Best place for young professional 25 - 30 (Murray: apartment, rent, neighborhood)

[wooster99]

Will soon be moving to NYC, working in the Midtown area near Grand Central area. What are some of the best areas to live in with minimal stops/changes required to get to Grand Central? Critical considerations:

1. SAFETY
2. no more than $3000 - $3500 monthly rent for a 1 bedroom
3. nightlife not important - more interested in great neighborhood feel with coffee shops, wine bars, tapas, and great grocery store (ie Whole Foods, or nice selection prepared foods)

[macnyc2003]

You might be able to afford a one bedroom in Murray Hill (just south of Grand Central), Tudor City, Sutton Place area, Turtle Bay area, and Kips Bay. Not a huge one bedroom with lots of amenities, but good enough. Look on streeteasy.com, which allows you to filter by neighborhood. You can pretty much walk to work from any of these.

[ShirlMastic Beach]

Midtown

[silverbullnyc]

Anywhere from east 96st till 14st on the east side would work for you. Only a matter of size. A massive $2400 1br in the east 80's as opposed to a $3000 smaller 1br in the 30's.

Heres a good example that happened last week, i spent 2 weeks 13apts showing someone who insisted only wanted to live from 23-42st, everything was too small, i took him to something on east 88st and he put an application on it.

[lexlugar]

Consider a spacious apartment in Long Island City. It's within budget, commute to midtown is short and the area is awesome.

[Javawood]

Might as well live as close to work as possible with the salary allowance, aka Midtown.