Can you get a decent shared apartment for $1200-1400 in Manhattan? (Washington Heights: apartments, rental market)

[analyze_this]

I am in the process of moving to NYC and was wondering if I could get a decent shared apartment in Manhattan (preferably with my own bathroom) for a total budget of $1200-1400. Is that realistic in Manhattan? If so whic areas should I look at and what websites?

[urbanlife78]

yes cause I know people now that are sharing in Manhattan. Though you would probably end up finding a share where you have one room and the other person has the other room and you two share the bathroom and kitchen cause there is no actual living room, but it is definitely doable for that price.

[BrownstoneNY]

Easily, though the separate bathroom might be harder. (Few older apartments have as many bathrooms as bedrooms; it's really a waste of space.) $1400 per person would get something nice in, say, the UES, but also something livable but small even in the Village or Soho.

[bluedog2]

It's possible but it won't be that easy .I don't see you finding even a decent REAL 2 br with 1 bath in that price range except maybe in a marginal neighborhood.I think urbanlife78's scenario of a 1 br,1 bath apartment with the living room turned into a 2nd bedroom is more likely except in Harlem or Washington Heights.

According to the most recent Manhattan Monthly Rental Market Report the average of a recently rented 1 br apt in a non doorman building in Manhattan is currently 2858.00/mo and the average 2 br is 3938/mo.The non doorman 1 br's ranged from a low of 1,695/mo in Harlem to 4,586/mo in Tribeca. The 2 br's ranged from a low of 2,153 in Harlem to 7,053/mo in Tribeca



Year End 2011 Manhattan Rental Market Report | Rental Market Reports | MNS

[barkomatic]

I think you've got a good chance of getting into a decent place with that budget in Manhattan--but not with the private bathroom probably. Be prepared for a small bedroom. You may wish to check out what is now being called the "West Chelsea" area. It's still a little industrial but nice and in active development. You might also find something you like in the Financial district (FiDi). Of course you'll start to find dramatically cheaper apartments/shares in the far north of Manhattan.

If you're willing to go to Brooklyn or the other outer boroughs you'll get more for you money and will often end up in a charming and safe neighborhood. However, on weekends one must reserve a lot of patience when dealing with the subway.

[jcoltrane]

Originally Posted by bluedog2

It's possible but it won't be that easy .I don't see you finding even a decent REAL 2 br with 1 bath in that price range except maybe in a marginal neighborhood.I think urbanlife78's scenario of a 1 br,1 bath apartment with the living room turned into a 2nd bedroom is more likely except in Harlem or Washington Heights.

According to the most recent Manhattan Monthly Rental Market Report the average of a recently rented 1 br apt in a non doorman building in Manhattan is currently 2858.00/mo and the average 2 br is 3938/mo.The non doorman 1 br's ranged from a low of 1,695/mo in Harlem to 4,586/mo in Tribeca. The 2 br's ranged from a low of 2,153 in Harlem to 7,053/mo in Tribeca



Year End 2011 Manhattan Rental Market Report | Rental Market Reports | MNS

So far, the only honest and accurrate post to this thread!

All the other posts are fantasies of a fantastic mind. Either that or they are not being fully honest.

For example, OP if you are fussy about the bathroom, then realize, for that money, the only places you'll find will be the equivalent of living in some slob's bathroom. Wholly unpleasant and undesireable!

Also, 2 bdrm 2 bath apts are VERY uncommon, except for the very high end luxury part of the market. Such apts simply aren't typical of the NYC housing market, and any you might find will NOT rent for less than $3000. $4K or $5K is more realistic.

The only shares you are likely to find in your price range in Manhattan w/b an old 1 bdrm 1 bth on the 4th flr of a walkup, maybe on the first floor right in front of the garbage storage.

In most cases, either 1 takes the bedrm (paying a higher share) and the other the living room (less privacy equals the lower share), or both share the (tiny) bedroom and bathroom for equal share. The apt will be tiny. Think a couple dorm rooms put together. This is a typical low end circumstance for under $2000 per share.

If you could swing $2000 or more, then you will have your own bedroom in a nice elevator building in a comparatively spacious apt with 1 bdrm (shared).

Your best bet for a decent 'share' for roughly $1000 will be in Queens. For example, in Astoria, you can find modern apts with 2 bedrms and 1 bth for a total of $2000 give or take a couple hundred.

Of course, there are more marginal neighborhoods where you can find cheaper rents, but the then you w/h to deal with issues of crime, long commute, etc.

You could also consider living in the suburbs, where rents can be cheaper and you are more likely to find 2 bdrm 2 bth apts. I recommend New Jersey as it offers a nice easy commute by bus.

[nei]

You can get an indecent apartment for quite a bit less.

I know someone who lived in two shared apartments for $800/month. In the Upper West Side. Cramped but clean. Both were 4 bedrooms, 1 bathroom. Both were "walk-ups" but one was on the ground floor so there was no up to walk. No garbage in front, though.