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I’m a musician/performer. I currently live in the East Village with a roommate, but he’s leaving NYC in August when our lease is up. I would like to take this opportunity to move into my own place. I currently have $10,000 saved to cover moving expenses. But I wanted to get advice on what approach I should take.
1. Get my own place on August 1st. However, this is also the worst time of the year to find a place, with the influx of people moving to NYC then.
2. Stay in my current place, get a new roommate, but go month to month, until October or November when deals are a little easier to come by. Right now I pay $1,700.
3. Find a different place month to month on the cheap (like a friend’s available room) until October or November when I can get a good deal on my own place.
The other consideration is that I’m a musician and I like practicing at home. Right now I have my closet sound proofed where I practice, and my current roomie and immediate neighbors don’t have any trouble with the noise.
If I do get my own place in August, any suggestions on which neighborhood welcoms musicians who practice at home...or neighborhoods that have cheap studio rentals nearby?
I will say I do like the East Village because of how central it is to everything I do. I really like not having to rely on the subway.
Well I sincerely appreciate any suggestions you can provide!
Where do you perform? Do you have to live in Manhattan?
With $10k cash you can move almost anywhere in Queens regardless of Credit, they will not turn down the cash. The catch is finding a reputable Landlord that is not a slumlord as it goes both ways.
So the question is where do you need to live and how many times do you need to be in the city per week for performances?
Yes I currently live in the East Village in Manhattan. $1,700/mo. with a roommate.
I love the East Village because of how central it is to the Lower East Side, Mid-Town, Brooklyn, Queens, Harlem, West Village, etc...all neighborhoods where I perform/frequent. And I love either walking/biking back home after or an easy commute with no transfer. AND, it's an easy reverse commute to my M-F, 9 to 5 day job in Brooklyn Heights.
I'm looking to get my own place when my least is up on August 1st. I've never lived by myself, and I'm at a point in my life where I want to do that. My budget is $2,000 (not more than $2,200) for my own one bedroom.
Right now I'm looking to stay in the EV. But I am also eyeing Brooklyn...specifically Cobble Hill or Prospect Heights. Cobble Hill because it's an easy walk to my day job...Prospect Heights because I can get more bang for my buck there. And both awesome neighborhoods for different reasons.
Queens, while affordable...would be a killer commute to my day job in Brooklyn Heights...a trip I take 10 times a week. (To and From work 5 days a week.)
So yeah, a one bedroom where I can freely practice my singing and music making, central in NYC, easy commute to my day job, and under $2,200. Currently have $10,000 saved to specifically to cover moving expenses.
1) Staying in East Village/Lower East Side/Gramercy Park
Pro's: Central to all boroughs, easy for people to get to...as I want to have friends over. A happening neighborhood. Reverse Commute to Work...25 minutes on subway.
Con's: Expensive. Will be next to impossible to have a true one bedroom for $2,000ish a month. Been here for 3.5 years already...maybe time to experience a new neighborhood?
2) Cobble Hill
Pro's: 10 minute walk to work. Nice neighborhood. Easy commute to Manhattan on the F train.
Con's: Just as expensive as EV/LES...maybe even more so. Will be hard to find a true one bedroom at my price point.
3) Prospect Heights
Pro's: Easily find a nice one bedroom at my price point, with a roof too! 40 minute walk to work...or 20 minute subway. Near Prospect Park and Park Slope Food Coop. Fun bars on Washington street. New neighborhood to explore and call home. More diversity in people.
Con's: Neighborhood not as lively as EV. Not as easy for friends to get to. Further from gigs in Manhattan. BUT, maybe I could find gigs around the Prospect Heights area...find music jams happening around there.
But yeah...those are the three I've narrowed it to if anyone has any further advice.
1) Staying in East Village/Lower East Side/Gramercy Park
Pro's: Central to all boroughs, easy for people to get to...as I want to have friends over. A happening neighborhood. Reverse Commute to Work...25 minutes on subway.
Con's: Expensive. Will be next to impossible to have a true one bedroom for $2,000ish a month. Been here for 3.5 years already...maybe time to experience a new neighborhood?
2) Cobble Hill
Pro's: 10 minute walk to work. Nice neighborhood. Easy commute to Manhattan on the F train.
Con's: Just as expensive as EV/LES...maybe even more so. Will be hard to find a true one bedroom at my price point.
3) Prospect Heights
Pro's: Easily find a nice one bedroom at my price point, with a roof too! 40 minute walk to work...or 20 minute subway. Near Prospect Park and Park Slope Food Coop. Fun bars on Washington street. New neighborhood to explore and call home. More diversity in people.
Con's: Further from Manhattan. Not as easy for friends to get to. BUT, maybe I could find gigs around the Prospect Heights area...find music jams happening around there.
But yeah...those are the three I've narrowed it to if anyone has any further advice.
Thanks a bunch!
~Michael
You couldn't have picked cheaper neighborhoods... I mean really... Cobble Hill is off the charts right now with all sorts of luxury developments... The people with $$ were moving into Cobble Hill years ago, so anything at $2,000 would likely be a studio. I can't see any one bedrooms going for that.
Prospect Heights may give you a better chance, but it too saw prices shoot up years ago.
I'd go with that based on your budget unless you luck out in Cobble Hill. Out of the two Cobble Hill has more charm appeal IMO.
If you can stay in your area, do that though. You've been there long enough for a reason!
Appreciate the feedback. Yeah, I'm working with a reputable broker now who deals with the EV/LES. So I'm going to try and find something in my price range with her.
And you're right, stayed in EV for the past 3.5 years because I love the vibe here...and again, how easy it is to commute to just about everything I do.
My concern was that I was maybe gonna miss out on living in that Brooklyn vibe that many people love calling home. But...I guess I can always visit that vibe when I want.
Washington Heights is the best place to live for people who don't mind noise, particularly at night!!!
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