NYC apartment hunting sucks - any advice?

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

Um...please!

[mike_c]

1. move to rural northern California....

Well, you asked....

[tjdee]

2. Are you working with a realtor?

They're expensive, but I'd imagine they cut down the aggravation level... this reminds me of the old joke about people searching the obituaries to find out where an apartment is opening up.

It's so random--a friend of mine got a studio near Harlem for $550 a month in the most random way, I don't even remember it.

It's hard finding a place in NYC. Good luck!

[Zuni]

3. move into someone elses apartment

prefferably someone you don't know and slowly but surely evict them.

Are you looking in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Bronx, Queens or Staten Island?

[Lannes]

4. Thats where I found my apt way back when

http://www.villagevoice.com/realestate/

Good luck!

[Misunderestimator]

5. Find a neighborhood you like, then go to buildings doormen....

with some money, just in case ;)

The best place I had in NYC, I found that way. I walked up to the doorman, asked him if there were any apartments available, and there were. The landlord of one of them owned the deli downstairs, and I was able to get the apartment right then. I lived in that one for 5 years. All the others sucked (6 apartments in the previous 5 years in NYC), AND I paid hefty fees to the ripoff brokers. So much money gone that way...

[quiet.american]

6. If you haven't, try the Amsterdam News

There's tons of new apartments and renovation that been done in the last couple years between 96th & 116th streets on the east side. 96th isn't as much of the "border" it used to be considered as by those afraid of their own shadow.

More often than not, you can find really good deals in the Amsterdam News, and those advertising in there will not require you to show up with your tax returns for the last three years.

[tridim]

7. Look in Queens or Brooklyn

I didn't even bother looking in Manhattan because I didn't want to live in a tiny studio with 3 roommates. Honestly I hated living in Queens (Kew Gardens) also, but you gotta do what you gotta do. I worked a few blocks from Times Square and suffered the 45 minute bus/train commute each way every day.

[ldf]

8. just remember

40 x monthly rent = income.

anyone making less than 100,000 will live in a borderline neighborhood that is the opposite of what you want.

currently doing just that. unfortunately i will willingly live a few steps up from the projects to keep my communte down to only two hours a day.

right near where i work, upper east side, a new building went up. about 12 or 14 floors. they were full floor, four bedroom apartments.

$5,800,000. they were snatched up in no time.

it is outrageous.

:shrug:

[bettyellen]

9. jersey city

i know _ fuck lo_d of gre_t people there.
+ it h-s gre-t tr-in service to m-nh-tt-n. -ll night long.

[fishnfla]

10. stop moving vans in the street

find out where they are coming from

[RandomKoolzip]

11. Yeah: move to Chicago.

[the_spectator]

12. Realize that Manhattan is out of bounds except for

millionaires and trustafarians at this point.

It was interesting to notice upthread someone mentioning Harlem. It is truly amazing how many rich white people are moving into Harlem these days. I say give it a couple of years and a "Harlem Insurgency" will emerge, once native Harlemites realize they are being priced out of the area.

Brooklyn is probably too expensive these days as well. I'd reccomend the Bronx. It really hasn't been discovered (that much) yet, and everywhere in the Bronx is really very close to Manhattan by subway (unlike great swaths of distant Queens). I love where I am up here - it's almost in Yonkers, but I live opposite the huge and beautiful Van Cortlandt Park!

[bettyellen]

14. ne-r montifiore? gre-t doctors there.

i used to be ne-r 77th/ p-rkchester on the 6, like j-lo.

[the_spectator]

15. On the west side of the park here, on Broadway.

Are you having keyboard issues, by the way? A sticky "A" key? You've GOT to stop eating over the keyboard!

[bettyellen]

16. knocked over A cuppA teA.

i used to tke my mom to lunch some of the irish plAces up there. but it's been A while.

[GalleryGod]

18. Great Article in the April edition of the New Yorker on Harlem Gentrification

It was a great article,to wit,
Harlem went from 44% White in 1950 to 10% white in 1963.:wtf: :wow:

[sleipnir]

13. Spend the money and get an agent

If you're quite serious about it, hire an agent. In NYC, the price can be high (1 months rent) but the service can be quite valuable. Especially if you're moving from out of town. With an agent you can usually get a place on a single weekend trip to the City. Plus, the agents have leads on apartments that the general populace doesn't. It's true, that's just the way it works.

Sure, it seems like a huge waste to spend $700-$1000 hiring someone to help you find an apartment, but there's a damn good chance you'll end up with something you really like and you'll save yourself soooo much time.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

17. any recommendations?

[sleipnir]

20. I have no direct agent recs

I've got an acquittance who works for Citi-Habitats, that always seemed like a good company. A bit corporate, but hey, they always seem to have good, but expensive listings (mostly Manhattan.)

Whatever you do, NEVER and I mean, NEVER buy a "list" of available apartments from anyone. It's a pure, plain scam.

[Catchawave]

21. What's your budget ?

My daughter pays 1k/mo for a hole in the wall w/brick view in the Village.

You can try: http://newyork.craigslist.org/

Good luck :hi:

[ikojo]

22. I looked at some of the apartments on craigslist...

WHO can afford those rents?!

Wow!

[JohnnyBoots]

19. Brooklyn

[Catchawave]

25. I like the Coney Island/Far Rockaway areas!

...and the beaches really are beautiful, but it's about an hour on the subway to midtown.

[NewJeffCT]

23. subway...

You can get to many places in NYC by taking the subway from Brooklyn, Queens, etc.

So, expand the scope of your search. Are there any students at the school this summer? If there are, ask them where they live. Are there any other colleges nearby? You can also ask them, too.

[RPM]

24. Astoria Queens

if i had to move to the city tomorrow, it would be Astoria or Hoboken (yes - i know Hoboken is not on the 5 boroughs, but its cool).

Hoboken is still a bit pricy, but nice & less expensve the the city - especially if your life is downtown.

If you are more in midtown AStoria Queens rules; great prices and great acces to midtown via subway. Plus a giant Czech beergarden that i miss every summer :(

[mcscajun]

26. Try Northern Manhattan -- above 200th street

the Inwood area. The parks are great, the Hudson River is right nearby, and the big advantage is you're at the end of the "A" subway line, so you can always get a seat for your downtown commute. NO Guarantees on the return trip at all, but you can usually get a set uptown by around 125th street or so.