Should i live at the Village or Chelsea? (New York, Hudson: real estate, apartment)

[dac2007]

I was offered a $200K job to work in East Village. My wife and I are debating if we should live in the Village or Chelsea or live in New Jersey. We think that living in NYC is an experience which we probably should live. I understand that a 2 bedroom (decent) is around 3K per month. What would you recommend? Can you live decently with a small apt for 3K per month? What do you think? Or should I consider living in New Jersey? Thanks much

[cyrusjul]

If you live in New Jersey than you will not be experiencing New York City. I am not sure about rentals, but I think 3k for a two bedroom can get you in a nice area in the city. But why limit yourself to Chelsea and the Village? I mean if you are thinking about New Jersey, then you should consider other better neighborhoods in the city aswell.

[Henna]

3000 for a 2 bedroom sounds low in those areas that you mention, but since I haven't looked myself lately (only looked online for a friend and never actually saw anything in real life) maybe you could continue asking around. Also read back articles of "the hunt" in the real estate section of the nytimes. (take with a grain of salt, but still may be useful).

[Castro Viejo]

Originally Posted by dac2007

I was offered a $200K job to work in East Village. My wife and I are debating if we should live in the Village or Chelsea or live in New Jersey. We think that living in NYC is an experience which we probably should live. I understand that a 2 bedroom (decent) is around 3K per month. What would you recommend? Can you live decently with a small apt for 3K per month? What do you think? Or should I consider living in New Jersey? Thanks much

I've lived in the Village for many years. It's great here, better than most other areas of Manhattan (for comparison, I've lived in TriBeCa and the Upper East Side). No where else do you feel more secluded from the city, yet it's just across the street. It's got charm, character, and all that other jazz.

I have a 2-bedroom with my wife and a kid and pay about $3,000. It's on the cheaper side and it's difficult to find here, but not impossible.

The Village is also a relatively good place for a family as far as Manhattan goes. There are tons of parks and green space. Not much street traffic. It's quiet. There aren't a ton of bars, but if you really need them they're close by. Lots of othe families and it's somewhat neighborly for the island. And getting to the East Village? 20 minute walk from the West Village or 10 minutes from Greenwich Village. I wouldn't live in Chelsea. There's a lot of foot and street traffic. There's too many bars. It's a touristy area. For a family, you'd have to do constant battle with a lot of elements of the area that I think are shady. There's the Chelsea housing project that's close by and Manhattan on the West Side from about Chelsea and north toward Hell's Kitchen kinda sucks.

[BXGEAR]

Originally Posted by Castro Viejo

For a family, you'd have to do constant battle with a lot of elements of the area that I think are shady. There's the Chelsea housing project that's close by and Manhattan on the West Side from about Chelsea and north toward Hell's Kitchen kinda sucks.

By Manhattan standards, Hell's Kitchen/ Chelsea is "shady". It's a walk in the park

[dac2007]

Thanks for the feedback.

Actually, my office would be in West Village. On Morton St - 1 block west from Hudson St and a block from 9A. I was envisioning finding a place that is walking distance from the office and close to a good elementary school. I actually found a couple of Elementary Schools with good ratings. Since we will not have a car, I guess the savings of car+insurance can go to the apartment. Currently, I live in South FLorida and my apt is spacious. I understand that I will have to sacrifice something in order to live the Village area. We are excited about living in NYC but at the same time we want to make sure we are making the right decision. Some people have recommended for me to move to Hoboken but moving to NY and not enjoying NY at least for 1-2 years is crazy, it seems. My main concern if I can get something decent in the Village for 3K a month. Otherwise, I might have to reconsider the other offer I have in Silicon Valley. What do you think? Is living in Village not a realistic option?

[Castro Viejo]

Originally Posted by dac2007

My main concern if I can get something decent in the Village for 3K a month. Otherwise, I might have to reconsider the other offer I have in Silicon Valley. What do you think? Is living in Village not a realistic option?

A 2-bedroom for $3,000 a month in the Village is tough to find. I got lucky, but then again, I've been in this apartment for almost five years now. You can try with a broker and see what you can get (real estate brokers in New York charge 3 months' rent as their finder's fee) before deciding.

There are good elementary schools within walking distance. I think one of the highest-rated is down in TriBeCa, PS 124 I think it is ("The Independence School"). There are good privates around as well.

While I know the allure of New York City and living in the Village and all that stuff, I also used to live in the Bay Area and actually found that to be a bit more family friendly and much more affordable than here in good ol' Greenwich Village. Try it out. See if you like it. Silicon Valley will always be there, but New York City will always get more expensive.