How to make this work financially--and realistically!

[bmwguydc]

If you want a family apartment, I would actually look to Queens and The Bronx, as have been suggested. Astoria is a good suggestion, but there are other good areas for a family that you may consider, some of which are not as close to the subway, however, like Bayside and Douglaston. Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Rego Park, Sunnyside, and Jackson Heights (especially if you could find something in the historic district) are all other areas that I would consider. Brooklyn can be a bit remote as well, if you were to look in an area like Bayside. Park Slope is trendy and comparatively expensive because it has many who want to live in Brownstone Brooklyn, though not to the price point of Brooklyn Heights. Many younger and alternative families make Park Slope home, so it might be boring for single, adult families.

In the Bronx, I would look at Riverdale, since in a family building or divided townhouse, you would be able to find a more affordable 3BR. For a full-service/luxury building in Riverdale, the cost is much higher, but there are options, though it's a tad remote for subway transportation to the city, yet does have express buses to Manhattan, and two Metro-North railroad stations that are less than 30 minutes to Midtown. Riverdale is a large neighborhood that has some middle-class enclaves, as well as very affluent enclaves, but is a very safe neighborhood, overall. And, conceivably, you could bring a car with you for the family to share, if you wanted to do so, as you can find parking options in Riverdale that are not extraordinarily expensive, though I would only park an older vehicle that is not a theft target on the street everyday.

$2k for a 3BR in Park Slope just sounds suspicious, but not as suspect as the 3BR on the UES for $1775. Both of these apartments are likely higher floor walkups, with "bedrooms" that are 8x8. To put the cost in perspective, even a 1BR in a walkup would be an exciting find for $1775 on the UES, provided it was not directly over the vent of a restaurant that sent all sorts of interesting cooking smells into the windows of the apartment. Then again, I know people who pay significantly more than that, and have had similar issues in another Manhattan neighborhood.

Another area you may consider is New Jersey, actually, which gives an added benefit of avoiding city resident income tax, which is in addition to your city wage taxes if your primary residence is within the five boroughs of NYC. Currently, there is no equivalent commuter tax for those who live out of the city that is comparable to the resident income tax. Fort Lee is just across the George Washington Bridge and is linked by bus with the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal, which links with the 1 subway line. Fort Lee is another family-oriented area. Hoboken and parts of Jersey City might also be considerations, with PATH access, light rail, bus, ferry, etc. to/from NYC, but Hoboken, especially, might be more appropriate for your children on their own as it tends to be a post-college set location. In Jersey City, there are some neighborhoods that are more up and coming than gentrified, so you would want to pick a location carefully as not all are created equally.

There are some options in the area not to pay exorbitant rent, by NYC metro standards, and to find a safe neighborhood that would work well for you as you get established in the city. Best of luck in securing a good position and making the transition. Just proceed deliberately, and with adequate research, and I am sure you will find a workable solution. And, people here are always ready to help with insight, or give an opinion, so please ask away as your questions form during the search process.

[SDgyrl]

I moved from San Diego to NYC 6 months ago and its been a tough adjustment financially. Went from $60,000 in San Diego to $100,000 here in NYC but was better off financaily in San Diego. The taxes are high here and with extremely high rents, your money will not go as far as it does in SD. I currently live in Manhatten....big mistake. Where as I was paying $1500 for a beautiful 1 bedrm condo with bay views in SD, I am now paying $2500 for a studio in Manhattan. When my lease is up I will be moving 30 minutes outside of Manhattan to save money. One thing that really frustrates me about NYC is that it is difficult to find an apartment that matches the level of quality that I was used to in San Diego. NYC does indeed have a lot to offer but you may have to settle on less comforts than what you are used to in San Diego. I made the move for career and am happy I did (no regrets) but there is much that I miss about San Diego.

[Biskit]

It shouldn't be too difficult to achieve your goal. As long as your two kids interview well, have degrees and work hard, they shouldn't have too much trouble landing jobs from 30-40K. Those jobs are more plentiful than the higher paying jobs in NYC. Also, they will be taxed a lot less at that wage level.

Jobs at the 60K plus level are definitely more competitive, and you might just be able to get that if you have decades of experience. Again, office manager type jobs don't pay a lot of money here unless you land an executive assistant gig at a F500 or in the financial services industry. But, you should be able to swing 50-60K if you have 20 plus years experience. You should be able to find a decent 3 BR in Queens, Brooklyn or NJ for 2500-3000, which falls comfortably within your budget if your household income will be around 120-130K gross. You should be able to live comfortably. Nothing fancy, but definitely not struggling. Living conditions will be tight, but then again you'll be living in the greatest city in the world. Trust me, it's worth it.