Well, i am supposed to land there somewhere around the 9/11 (!).
so, i am caught up in the usual first steps in a new city - finding a room (apparently main source is craiglist), trying to figure do-s and don't-s etc.
Don't have any particular questions (and if i would start i wouldn't know where to stop), but any ... tipps and tricks are welcome.
thank you in advance.
First things first: Before you start looking for a place to stay, get a letter of employment that states how much you're going to be making in a year. Without that, landlords - whether you find them yourself or a broker finds them for you - aren't going to give you the time of day. They'll simply move on to someone else or not return your phone calls… or both.
Secondly, be prepared with all of your paperwork (letters of recommendation, pay stubs, things like that) if you're trying to find a place on your own. Even people who are subletting places want to make sure you have the means to pay the rent... and continuing paying the rent after that first month. We've found that, even though it costs more, going through a broker is really worth it if you plan on staying at a place long term and are moving in from out of the area. NYC is a weird place (that's a nice way to put it) when it comes to finding and renting real estate. They know that they don't have to accept anyone that walks through the door.
Thirdly, when you're there looking for places, buy an all-day MTA card for $7. You'll be on the subway... a lot. Don't just rent an apartment without seeing it. We've seen some really nasty places that look great on paper.
Don't pack your toothpaste or your deodorant in your carry-on, but do bring your checkbook.
Those are my big tips right now. When we were trying to find a place by ourselves, we used this site: www.rent-direct.com We would have had success if we had letters of employment before we started looking. Now we're going through a broker at www.ardorny.com If you're willing to pay the fee, it's worth it.
I've also found this website helpful (if not a little morbid), especially if you don't know the neighborhoods really well:
Friends used Citi Habitats - it cost them about $3000 but they got a great 1 bedroom just off central park around Lincoln Center for reasonable rent. A good broker is worth it if your going to stay at one location for a few years - you'll probably end up saving the equivalent in rent - and the more you can minimize hassle the better.
1. don't panic. put your stuff in storage and get a short-term place to stay while you look for an apt. that way you won't be pressured into taking something you don't really want or can't afford.
2. do a lot of research so you can recognize a good deal and be prepared to act immediately when you find it.
3. rule of thumb is your annual income should be 42X your monthly rent. if not, you'll usually need a co-signer who lives in the tri-state area and you'll have to pay more security.
4. be flexible about where you live. obviously I'm pro-Brooklyn, but you should consider places like Washington Heights and Astoria as well. outside the "Manhattan Core" as brokers like to call it, it's easier to find a place without a broker or paperwork.
5. when you go to look at an apt bring everything jasoner mentioned and a money order for first and last month's rent plus one month security.
6. tell everyone you meet that you're looking for an apartment. many apartments, esp. in Bklyn are not listed with brokers, so you'll have to rely on word of mouth.
i'm also moving to nyc in two weeks with two friends from college for about ten months. do you reckon it's worth spending the extra mula to live in manhattan since we're all working as interns in offices there and to get a feel for life in nyc proper? any suggestions of pleasant areas to live would be greatly appreciated..
Manhattan is not a must - but if you can find a place you can affrod for only ten months - do it. You can ofteh find illegal sublets for stints like that. It's not exactly high living but people do it.
Look at Brooklyn.
Williamsburg - some rents equivalent to the city, close commute on the L train (if it's working and its damn crowded). Decent alt art scene. this is where the hipsters live. Since it is expensive, people are starting to move a little further out on the L. Obviously things get a little dodgier the farther out you go. Also, ook at Greenpoint which is just north of Wburg - harder to get to by train, but walkable to Wburg and has some of its own hipster life.
Parkslop and surrounding areas. the more establshed set, young people with families, tend to live in the Slope. Look at areas adjacent like Brooklyn Heights, Crown Heights, etc.
Check out NYmetro.com and other websites to get a sense for the neighborhoods.
