142nd and Broadway. I think that's in that region. We really loved the 80s-100s on Broadway, so who knows, that may get tossed into the mix. But, the 1 train all the way down to the crosstown, to GCS, to Bronxville seems a little rediculous of a commute to me (even from the UUWS). She is only doing it 2 days a week, so who knows.
it all depends on what your tases are- the classic Upper West Side- near the park below 95th- is home to Woody Allen, Friends and Seinfield, co-op's and poodles- nice, i have some friends that live there, just not my bag. the park is beautiful- no doubt. East Village, formally Downtown 81 (Basquiat), now fauxhemian- but still in my opinion great. still somehow a little more diverse. Washington Heights- cuban little leauge, J-Lo, the best garlic chicken ever and scruffy community gardens. probably is too far for your needs, its just that unless you plan on coming in and making $70k a year (which you may be, so i will shut up now) you may need to rethink a bit where you can afford to live and what type of space is available, and what apartment building will allow a dog. still, i don't want to discourage you, shoot for where you want to live, just keep in mind other options. your idea about subletting will give you that flexability...i actually don't live in nyc anymore, but if i were to move back, which i probably will in the future, there is really only one place that i would consider living- brooklyn. (unless someone handed me a sweet deal in the east village) to me Booklyn, and to some extent Queens is where a good chunk of the nyc arts culture is now produced, and i like to be around that environment.
When we were there, we got of the F at Houston and walked around. We like that strip on Houston. My girlfriend's a writer so she fell in love with Clinton St. (Leonard Cohen sang about it) but there was absolutly nothing around for a dog. We didn't really get that Friends feeling from where we saw the UWS, maybe we were too far north, maybe we're delusional. Although the first bar we went to there was an absolute nightmare of underage Brittany Spears wannabe's singing along to 80's music (BAD 80's music - like Journey [BAD Journey]) on the e-jukebox but we got out and hoped it was only that bar. If the area is truly like that, we would have a hard time. In the east village we went to a few incredible little joints - Rai Rai Ken (we could live on this place) and Pommes Frites (near 2nd & 9th) and liked that area although we went to a bar there and it sucked too (Thirsty Scholar?) but not as bad as the first. I don't know if we'll be able to afford that area though. I will (hopefully) be making atleast that much or a little more than that (according to the AIA 2005 survey atleast) + whatever my girlfriend can pull down.
Now that we're looking at her going to GCS for her commute maybe Brooklyn isn't out of the question. Before going out there, we thought Harlem was the answer (near the Metro North station), but from what we saw of it (not all that much to be honest), we decided it wasn't in our future. She would definitely prefer to be at the pulse of the art scene (as would I, it's just not as high on my priority list).
The bar scene and food selection in LES/East Villge/Nolitta is definitely better then the UWS. If you posted for suggestions on archinect- you would get a ton, a ton. i am not to sure what the rent comparison is like these days, but food, shopping (especially with chinatown near-by) and entertainment is definitely cheaper in the east village. i have friends that are so righteous about living in that area, that they don't "dare" even set foot above 14th street (though threy are now taking occasional forays into willamsburg). i guess that you also know abouyt the dog walk in thomkins sq.?
quick moving advice:
ship your books! the usps "media rate" (covers books, film, cd's, dvd's, etc) is really impressive. you, as an architect, and your girlfriend, as a writer, probably have tons of books and they really do take up a large amount of space (not to mention gas cost) if you're trying to drive them across the country. when i moved across the country i was absolutely shocked at how cheap it was to ship all of my books.
also, an added question for you current new-yorkers: a friend of mine sitting here is looking to move and lots of people mention brooklyn. any particular neighborhoods you'd recommend?
You need to describe a little more about your friend- age, likes and dislikes, etc. there is a lot to choose from in brooklyn.
I live in Greenpoint and love it. It's quiet and diverse, and not overrun with adult-children running amok, and split-second gentrification. There are great restaurants and bars, though fewer and way more low-key than neighboring Williamsburg. There's a great grocery (The Garden) and video store(Photoplay).
I live in an 850 sq. ft. loft with a view of midtown Manhattan and pay less than I did for my 250 sq. ft. East Village studio two years ago. The main drawback, and reason that Greenpoint has stayed reasonable as far as rent goes, is that it's not near a subway that goes directly into Manhattan. A small price to pay for heaven!
Other Brooklyn neighborhoods that I would consider living in are Ft. Greene, Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens and North Slope.
I have heard good things about the Clock Tower building in the Port Morris/Mott Haven area of the South Bronx. The NYTimes ran an article about SoBro[sic] revitalization last year singing its praises. Port Morris is right off the 6 train which would get you to GCS quickly.
This ad is always on craigslist, which makes it a little dubious, but you might want to give it a shot, since they say pets okay and the price is right:
http://newyork.craigslist.org/brx/nfb/162443987.html
I think if you posted a rental price range which you are looking for people might be able to offer more specific help and suggestions. The areas suggested so far vary wildly in price.
I lived in the east village for 3 years and I honestly feel it is the best neighborhood in the city (biased of course). Even better now than when I lived there with the new "Grocery Row" at 14th st. The area is no longer any where near cheap however, and living in the Alphabets is no longer the guaranteed deal that it once was. Places tend to be small and dirty. I have seen some apartments in this area that cost a ton and were disgusting.
If you must live in the city (and I doubt that you must) the deals that are still able to be found are either in Harlem, Washington Heights, Financial District and surprisingly the Upper East Side (the closer to York the cheaper).
Brooklyn offers much of the charm that non-NY'ers want at a better space/cost ratio than Manhattan, however the commute can sometimes be very long. Parts of Queens are great and lack the sea of hipsters (a positive for me, a negative for some) that Brooklyn draws.
I think the sublet option is sounding the best for you. The neighborhoods you like when you first visit NY are sometimes drastically different than what you might want after getting to know the areas a bit more. I realized that I wanted something a bit more neighborhood and a bit less hipster after living in the E. Village for so long.
we need room plenty of room!!!
As a broker -- not looking for any business -- I will give you a simple fact that you will come to learn soon enough: there is no place in New York that will offer you as much square footage in a safe environment than on the Upper East Side. You will not get any better quality apartment anywhere in a safe neighborhood anywhere in Manhattan.
East Village / Greenwhich Village = either you really know somebody, or you are far away from subways if not too much $$ for crappy apts.
Upper West Side = Nice neighborhood, good schools small apts for more $$
Harlem / Washington Heights, etc -- great apts to be found, good $$ -- nothing to do, and can be sketchy
Battery Park -- 2000k at least for one bedrooms
Roosevelt Island -- dogs ARE allowed. F train sucks -- 1 sports bar for the whole island
For $$ the best deal in New York square footage, safety, ammenities wise is between 73rd and 95th streets between York and 2nd aves.
So not hip, can be really boring, the 4,5,6 trains can get packed, but you have solid ammenities, the safest streets, great parks for the pup and no hip factor driving the price up.
good luck, be well, and look these guys up:
1) eberhartbros.com
2) city and suburban apartments
3) bettina equities
When you arrive in NYC....go to Connecticut and buy Power Ball tickets....who knows you might win and be abçe tp buy a frickin Tower.
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