New York City - good places to live (Ridge, Nassau: apartment, rentals)

[Faye Faye]

Hello everyone!

I'm moving to NYC in a couple of months with my husband and we couldn't find any information concerning good areas to live outside Manhattan. Could you help us, please? Our main concerns regarding the place we're gonna live are:

- safe place;
- close to subway stations;
- max up to 40 minutes to the island;
- good range of services (supermarket, grocery store, drugstore, etc) around;
- not that expensive rentals.

Thank you all for your attention!

Faye.

[Henna]

What is your budget for monthly rent for what size apartment?

By "40 minutes to the island" what do you mean? Do you mean that once on the subway, it's ok to have a 40 minute ride to the first stop in Manhattan? Or are you trying to find a 40 minute commute door to door (and if so, where is that second door?)

I'm also not sure what you meant when you said you couldn't find any information on living outside of Manhattan. Did you mean on this site? There are posts here almost every day about Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx.

[Viralmd]

As an FYI, when people here say 'the island' they're usually referring to Long Island.

[NJ Chutzpah]

Ridgewood Queens is a nice area with a strong polish american presence, it has great food, groceries, pharmacies, and everything you need, and is cheap

BUT

You do not have to go outside of manhattan to find cheap rent, good food

Washington Heights just south of 164th st and north of 155th st along broadway is still cheap, and the bonus is you get large sized rooms, plus the amenities are cheap so you can save

[Carbro]

Originally Posted by Viralmd

As an FYI, when people here say 'the island' they're usually referring to Long Island.

Unless they inhabit the island of Staten. I really had to shift mindsets when working with a Staten Islander who always referred to her little piece of earth as "the island." A surprised little voice in my head would silently cry out, "But you don't live in Nassau/Suffolk!"

[Calibound-Yorkiemom]

Originally Posted by Carbro

Unless they inhabit the island of Staten. I really had to shift mindsets when working with a Staten Islander who always referred to her little piece of earth as "the island." A surprised little voice in my head would silently cry out, "But you don't live in Nassau/Suffolk!"

I used to live in Staten Island & that exactly what I mean when I say the island. it IS an island & you're totally secluded when you're out there.Its more of an Island than Long Island you have to take a dreaded BOAT to get on & off of it! Unless you want ot go through Brooklyn on the Verrazanno.

[Viralmd]

Please note, I DID say 'usually' rather than 'always.'

[Calibound-Yorkiemom]

Originally Posted by Viralmd

Please note, I DID say 'usually' rather than 'always.'

The anger had nothing to do with you. It had everything to do with the thought of Staten Island. I *HATE* that island!

[Faye Faye]

Thanks for the replies, including the explanations about "the island".

As we're gonna live outside Manhattan and yet we're gonna have an every day journey to work there, we decided that it could be no longer than 30 minutes door-to-door, from home to work.

The monthly budget for rental payment is $1000-$2000. We are use to going to the gym frenquently and we use a lot the internet, so, fitness center and high-speed internet are important (not essencial, but will be considered). We're looking for studios and 1 bdrs.

Are there any regions that are not safe to live? We won't have a car, so we need to be in a really safe neighborhood for those days when we'll come home late and alone....

Thank you all again!

[Viralmd]

I think you're going to have a tough time finding EVERYTHING you want with that budget and that commute. Where are you willing to compromise?