Don't neglect upper Manhattan: Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood. In general, the further north you go, the cheaper the rents and the bigger the apartments. West of Broadway is generally regarded as safe and well-kept; east of Broadway still generally falls into the "up and coming" category, with rents priced accordingly.
i definitely must say a few things here...
definitely look at realtors in even up and coming areas. bad craigslist posting can waste incredible amounts of time. i used to be very pro-craigslist but have suffered too many disappointments in recent attempts at finding a place. it's definitely worth the extra month worth for the realtor. as for areas. i think that lost in space and living in gin are on...but also you might want to really look at queens right now.
i know, i know. brooklyn is all the rage and manhattan is, well, manhattan. but queens is a really interesting set of neighborhoods and actually affordably priced versus the rents in comparison. plus (sorry to say this if anyone lives in way uptown areas like washington heights, etc.) but if you live way up there in manhattan you might as well be in the bronx in terms of commutes...and brooklyn might as well be a separate city for all you will ever actually make it out there. the 7 to G transfer is surprisingly good at most hours of the night.
plus queens has some of the best food in the city.
I'll likely be looking for a roommate around then, although exact dates aren't worked out yet. (My current roommate had a car accident and is hospitalized at Harvard and isn't sure when he is coming back to get his stuff, but it will likely be officially open Oct 1-ish.)
Rent is $1250 including electric/gas/water and wireless or cable internet. & would be 1st month's rent/util + another month's rent+util in security deposit to move in. It's in the Lower East Side, which is a GREAT neighborhood for nightlife, entertainment, restaurants, and shopping... but isn't terribly convenient to any architecture schools except Parsons and Cooper. It's a very safe area (esp. for female archi students coming home from studio at all hours of the night.. this was a big factor in my decision to move in & stay in this area, and the added expense makes it well worth it for the peace of mind!) Smoke free + drug free. Elevator bldg. Recently renovated. Have previous roommate references who can vouch for my sanity/cleanliness/not being a closeted freak/ability to respect personal space, and so on.
& I'd say that Craigslist suuuuccckkks. So do broker's fees, but CL does suck. Have you all tried posting to Myspace to see if anyone knows anyone?
Upper Manhattan isn't too bad of a commute if you grab the A train, which has a nice fast express run between 125th and 59th.
Of course, it depends on what your particular destination is at the other end, which is why it's crucial to have a current subway map in hand when scoping out potential neighborhoods. Rather than looking strictly at distance, I'd try to minimize the number of transfers between home and work/school. For example, going from Inwood to the West Village would be a relatively straight shot on the A train, but Inwood to the Upper East Side would be a big hassle because of the number of transfers involved, even if the physical distance is less.
As futureboy mentions, Queens is also a possibility. I looked at a few places in Queens and didn't find the area particularly exciting, but your mileage may vary. Astoria is a nice neighborhood that is very convenient to Manhattan via the N train, and anywhere along Queens Boulevard will have good access to Manhattan via subway as well. However, keep in mind that some other parts of Queens have a very suburban feel, and may be rather remote from the subway.
the hardest part about finding a place to live in the ny area is working through the feeling of being overwhelmed with challenges/possibilities.
every neighborhood has something to offer, something to lose.
having lived in manhattan and brooklyn and jersey (yes, even jersey) i can say that there are important tradeoffs to be considered.
would you rather have a little more personal space and don't mind a longer commute? then maybe queen's would be perfect, or ocean pkwy somewhere.
if you hate commuting and won't be spending any time at all in your apt., then you might get lucky in Alphabet City or LES with a tiny little studio.
I lived in P-Slope, East Village, even Jersey. Jersey's not a terrible option depending on what you're into...Hoboken's pretty lively if the scene fit's your lifestyle.
If you're not into late nights and small bars, then maybe living right in NYC isn't the best option for what you'll inevitably spend. Montclair, NJ, has great access to NYC and a cutesy-pie little downtown.
My advice for finding an apartment however is to try anything unconventional.
Craigslist is the easy way out. That's why people who are too lazy to get out and pound the pavement just sit around the monitor and pounce on anything remotely interesting leading to 50-60 calls in the first few hours.
My wife and I found the greatest walk-thru brownstone garden apartment in the Slope by looking on the message boards at the Park Slope Co-Op.
