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I've been scouring the forums and have a huge list of possible neighborhoods put together, but would appreciate some more directed input, if possible.
Me: NYC $95K salary with total comp up to $160K (a lot of this is stock and bonus). Age: 27
GF/SO: $58K in DC. She is beginning to look at opportunities in the Human Resources field in NYC. Age: 29
Where are you coming from?
DC Area
Why are you moving?
I have a job opportunity in Chelsea. Looking to make leap to next step in career. Looking at NJ over NYC because of lower income taxes and to maximize value for dollar while still living in a safe area.
Where will you be working? If NYC, what part of NYC?
Chelsea Market area for me; GF is looking for job and we'll shoot for something near Chelsea or closer to future living area
Will you buy or rent?
Rent
What is your budget?
We can probably spend between $2000-2600 / month. Our current rent just outside of DC is $1600 for 640 sq. ft. garden style apartment with a 10 minute drive into DC
What kind of place are you looking for?
Larger 1BR apartment (close to our current 640 sq. ft. space would be nice)
Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you?
Yes, GF and our 60 lb. Labrador
Do you need/want good public schools?
No need for good schools within the next few years.
Briefly describe the kind of neighborhood you'd like to live in
(examples: families with young children, young, mature, artsy, diverse, safe, close-knit, block parties, etc)
Safe, mature (working professionals in 20's-30's), diverse, and pet-friendly neighborhood.
List three things that are important to you in order of importance.(examples: nightlife, outdoor activities, rural/urban, safety, downtown area, charming, new construction, proximity to XYZ, family oriented, easy parking, short commute, etc)
We're not particularly looking to live in Manhattan. Would like to maximize sq. ft. per dollar with an emphasis on: safe area, easy access to Manhattan (prefer public transportation work commute under 45mins - 1 hour from door to door), easy/close access to public transportation, would prefer to keep one car if parking is affordable and relatively easy to find, prefer garden style apartments (but will do high-rise if it ticks other boxes), would like to still have a dwelling with in-unit washer/dryer.
Thanks for reading, and will appreciate any input!
On that budget you should be able to find a decent 1BR apartment in Hoboken or Jersey City. Then it's an easy ride on the Path train. There is a stop at 23rd St./6th Ave. right in Chelsea. So that would be very convenient for you.
You're 27 with a nice paying job, a second income and a largeish dog. Find a place in Manhattan, seriously. Washington Heights or Inwood, where there are plenty of larger places and some dog parks. And then you're not having to tell friends you can't stay out because you're going to miss the last train.
I'm not knocking NJ, but you should have a look at living in the city because that's the social life you're going to be creating right now.
You may, if you're really lucky, be able to find an apartment in a neighborhood like Hell's Kitchen for that. (Despite the name, it's a great neighborhood in that it still retains a lot of individually-owned stores and has that NYC flavor that much of the city has lost.) My daughter moved out of her 1 br, 4th floor walk-up on 49th and 10th. She'd been paying $2,400 a month. I don't think her apartment was more than about 450 sq. ft, though. It'll be tough finding an apartment that allows pets, too.
Inwood and Washington Heights are fine. Hoboken has more of a nightlife than either of the upper Manhattan neighborhoods.
It was less about the Washington Heights nightlife than the 30 minute commute home at the end of the night instead of going downstairs and hoping for one of the PATH trains to eventually get there.
Hoboken is the way to go. Easy commute to Chelsea as someone else mentioned. Pretty much anywhere you'd be hanging out in Manhattan would be a quicker commute to Hoboken than to Washington Heights/Inwood.
I think it would only make sense for you to live in Manhattan over Hoboken if you lived right in Chelsea and could walk to work.
Hoboken only makes sense if you plan to leave Manhattan before 11:30 in the evenings. PATH doesn't run 24 hours like the subways. Do you guys not remember being 27?
Hoboken only makes sense if you plan to leave Manhattan before 11:30 in the evenings. PATH doesn't run 24 hours like the subways. Do you guys not remember being 27?
How often will OP, who will be living with his girlfriend, be out late on a weeknight? In those instances, they can Uber it back home. They can do that 6-7 times per month and still pay less in Uber fares than NYC taxes. I mean unless you just wanna say you live in Manhattan.
Hoboken only makes sense if you plan to leave Manhattan before 11:30 in the evenings. PATH doesn't run 24 hours like the subways. Do you guys not remember being 27?
Nope, lol. That's the age of my oldest daughter now (actually she'll be 28 in a few days). I hit 50 this year and I forget things on a moment by moment basis.
I have a friend who lived at 181st and Fort Washington Ave, and I lived at 86th between Broadway and Amsterdam. It usually took 30 minutes to get to her apartment from mine, if not longer. The wait for a train on the A line can be lengthy, and if you take the number 1 you either have to transfer to the A or walk a few blocks, depending on where in upper Manhattan you're headed. (Three years ago, before we moved to NJ.) I'd still choose Hoboken, if I were the OP. Maybe even Jersey City over Inwood.
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