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My DH has been pressuring me to move to the city for awhile. I have always been a fan, but not "in love" like him. Over the past 2 years of our marriage though...he has really made me eat my words.
Once the summer comes we will have to remortgage as we have an ARM and rates will be going up. We are faced with the current situation, refinance(in a place will we only stay in for about 2 more years), buy a house (not crazy about that), or finally move to the city for a year or two (come back, buy a house in the burbs, have children). I am really considering the move to NYC.
Our issues/myquestions: we both have great jobs in NJ, and really aren't thinking about leaving them. we both own cars, but would only need one in the city (as I have family that live right outside lincoln tunnel, Dh has family outside GWB and extra car can be kept there), we want a VERY safe area (as Im not that good with subways, and city life, etc.), not sure about income tax/state taxes, info about apt fees, avg parking garage monthly fee, can we keep our car insurance in NJ by using a friends address?, reverse commuting tips..etc. We make roughly $100,000/year after taxes..two car payments which are less than $550/month and no debt. is this managable? or should we keep dreaming?
At first I thought you said $100,000 before taxes. If it's $100,000 after taxes you would have about $8,300 a month. On that level of income it's doable, but it depends on what you want. If you're OK with a nice 1-BR it is probably OK, but if you want lots of space, NYC is not the place.
It's a little unclear, if you leave one car with relatives in NJ, how you'd get to your jobs in NJ. Do you work together or nearby? If you're driving to NJ for work every day, you are better off in Manhattan on the west side. Anything on the east side or in Brooklyn or Queens would be a killer commute since it can take an hour to get across town at rush hour. Within those parameters, and the others you identify, the Upper West Side or West Village might work for you, though they are both expensive.
New York state and city income taxes will be higher than in NJ. It seems that about $145K pre-tax will get you $100K post-tax in NJ. With New York taxes that could fall by $600 or so a month.
Garages or parking lots in the city range from $400 at the very low end to far higher. As for the insurance, it's not legal to insure it at a friend's house if you don't live there, and the insurer may cancel the policy or refuse to pay a claim if they find out. You would be running a risk, and I don't endorse it, but a lot of people in NYC do it.
You stress that you want a "VERY safe area" and are not good with subways and city life. The city is much safer than in years past, but are you sure that you really want to live in Manhattan?? It's the epitome of "city life" and without subways, it's either quite difficult or very expensive to really enjoy anything in the city outside your immediate neighborhood. You seem less than sold on city life, and you don't have to move to New York just because you'll face refinancing, but it might be a great chance to see how you feel about the city. A lot of people come with misgivings and stay forever.
My husband works from home 3 days a week, and his job is on my way to work, so i could drop him off. I need my car as I am in a sales position and need to travel back and forth.
As far as city life..i obviously understand moving to NYC is the absolute in city life.I should clarify..having grocery/dry cleaner/parking etc. within maybe a 10 min. walk. The little things that would make my transition a little easier.An area where I walk around at night/run errands without having to feel unsafe. I have no problem with the subway..buses, etc. You have to understand I grew up in the suburbs, my husband newark nj. Living in Harlem wouldn't make him blink, while parts of the lower east side weird me out. I am alot more "sheltered" than him..and this will be a bigger change for me.
You'll be better off, rent wise, in Queens or Brooklyn. Check out Sunnyside, long island city, and astoria. All offer the neccesities within walking distance and a quick 5-10 min subway ride into the city. Tons of condo's were just built on the river in LIC and are available. Great view of the city.
I have no desire to live in brooklyn or astoria..it would only make my commute longer. Its also less desirable, if I have to "get in" to the city, I might as well stay where I am.
My husband works from home 3 days a week, and his job is on my way to work, so i could drop him off. I need my car as I am in a sales position and need to travel back and forth.
As far as city life..i obviously understand moving to NYC is the absolute in city life.I should clarify..having grocery/dry cleaner/parking etc. within maybe a 10 min. walk. The little things that would make my transition a little easier.An area where I walk around at night/run errands without having to feel unsafe. I have no problem with the subway..buses, etc. You have to understand I grew up in the suburbs, my husband newark nj. Living in Harlem wouldn't make him blink, while parts of the lower east side weird me out. I am alot more "sheltered" than him..and this will be a bigger change for me.
I hear you. The great thing about Manhattan is that a lot of areas have the dry cleaners, etc. within a short walk. The Upper West Side or West Village, I think, would give the best combination of access to N.J. by car and a safe, fun area with all the amenities. In your situation going to Brooklyn or Queens doesn't make sense. I am moving shortly to one of the LIC condos alluded to with the great views, but I don't think I would be if I had to drive to Jersey from there. The Upper West Side is generally safe but Central Park West, though pretty, can be desolate at night and has a bit more crime for that reason. Columbus and Amsterdam from 60th through the mid-80's, and Broadway or West End even farther up than that should fit nicely. And you'd have Central Park and Riverside Park there all summer long...If I didn't work on the East Side I'd go there myself, I think.
19 y/o college student renting my own apartment in the Upper East Side. Is this possible?
I'm 19 years old and going to college at Marymount Manhattan. I would like to get a nice studio apartment with a doorman in the Upper East Side, preferably no further east than 3rd ave and not past 90th.
Is this possible at all? I will be paying my education with a $500,000 trust fund. Is it possible to rent a nice studio like I mentioned above in the $2000-$2500 price range? Or am I way out of my league here?
Also if anyone knows of any doorman buildings in the UES can you tell me here? I'm having a hard time finding information about this online. I'm looking with a broker in 2 weeks but I would like some information beforehand. Thanks!
Hello... long-time lurker, recent registrant on the site.
I've been searching the web trying to figure this out, but I can't find much info, so I thought I'd appeal to all of your expertise: How much do I need to make to get by? I have a job interview soon, and the person mentioned a ballpark salary figure over the phone that sounded low by NYC standards. I figured if I had some info, I may be able to negotiate higher.
Some background info:
-I'm 2 years out of college with a B.A. in a related field.
-I've been working for 1.5 years in a semi-related field.
-I'm single, no pets... would probably look for roommates.
-The job is in mid-town, east side. Would an apt. in Queens be a lot cheaper?
-I love my mobility, but if I couldn't afford car insurance, I'd survive without my 4-wheels. It's a 12-year-old Camry. Any idea on how much per year ins. would be?
-Ditto for a gym membership.
-And I would like to keep some semblance of a social life. (although I don't go to upscale clubs and order everyone shots of Patron... more like a dive bar and whatever's on tap )
So how much would I need to make to pay for rent, food, utilities, and transportation plus have some left over to go out one night a week (date or w/ friends) and to save for emergencies?
I know the responses are subjective, but I appreciate your opinions.
I'll give up the "ballpark salary figure" after a handful of replies.
I am a student from the UK. I am due to start university in September to study Tourism Management. I visited New York in May of last year and fell in love with the city instantly. I would love to move there after my studies to continue working in the tourism industry.
Does anybody have any information or advice that they could give me on whether this would be a good idea and whether there are many career prospects within New York City involving the tourism industry.
Replies will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.
You need to check out getting a visa legal for working...if you apply now you might have one by the time you finish your studies, but maybe not. It's a long wait.
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clarification
Minimum salary to survive in NYC?
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