I say go to the neighborhoods you're interested in and hang around. Talk to people in the coffee shops, post a sign at the nearby co-op (or whole-foods, if that's all that's there), walk around, ask the postal carrier. Ask everyone!
Anyone can log on to craigslist...be brave and go out in person if you can swing the time and money involved.
I live in Astoria and I have about an hour commute to work. I managed to find a really nice place with a landlord who cares [they're currently re-tiling the front entryway] for $995/mo with all utilities included. I'm near the N train and the neighborhood is decent. Astoria is very Greek and there are lots of families living here, and you can definitely see that in the nightlife, but you make tradeoffs. If I want, I can get to Williamsburg in less than an hour, or I can get to Manhattan as well. I don't usually get home from work until at least 8pm, so I am not really at home all that much, but that is probably good considering how little money I make. There are lots of good restaurants around here, and as above mentioned, things are cheaper than in the city.
oana, this sounds obvious and has been said before but i think the best way to find housing in nyc is through word of mouth. maybe contact your future workmates and everyone and anyone you know in nyc and let them know you're looking for a place. i was very lucky to find 'housesitting' arrangements in this way, so that i did not need to buy furniture, dishes, etc. [mine was a 9 month stay]
that said, if you end up rooming with theoretical girl, the collective male contingent of archinect may implode. at least that's the way it looks like from my female point of view.
thanks for the responses!
i am planning a 6-12 month stay. and yes, thought that the 'word of mouth' is usually working best.
i guess i'll see when i'll get there. wish me luck (apparently i need tons of it!)
Aug 27, 06 8:19 pm ·
·
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.
NYC
Well, i am supposed to land there somewhere around the 9/11 (!).
so, i am caught up in the usual first steps in a new city - finding a room (apparently main source is craiglist), trying to figure do-s and don't-s etc.
Don't have any particular questions (and if i would start i wouldn't know where to stop), but any ... tipps and tricks are welcome.
thank you in advance.
You are talking about staying there long term, right? If so, read on:
I'm doing the same thing right now. However, I am moving with my fiancée so it kind of splits up the work a little bit. Nevertheless, we've found it to be INCREDIBLEY taxing. Craigslist listings go faster than you can even imagine. I called on one at 2 p.m. that was posted that morning, and the guy told me it had already been rented, and he had had 55 phone calls that day already about it.
First things first: Before you start looking for a place to stay, get a letter of employment that states how much you're going to be making in a year. Without that, landlords - whether you find them yourself or a broker finds them for you - aren't going to give you the time of day. They'll simply move on to someone else or not return your phone calls… or both.
Secondly, be prepared with all of your paperwork (letters of recommendation, pay stubs, things like that) if you're trying to find a place on your own. Even people who are subletting places want to make sure you have the means to pay the rent... and continuing paying the rent after that first month. We've found that, even though it costs more, going through a broker is really worth it if you plan on staying at a place long term and are moving in from out of the area. NYC is a weird place (that's a nice way to put it) when it comes to finding and renting real estate. They know that they don't have to accept anyone that walks through the door.
Thirdly, when you're there looking for places, buy an all-day MTA card for $7. You'll be on the subway... a lot. Don't just rent an apartment without seeing it. We've seen some really nasty places that look great on paper.
Don't pack your toothpaste or your deodorant in your carry-on, but do bring your checkbook.
Those are my big tips right now. When we were trying to find a place by ourselves, we used this site: www.rent-direct.com We would have had success if we had letters of employment before we started looking. Now we're going through a broker at www.ardorny.com If you're willing to pay the fee, it's worth it.
I've also found this website helpful (if not a little morbid), especially if you don't know the neighborhoods really well:
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/20060428_HOMICIDE_MAP.html
Oh, and if you have friends in NYC, crash at their place while you're in town checking things out. You really want a good night's sleep...
Friends used Citi Habitats - it cost them about $3000 but they got a great 1 bedroom just off central park around Lincoln Center for reasonable rent. A good broker is worth it if your going to stay at one location for a few years - you'll probably end up saving the equivalent in rent - and the more you can minimize hassle the better.
