Need info on moving to NYC (New York, Troy: budget, apartments, travel)

[jeffcon0]

Ima,
If safety is a concern I would be very careful in Crown Heights. Check out the www.Broooklynian.com message boards. There is a whole section dedicated to Crown Heights and the postings generally read like: "mugging, another mugging, got jumped, NEW BAR OPENING!, girlfriend got mugged...". Check it out and you will see what I mean. The area is certainly coming along and if you are thick skinned and are willing to put up with some quality of life issues it can be worth the low price. I personally would not want to live there right now but to each their own.

$1400 is definitly going to be tough. Just remember that even Citi-Habitats pulls the bait and switch. Apartment turnover is very high and places that are well priced ofte move in the same day so it is tough for any broker to maintain an up-to-date listing database. In fact, I have NEVER been to broker that still has the listing available that I called them about. It's all just part of the obnoxious real estate game in NY.

Henna is right that $1400 is about average for a ONE bedroom for most of the areas she mentioned. That budget for a 2 bedroom will be VERY difficult even in far flung neighborhoods. Even a 2 bedroom in Bushwick is more than that these days. Be careful of tying yourself to the L line. Yes, most of it is hipster central, but the amenities found on the first two stops in Brooklyn are not out there on the DeKalb stop of the L. The "L-iffication" of Brooklyn is still leadingh many transplants out that way just because they read about how cool Williamburg is and they want the proximity. Trust me, even though the DeKalb stop is 5 stops from "prime" Williamsburg it is world away.

Just be careful when a broker advertises a place. They like to exaggerate A LOT. Park Slope can now push into Sunset Park or Gowanus. Wiliamsburg extends 9 stops into Brooklyn on the L. Clinton Hill extends into the far reaches of Bed-Stuy. And so on...

If a deal looks too good to be true it probably is. NYC is incredibly expensive and the only way to avoid high rents is to make a lot of concessions about where you will be living. You need to decide what you want to give up: Amenities, location, or safety. At $1400 for a 2 bedroom you may have to give up more than one of those.

Also, remember that prime time rental season is nearing and rents go up even more in the spring and summer.

[Henna]

Originally Posted by jeffcon0

Ima,
If safety is a concern I would be very careful in Crown Heights. Check out the www.Broooklynian.com message boards. There is a whole section dedicated to Crown Heights and the postings generally read like: "mugging, another mugging, got jumped, NEW BAR OPENING!, girlfriend got mugged...". Check it out and you will see what I mean. The area is certainly coming along and if you are thick skinned and are willing to put up with some quality of life issues it can be worth the low price. I personally would not want to live there right now but to each their own.
.

The thing that surprised me most on the brooklynian threads you are talking about was that there seemed to be just as many muggings listed on the Prospect Heights board, which I always thought had a much better reputation than Crown Heights. And it certainly feels much more gentrified - last time I was there I ate in a small, very cozy French creperie on an Avenue I can't remember the name of - maybe Vanderbilt? Anyway, it felt quite nice along there, but apparently there are tons of assaults.

[thepurplepainter]

Originally Posted by Diggur

If you don't mind me asking, why are you leaving Phoenix?

Pardon the delayed response, Diggur. City-Data messages were going to my spam folder. I appreciate your asking, and of course I don't mind. I like New Yorkers because you say what's on your mind. No spills, no frills.

Several reasons... we are city people. We moved to Phoenix from Seattle for my husband's health in 2001. Did wonders for his health, but Phoenix is really a giant suburb of LA, not a metropolis. We want to live in a place where the city is alive. Seattle had a bit of that feel, but now my husband trades stocks during the day & he'd rather do that farther East so he doesn't have to wake up at 6am every day! NYC was our top pick.

We'll both be 39 this year. When lounging around a retirement home in our 80's, we want to savor the experiences rather than regret the things we'd never done but wished we had.

Craving for culture (for the # of immigrants per capita in Phx, this place is curiously devoid of culture)-- we could find this in San Fran or Seattle too, but we're kinda tired of the West Coast.

Now I have a question for you... why do you ask? My husband as already made his decision, but I'm still thinking it out. My biggest questions are: how much harder will it be to make it financially in NY; and, what is the stress level / general working atmosphere like? Do I have to be a workaholic to survive in a job?

