Which areas should I stay away in Brooklyn? (New York, Harrison: apartment complexes, to rent)

[FLtoNY]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

Seattle is the New York of the Pacific Northwest , Oregon is pretty laided back and green as in green the color.... You should probably move to Downtown Jersey which is pretty quiet , but still diverse and right across from NYC....

Ok, the reason I am considering Brooklyn is that, it is very convenient in terms of subways (no traffic). Also, I will be looking for a job (thats why NY area), Brooklyn is kinda central location.
I am a tech guy (GIS, Environmental, planner, truss designer etc) but due to the economy and till I find a decent job, I am ready to work for $12/hr or so. Although there are better locations for tech jobs but there are no jobs. Lots of temp job opportunity in NY area (I hope). For all these reasons, I have to keep my expenses at minimum by renting a room, using public transportation etc.
I heard that I should own a vehicle in NJ. I can but prefer not to have it before things are clear job-wise . Plus, I also heard that owning a car in NYC is a pain in the neck.
I really want to hear your valuable opinions, suggestions.. Anything helps in this manner.
Thanks

[11KAP]

everywhere but 11201 i guess.

[Nexis4Jersey]

Originally Posted by FLtoNY

Ok, the reason I am considering Brooklyn is that, it is very convenient in terms of subways (no traffic). Also, I will be looking for a job (thats why NY area), Brooklyn is kinda central location.
I am a tech guy (GIS, Environmental, planner, truss designer etc) but due to the economy and till I find a decent job, I am ready to work for $12/hr or so. Although there are better locations for tech jobs but there are no jobs. Lots of temp job opportunity in NY area (I hope). For all these reasons, I have to keep my expenses at minimum by renting a room, using public transportation etc.
I heard that I should own a vehicle in NJ. I can but prefer not to have it before things are clear job-wise . Plus, I also heard that owning a car in NYC is a pain in the neck.
I really want to hear your valuable opinions, suggestions.. Anything helps in this manner.
Thanks

Jersey City has 2 subways that run 24/7 along with buses and LRT that runs 21hrs , most of Urban Jersey has a few 24/7 lines and great rail access....and is connected to NYC. Jersey City , Bayonne , Weehawken , and Harrison all meet your needs at a lower price all have 24/7 NYC transit connections. Urban Jersey is also cheaper then NYC with all the amenities and minus the tourists...

[FLtoNY]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

Jersey City has 2 subways that run 24/7 along with buses and LRT that runs 21hrs , most of Urban Jersey has a few 24/7 lines and great rail access....and is connected to NYC. Jersey City , Bayonne , Weehawken , and Harrison all meet your needs at a lower price all have 24/7 NYC transit connections. Urban Jersey is also cheaper then NYC with all the amenities and minus the tourists...

THANK YOU for your great response. I am going to look at NJ transit and those neighborhoods now.

[ja1myn]

To the OP...you should probably consider some of the more professional areas of Manhattan.

[FLtoNY]

Originally Posted by ja1myn

To the OP...you should probably consider some of the more professional areas of Manhattan.

I am new to this site, so I assume OP is me What does it stand for?
I cannot afford couple of thousands for rent for now. 500-600 is my budget for now. If there are areas for that price, I would like to know.

[anon1]

Not even areas that have what you despise to the fullest level go for that low... It gets more clear with each post that NYC is not a good choice for you... I'd check the areas that other posters have mentioned about areas near the city such as New Jersey...

By the way to answer your question OP normally stands for one of two things that are related Original Post or Original Poster...

[FLtoNY]

Originally Posted by anon1

Not even areas that have what you despise to the fullest level go for that low... It gets more clear with each post that NYC is not a good choice for you... I'd check the areas that other posters have mentioned about areas near the city such as New Jersey...

By the way to answer your question OP normally stands for one of two things that are related Original Post or Original Poster...

I will rent a "room", not an apt (yet). On Craigslist, I see lots of posts for that price.

[Henna]

suggested neighborhoods
In Brooklyn: Bensonhurst, Bay Ridge, Kensington, Ditmas Park, Midwood
In Queens: Woodside, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Rego Park, Kew Gardens

$500-$600 is possibly do-able for a small room in a 3+ bedroom apartment, but if you choose Brooklyn, then you are going to have a very long commute to Manhattan as rooms in your price range are going to be quite far out. Queens is more affordable (generally) than Brooklyn and you might be able to afford an area that is an easier commute than comparable areas in Brooklyn. The areas that might have $600 rooms are going to be the ones that are popular with immigrant populations.

You should familiarize yourself with the subway map to see which neighborhoods have convenient transportation and which are served by the bus only. Note that areas that have buses only are going to be more affordable than subway areas, as convenience is worth money.

I noticed that you said you see lots of posts on craigslist for your price range. That's nice, and it's good to do some initial research on craigslist but just be aware that what is advertised and what is actually available could be two different things.

[Henna]

Originally Posted by Henna

suggested neighborhoods
In Brooklyn: Bensonhurst, Bay Ridge, Kensington, Ditmas Park, Midwood
In Queens: Woodside, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Rego Park, Kew Gardens

$500-$600 is possibly do-able for a small room in a 3+ bedroom apartment, but if you choose Brooklyn, then you are going to have a very long commute to Manhattan as rooms in your price range are going to be quite far out. Queens is more affordable (generally) than Brooklyn and you might be able to afford an area that is an easier commute than comparable areas in Brooklyn. The areas that might have $600 rooms are going to be the ones that are popular with immigrant populations.

You should familiarize yourself with the subway map to see which neighborhoods have convenient transportation and which are served by the bus only. Note that areas that have buses only are going to be more affordable than subway areas, as convenience is worth money.

I noticed that you said you see lots of posts on craigslist for your price range. That's nice, and it's good to do some initial research on craigslist but just be aware that what is advertised and what is actually available could be two different things.

Just did a quick look on craigslist to see if anything was popping up at $600 or under for any of the neighborhoods I listed. I did not see anything in Bay Ridge, Kensington, Ditmas Park, Woodside, Rego Park or Jackson Heights so you might have to cross those off your list. I did see a few in Elmhurst (solid immigrant/working-class neighborhood, great transportation), a few in Kew Gardens and a couple in Bensonhurst, so maybe you could start with those.