1. don't panic. put your stuff in storage and get a short-term place to stay while you look for an apt. that way you won't be pressured into taking something you don't really want or can't afford.
2. do a lot of research so you can recognize a good deal and be prepared to act immediately when you find it.
3. rule of thumb is your annual income should be 42X your monthly rent. if not, you'll usually need a co-signer who lives in the tri-state area and you'll have to pay more security.
4. be flexible about where you live. obviously I'm pro-Brooklyn, but you should consider places like Washington Heights and Astoria as well. outside the "Manhattan Core" as brokers like to call it, it's easier to find a place without a broker or paperwork.
5. when you go to look at an apt bring everything jasoner mentioned and a money order for first and last month's rent plus one month security.
6. tell everyone you meet that you're looking for an apartment. many apartments, esp. in Bklyn are not listed with brokers, so you'll have to rely on word of mouth.
i'm also moving to nyc in two weeks with two friends from college for about ten months. do you reckon it's worth spending the extra mula to live in manhattan since we're all working as interns in offices there and to get a feel for life in nyc proper? any suggestions of pleasant areas to live would be greatly appreciated..
Manhattan is not a must - but if you can find a place you can affrod for only ten months - do it. You can ofteh find illegal sublets for stints like that. It's not exactly high living but people do it.
Look at Brooklyn.
Williamsburg - some rents equivalent to the city, close commute on the L train (if it's working and its damn crowded). Decent alt art scene. this is where the hipsters live. Since it is expensive, people are starting to move a little further out on the L. Obviously things get a little dodgier the farther out you go. Also, ook at Greenpoint which is just north of Wburg - harder to get to by train, but walkable to Wburg and has some of its own hipster life.
Parkslop and surrounding areas. the more establshed set, young people with families, tend to live in the Slope. Look at areas adjacent like Brooklyn Heights, Crown Heights, etc.
Check out NYmetro.com and other websites to get a sense for the neighborhoods.
Don't neglect upper Manhattan: Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood. In general, the further north you go, the cheaper the rents and the bigger the apartments. West of Broadway is generally regarded as safe and well-kept; east of Broadway still generally falls into the "up and coming" category, with rents priced accordingly.
aint LA
i definitely must say a few things here...
definitely look at realtors in even up and coming areas. bad craigslist posting can waste incredible amounts of time. i used to be very pro-craigslist but have suffered too many disappointments in recent attempts at finding a place. it's definitely worth the extra month worth for the realtor. as for areas. i think that lost in space and living in gin are on...but also you might want to really look at queens right now.
i know, i know. brooklyn is all the rage and manhattan is, well, manhattan. but queens is a really interesting set of neighborhoods and actually affordably priced versus the rents in comparison. plus (sorry to say this if anyone lives in way uptown areas like washington heights, etc.) but if you live way up there in manhattan you might as well be in the bronx in terms of commutes...and brooklyn might as well be a separate city for all you will ever actually make it out there. the 7 to G transfer is surprisingly good at most hours of the night.
plus queens has some of the best food in the city.
I'll likely be looking for a roommate around then, although exact dates aren't worked out yet. (My current roommate had a car accident and is hospitalized at Harvard and isn't sure when he is coming back to get his stuff, but it will likely be officially open Oct 1-ish.)
Rent is $1250 including electric/gas/water and wireless or cable internet. & would be 1st month's rent/util + another month's rent+util in security deposit to move in. It's in the Lower East Side, which is a GREAT neighborhood for nightlife, entertainment, restaurants, and shopping... but isn't terribly convenient to any architecture schools except Parsons and Cooper. It's a very safe area (esp. for female archi students coming home from studio at all hours of the night.. this was a big factor in my decision to move in & stay in this area, and the added expense makes it well worth it for the peace of mind!) Smoke free + drug free. Elevator bldg. Recently renovated. Have previous roommate references who can vouch for my sanity/cleanliness/not being a closeted freak/ability to respect personal space, and so on.