We are very frugal financially, have no debt, no children, will sell our car before leaving (what a huge expense burden!). We don't care much for the party life, but want to be around people, find cool fun free things to do, feel the life of the city.

Tracy

[dcuper1]

Originally Posted by thepurplepainter

how much harder will it be to make it financially in NY; and, what is the stress level / general working atmosphere like? Do I have to be a workaholic to survive in a job?

That really depends on what type of job you have. I don't think it is different than the rest of the country. If you trade stocks or are an air traffic controller you will have stress anywhere.

The biggest stress I think is when people try to keep their suburban life style in New York. It can be very stressful if you buy a mini van and drive to go gocery shopping. There is no place to park, you will have to haul all you stuff in the snow, mini vans are too big to go around small spaces.

It is a good idea you are getting rid of your car.

You just have to adapt to the lifestyle of the place. The best thing to do with groceries is have them delivered. Always use subway or bus. Even taking a cab can be a very stressful situation.

Always look for options very close to your house. It is much better to go to a small gym close to your house than to a huge when that is more than 10 blocks away. If before you thought of places to go being miles away from your house, in NY you should think how many blocks or subway stops away from your house they are.

[By~Tor]

Originally Posted by thepurplepainter

My biggest questions are: how much harder will it be to make it financially in NY; and, what is the stress level / general working atmosphere like? Do I have to be a workaholic to survive in a job?

We are very frugal financially, have no debt, no children, will sell our car before leaving (what a huge expense burden!). We don't care much for the party life, but want to be around people, find cool fun free things to do, feel the life of the city.

Tracy

Well Tracy, as someone who moved to New York from Chicago about three and a half years ago, and who is preparing to move from NYC to Pittsburgh now, let me share what I can offer:

"How much harder, financially" is a great question, and relates directly to what your current expenses are, where you're at. Overall, count on rent/mortgage costs increasing by at least 50% over wherever you are now, as a small 1BR in NYC can range from about $1000 upwards to over $3000, depending on area.

Getting rid of the car is a great idea, as the trains and buses run 24/7 most areas, and the insurance burden on NY drivers is insane... my insurance on a 1996 Bronco went from about $115 a month in Chicago to over $600 a month here, due to the Zip Code...

The stress level of the working atmosphere is a bit more intense here than most other areas of the country, due simply to the amount of competition everyone has here. New York is where people come to make money . . . . period. You can expect the atmosphere to be centered around the bottom line, and little else. The Human Factor is merely an afterthought, most places. That's NOT TO SAY you can't find amenable surroundings, but it does take time and effort to do that, especially if you don't have money to burn while you wait for the perfect job slot.

Cool, fun and free is easy enough here, believe it or not... Manhattan (and to a lesser extent, the outer boroughs) have a plethora of activities, all cheap or free... Central Park, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and most of the museums have either "suggested donations" or discount days where you can immerse yourself in culture for next to nothing.

You can get 99 cent NYC Pizza slices on the west side, near Hell's Kitchen, and the hot dog or Falafel vendor is always cheap, and nearby.

Overall, food and clothing can be found very cheap, if you stay alert and discover the places the locals shop... plenty of "Dollar" stores (I recommend the ABC Store in Astoria, on 31st Street by Ditmars) and places like H&M or Filene's Basement can keep you lookin' sharp for a fraction of 5th Avenue prices.

If you move here, you will trade off some money for culture, to be sure, but it's worth it, just to have that New York experience for awhile in your lives... I think everyone should live here, for at least two years, just to say they've done it, and know what being a New Yorker is like.

Good luck, and Happy Trails!!!

[thepurplepainter]

DCuper & By~Tor, thanks a million! My husband's biggest question was how to get groceries. We'll mark that down on our list! One of mine has been about clothing and such too, By~Thor, so I'll definately file that info away.

Your info was super helpful. The west coast is very soft, with the human factor overriding about everything and it does get annoying. It's got to be annoying for me to say that because I'm a big softie lol.

When I have a definite date, I'll let you all know. I'd like to meet a few of the folks on this board just to say 'hi' and 'thanks'! If you want to meet face to face someone who's actually listened to your advice, you'll get your chance !!

