Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We'll be moving to NYC in 3 months (couple + 2),and would like to get some idea on what our monthly spending will be like. What we put up so far, mainly from googling a bit, is:
We hope to get a 3BR apartment in the UES or Park Slope for $4500. Daycare for 2 children - $2000 each. Food & fun: $2000. Medical insurance will be provided by our employers. Stuff that we didn't account for above is estimated at $1500 (transportation, vacations...) so we get to $12K/Month.
Does this make sense? Any feedback will be much appreciated.
Note that 3BR is a must, but if we can't find such an apartment in UES / Park Slope for $4.5K we'll be happy to hear about other options.
Three bedrooms on the UES in a good school district is possibly a stretch. One bedrooms can be quite pricey, much less three bedrooms. Add to that the higher cost of the apartments in sought-after school districts. Plus, the most desirable public schools are sometimes too full to accept new students.
For that kind of money you could rent an entire HOUSE with a yard in a GREAT place in Westchester. In GREAT school districts. I'm not trying to discourage you from NYC, but the realities are such that you could have a decent commute (less than 45 minutes) and still have a house with a yard.
You'll be able to get a good apartment in Park Slope, but Viral MD is right about having a much better quality of life in Westchester. A friend of mine student taught at PS 321, which is a good elementary school in Park Slope, but it's so full that even living in the district can't guarantee you a place in the school. You'll also have a lot less space than you're used to, which isn't so bad in the summer when you have a park nearby. In the winter, cooped up with two small kids in an apartment can be tough.
Kids are 2.5 and 6 months. That's why we accounted for daycare ($4K) and we don't care much about schools. We'll probably leave NYC in a few years anyway... If UES is out of the question, what other Manhattan neighbourhoods may be reasonable (3BR, $4.5K/month)? Or should we rule out Manhattan completely for this budget?
I am like a broken record on these boards as far as suggesting this neighborhood...... but you can check out Hudson Heights. You could probably get a good 3BR in the 3K range and you could get a REALLY nice 3BR for 4,500. Might not suit your taste (its not the UES) but could be worth a look for you. A lot of families in the neighborhood.
Kids are 2.5 and 6 months. That's why we accounted for daycare ($4K) and we don't care much about schools. We'll probably leave NYC in a few years anyway... If UES is out of the question, what other Manhattan neighbourhoods may be reasonable (3BR, $4.5K/month)? Or should we rule out Manhattan completely for this budget?
After seeing you last post...... check out Hudson Heights!! Might be EXACTLY what you are looking for.
Roosevelt Island? It's reasonable, family friendly, on an island (which I like), has Manhattan water views and is somewhat reasonable. Not sure about the schools though. I'd move there if I were to return to NYC.
Look in the Upper East. You might be surprised what you can get. It's worth trying. Rents have fallen in some parts of manhattan by as much as 25% the past year.
Look in the Upper East. You might be surprised what you can get. It's worth trying. Rents have fallen in some parts of manhattan by as much as 25% the past year.
I just heard a report that rents on the UES had fallen by 30% compared to last year. The average for Manhattan was down about 25% (rents in the UWS actually went up slightly). Doing a quick search online I see options in your price range there, as long as you can cope with a tight squeeze (say 1,100 to 1,400 square feet).
Since you don't care about the public schools, you should be able to find something in Park Slope (rents are a bit cheaper outside of the most-coveted school district) or in neighboring Prospect Heights in your price range. Cobble Hill, Carrol Gardens, and Beorum Hill are other nice (and expensive) "brownstone Brooklyn" areas that are worth checking out. You'll have to put up with some urban grit, but if you want the "city experience" those will all be good places. (Brooklyn Heights is the most desired area, but probably over your price range.)
I left Brooklyn for the calm, peace, and natural beauty of Northern Westchester (where you can get a lovely 3 bedroom house for 3,500 to 4,000 month) and I adore living here. But if you want the urban experience, I think those parts of Brooklyn are a good fit.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