& I'd say that Craigslist suuuuccckkks. So do broker's fees, but CL does suck. Have you all tried posting to Myspace to see if anyone knows anyone?
Upper Manhattan isn't too bad of a commute if you grab the A train, which has a nice fast express run between 125th and 59th.
Of course, it depends on what your particular destination is at the other end, which is why it's crucial to have a current subway map in hand when scoping out potential neighborhoods. Rather than looking strictly at distance, I'd try to minimize the number of transfers between home and work/school. For example, going from Inwood to the West Village would be a relatively straight shot on the A train, but Inwood to the Upper East Side would be a big hassle because of the number of transfers involved, even if the physical distance is less.
As futureboy mentions, Queens is also a possibility. I looked at a few places in Queens and didn't find the area particularly exciting, but your mileage may vary. Astoria is a nice neighborhood that is very convenient to Manhattan via the N train, and anywhere along Queens Boulevard will have good access to Manhattan via subway as well. However, keep in mind that some other parts of Queens have a very suburban feel, and may be rather remote from the subway.
the hardest part about finding a place to live in the ny area is working through the feeling of being overwhelmed with challenges/possibilities.
every neighborhood has something to offer, something to lose.
having lived in manhattan and brooklyn and jersey (yes, even jersey) i can say that there are important tradeoffs to be considered.
would you rather have a little more personal space and don't mind a longer commute? then maybe queen's would be perfect, or ocean pkwy somewhere.
if you hate commuting and won't be spending any time at all in your apt., then you might get lucky in Alphabet City or LES with a tiny little studio.
I lived in P-Slope, East Village, even Jersey. Jersey's not a terrible option depending on what you're into...Hoboken's pretty lively if the scene fit's your lifestyle.
If you're not into late nights and small bars, then maybe living right in NYC isn't the best option for what you'll inevitably spend. Montclair, NJ, has great access to NYC and a cutesy-pie little downtown.
My advice for finding an apartment however is to try anything unconventional.
Craigslist is the easy way out. That's why people who are too lazy to get out and pound the pavement just sit around the monitor and pounce on anything remotely interesting leading to 50-60 calls in the first few hours.
My wife and I found the greatest walk-thru brownstone garden apartment in the Slope by looking on the message boards at the Park Slope Co-Op.
I say go to the neighborhoods you're interested in and hang around. Talk to people in the coffee shops, post a sign at the nearby co-op (or whole-foods, if that's all that's there), walk around, ask the postal carrier. Ask everyone!
Anyone can log on to craigslist...be brave and go out in person if you can swing the time and money involved.
I live in Astoria and I have about an hour commute to work. I managed to find a really nice place with a landlord who cares [they're currently re-tiling the front entryway] for $995/mo with all utilities included. I'm near the N train and the neighborhood is decent. Astoria is very Greek and there are lots of families living here, and you can definitely see that in the nightlife, but you make tradeoffs. If I want, I can get to Williamsburg in less than an hour, or I can get to Manhattan as well. I don't usually get home from work until at least 8pm, so I am not really at home all that much, but that is probably good considering how little money I make. There are lots of good restaurants around here, and as above mentioned, things are cheaper than in the city.
And Astoria beer garfen let's not forget!
er...garden.
yeah and don't forget to SEARCH before you post!
we're forward thinkers not archivists mr. prolly! i'm sure you've got some useful information up your sleeve to bring to this thread..
oana, this sounds obvious and has been said before but i think the best way to find housing in nyc is through word of mouth. maybe contact your future workmates and everyone and anyone you know in nyc and let them know you're looking for a place. i was very lucky to find 'housesitting' arrangements in this way, so that i did not need to buy furniture, dishes, etc. [mine was a 9 month stay]
that said, if you end up rooming with theoretical girl, the collective male contingent of archinect may implode. at least that's the way it looks like from my female point of view.
thanks for the responses!
i am planning a 6-12 month stay. and yes, thought that the 'word of mouth' is usually working best.
i guess i'll see when i'll get there. wish me luck (apparently i need tons of it!)
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.