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I plan on moving my family back to Queens or Brooklyn next summer. What is the best way to get things lined up for a visit to secure housing?
It used to be that a person could hit the ground, grab a village voice, and get a place lined up.
I would prefer to avoid a broker if at all possible. I lived in Astoria/LIC before those places were popular and I always rented from owners. I would prefer to work with an owner again since I am self employed and don't feel the need to be overly scrutinized by some goof ball management company.
I do have close friends in NYC. Two of them are partners in running their own coffee shops. They have one in LIC and one in Williamsburg, so I can likely get a guarantor if I need. But, again, prefer to rent from an owner.
I plan on moving my family back to Queens or Brooklyn next summer. What is the best way to get things lined up for a visit to secure housing?
It used to be that a person could hit the ground, grab a village voice, and get a place lined up.
I would prefer to avoid a broker if at all possible. I lived in Astoria/LIC before those places were popular and I always rented from owners. I would prefer to work with an owner again since I am self employed and don't feel the need to be overly scrutinized by some goof ball management company.
I do have close friends in NYC. Two of them are partners in running their own coffee shops. They have one in LIC and one in Williamsburg, so I can likely get a guarantor if I need. But, again, prefer to rent from an owner.
Thanks for any tips or advice.
Things in Astoria have gotten really hectic. Looking for an apartment there is a pain. More annoying than looking for apartments in Manhattan because the only resource you can really use is CL and it's hard to find no-fee apartments because all brokers post in that section. Brokers posting in the no-fee section is far worse when it comes to Astoria than other parts of the city. I'd say like 99% of no-fee listings are brokers who are lying. You can find apartments by owners there, but it's tough. If you can do it, it's just easier to pay the one month broker's fee. Also be prepared to be scrutinized. That area is a lot more popular than it used to be, so landlord are getting pickier and pickier..also why most use brokers. Honestly, having dealt with both I feel like the brokers in Astoria are worse than in Manhattan. If you can get your friends to be guarantors though, it shouldn't be an issue.
I can't speak for Brooklyn, but I guess it'd be the same with comparable neighborhoods.
I can't speak for Brooklyn, but I guess it'd be the same with comparable neighborhoods.
I should be more specific. I am considering Sunnyside, Ridgewood, Bensonhurst, Bay Ridge, Midwood, and Kensington. Thanks for the info on Astoria. It sounds like it has lost all it's old school charm that I loved so very much. I may just mark it off my list. Me and trendy don't mix.
I should be more specific. I am considering Sunnyside, Ridgewood, Bensonhurst, Bay Ridge, Midwood, and Kensington. Thanks for the info on Astoria. It sounds like it has lost all it's old school charm that I loved so very much. I may just mark it off my list. Me and trendy don't mix.
Bay Ridge is starting to get trendy now. So it might be more so by the time you move here. Ditto on Kensington, it's already halfway shot to being trendy as well.
Your best bet is to pick up the local papers. For Bensonhurst, Midwood and Bay Ridge that would be the Bay News or the Kings Courier I believe. These will have broker listings but also owner listings as well. Not sure what papers service Sunnyside and Ridgewood, I think there was the Ridgewood Times or something like that.
Be aware, however because of the economy, landlords are now being more wary and want to see pay stubs, good credit, etc. even if you are dealing with them directly.
I think it's a huge exaggeration to say that Astoria has lost its old school charm. I'm not even sure I'd call it trendy.
Most of it absolutely is trendy now. Along the N line from Astoria Blvd and South from there, and I would say 25th St up to about maybe Steinway has gotten trendy. Granted, it's more trendy by the N then by Steinway, but it's picking up. Rent has gone up a great deal in the last couple of years. I moved there in 2010 and at that time the going rent was 1100-1200 for a 1 BR. When I left last year, the going rent was up to 1400-1500. And that was an increase in just 1 year.
There are spots here and there that are still old school. But for the most part, lounges, cafes, bars, and other business are popping up all over the area.
Oh I don't know..I'd say Astoria is trendy, but in its own way. There are new businesses/bars/lounges that are aimed at a young crowd, but I still think that people who frequent them are nowhere near as obnoxious as the kids in Manhattan or in trendy parts of Brooklyn. It's sort of like trendy in a good way (not taking the rising rents into account of course). There are plenty of old-school businesses still there but also more options to eat, and people who live there are a lot nicer and more down to earth than other parts of the city. I think it still has a neighborhood-y laid-back feel. If you used to love Astoria, I wouldn't cross it off your list.
If you have a family though, it might get pricey and searching for an apt there is pretty annoying. I've always heard good things about Sunnyside, so that might be worth looking into. Maybe you can visit to see for yourself? Otherwise, it's going to be hard to pick a perfect neighborhood.
Yikes, I actually did not know this. I know people who are paying 1100-1200 there, I didn't realize it was going up so fast.
It's totally getting worse too. I'm checking out some apartments there, and I was shocked that one bedrooms in typical pre-war buildings are now going for 1600s and even 1700s. I couldn't believe it.
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