Quote:
Originally Posted by Viralmd
The UES is less expensive than the UWS (except for the UES Gold Coast in 10021).
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I have seen you refer to the "Gold Coast" in these forums before, and I assume you're referring to the apartment houses on 5th Avenue (Museum Mile), but some people use the term Gold Coast to refer to the UWS, to lower 5th Ave. in the Village, or a part of Long Island -- and the term is so rarely used by anyone in NYC (Manhattan) anyway. It's like New Yorkers have the common sense to know that 5th Avenue is not on a coast and just won't say it (it would make better sense if it referred to an avenue that is actually on water, but the highways on Manhattan's perimeter sully the possibility). I've lived in 10021 since the early 80's and have NEVER heard anyone who lives here (or anyone else, for that matter) call this neighborhood the Gold Coast. The term just reminds me of Chicago or Miami but the New Yorkers I know don't use it.
To the original poster: yes there are still affordable apartments in the Upper East Side that won't need an income of 42 times your rent (not all landlords check FICO scores -- that's ridiculous). Actually, the UES has become one of the more affordable areas of Manhattan (and feels safer than the West side). I don't think it's boring at all -- there's lots of restaurants and shopping but it's just less trendy than downtown. If you are diligently looking everywhere, you can definitely find a decent place for less than $2000/month in the older walkup buildings (although it will be small). Heck, I know of a few buildings with cheap apartments that still have the tub or shower in the kitchen and a shared toilet in the hallway -- in the east 70's!
You have to walk, walk, walk, and look at all the little signs in the windows, go into the smaller RE brokers and management agencies, etc.