[By~Tor]

Originally Posted by thepurplepainter

DCuper & By~Tor, thanks a million! My husband's biggest question was how to get groceries. We'll mark that down on our list! One of mine has been about clothing and such too, By~Thor, so I'll definately file that info away.

Your info was super helpful. The west coast is very soft, with the human factor overriding about everything and it does get annoying. It's got to be annoying for me to say that because I'm a big softie lol.

When I have a definite date, I'll let you all know. I'd like to meet a few of the folks on this board just to say 'hi' and 'thanks'! If you want to meet face to face someone who's actually listened to your advice, you'll get your chance !!

That's awesome, but I fear that by the time you get here, I'll already be in Pittsburgh, where we're buying a house....

A 5 bedroom, 4 story house, for only $130,000. . . . in New York, I can't even get a wino to **** on me for $130,000. . . . . . but good luck in your move, nonetheless.....

As for groceries, if you're moving to Manhattan, there's a "bodega" on just about every corner and part of the fun of living there is the daily walks to the various stores to locate necessities... but don't think you'll have "Supermarkets" in the same volume you do out west... there ARE a few in Manhattan, like Trader Joes and Whole Foods and maybe a "Met" or two, but by and large, there's alot of little stores, and you may have to wander a bit, to find which ones have what items... but rest assured, that EVERYBODY DELIVERS in Manhattan, so that's a good thing... if you need kitty litter and smokes at 3 in the morning, chances are good you can have it delivered!!!!!!

[invention]

how is the general area around the prospect park and parkside stations in brooklyn? trying to find an affordable studio for around 1200 or so.

[Henna]

The areas near there are called Prospect Lefferts Gardens (PLG) and Prospect Park South. There's some sketchiness and undoubtedly some crime, but I have 2 friends in PLG and know about 5 people who all live on Parade Place in PPS and I have never heard anyone complain -- except one guy got his tires slashed. The Q is pretty quick to Union Square so that's a plus, and you have the park.

There are some bad reports about a building at 10 Midwood, so you might want to avoid that building. Perhaps someone who lives in that area can tell you more specifics or you could do a search on this board.

There is a very recent thread mentioning PLG and one guy who lives there wrote in with a response so maybe you could find that thread and read it. I believe it was started by jeffcon0

[BruceAdama]

I figured I'd chime in with why NYC is at the utmost top of my list of places to live... since if you really think about it, NYC IS actually cheaper than LA or SF to live in...

Number one, I've always loved NYC... I've been there 3 times, and the first time I was there, I just "knew" that I was home.

Okay... now for the "practical" reasons...

If you know how to live on a budget, NYC can be affordable. Consider the following...

NYC has THE BEST public transportation system in the entire United States... plus, there are probably in the millions of cabs in the city. Add to that the fact that Manhattan is probably THE most walkable big city in all of the USA, as everything is literally just down the street from you... and you become aware of one great fact... you no longer need a car. That removes a huge financial burden, because not only are you eliminating the car itself, but now you have also eliminated the costs of both auto insurance, AND gasoline... so those are two continuing expenses you no longer will need to worry about.

That is money that can go to rent... which brings me to my next point...

Unless you have a family, with children and the like, (assuming you are single) you most likely will not require a full apartment... because rent in and anywhere near to Manhattan is MASSIVE... instead, look for renting a single room... you can find rooms for rent in Manhattan starting at $700.00 lowest, and up. You will have a nice (hopefully) roommate, will have a bed and roof over your head, and won't be paying as much for the rent. this is what I am going to be doing when I get there.

Also, NYC is crawling with fast-food options, and fast-food is nowhere near es expensive as dining at a fancy "posh" establishment... that, coupled with the fact that there is a number of grocery markets everywhere in the city, means you can find groceries and eats at a decent price, without breaking the bank... you can save that extra money for other entertainment.

Also, you are never alone in NYC... safety in numbers... I ALWAYS felt totally safe there, and I get jitters driving through parts of LA... from my experience, NYC is just a safer place. true, every big city has its "bad areas", but overall, NYC is safer than LA... I just felt safer there... and there is more of a sense of civic community there.

Again, everything is within close reach in NYC... you can walk or subway/taxi to anywhere you need to go, within a few minutes... in LA, you spend hours just going to and from work, on the 405. It's a lot more convenient.

You CAN make it in NYC... if you know what to do, and how to do it. Hope this helps a bit.