Help me find a neighborhood!!! (Yonkers, New Rochelle: leasing, job market, neighborhoods)

[cazattack]

haha! my bf is a royal pain in my ass is why. lol. His "goal" in getting his next job is to have a nice car. If he doesnt go to NY with me,he'll go to san fransisco, im screwed i have to live alone while working 50+ hrs, making barely 35k, and going to school nights n weekends. yuck.

[Ace Rock]

Originally Posted by cazattack

haha! my bf is a royal pain in my ass is why. lol. His "goal" in getting his next job is to have a nice car. If he doesnt go to NY with me,he'll go to san fransisco, im screwed i have to live alone while working 50+ hrs, making barely 35k, and going to school nights n weekends. yuck.

I've never seen a non-hot FIT chick. Dump your BF. There are plenty of rich guys in Manhattan willing to put you up in a nice pad.

[UpsonDowns]

I know you didn't ask and I never thought I would agree with Ace Rock on something, but if you are only sticking with him so that you can have cheap rent, you are selling yourself short. Move here, get a fun roommate from FIT and live it up. There are soooo many men here when you are young. Dump the whiner.

[matt3681]

Originally Posted by cazattack

haha! my bf is a royal pain in my ass is why. lol. His "goal" in getting his next job is to have a nice car. If he doesnt go to NY with me,he'll go to san fransisco, im screwed i have to live alone while working 50+ hrs, making barely 35k, and going to school nights n weekends. yuck.

Your BF sounds like a jerk. He would go to San Fran without you, so he can have a car?

Sounds more like priorities are questionable.....

[90'sHip_Hop_Head]

I agree get rid of that jerk!

[Moderate Guy]

limits you to a decent studio in a decent part of Manhattan. Gets you a nice 2 bedroom in Astoria, Jackson Heights, Forest Hills, decent areas in Brooklyn, the Bronx, etc.

True cost of owning average car in NYC = $600-$800 a month. Don't need car in most areas described above.

You plus boyfriend must prioritize in terms of your budget/wants/needs. Tradeoffs are inevitable ..car or no car? studio or 1 or 2 bedroom? Manhattan or outer boroughs?

Welcome to the Big Apple and good luck.

[bmwguydc]

I agree that the car situation should be built into the budget, since it can be expensive to own and maintain one in the city, and it depends upon his definition of a "nice" car, since one pays a good deal more to insure certain premium brands, even with a private garage, theft recovery system, and all the other discounts applied. If he's set on the car, I would say that you should be looking for an apartment based upon each of you earning your salary, for a combined $70lk. That would give you a realistic budget in the $1,750 neighborhood, and you can get a decent 1BR, and possibly a smaller 2BR in Riverddale or Forest Hills in the city.

Westchester is better from the car perspective, since the insurance will be less than the city proper, but you will have a longer commute, higher commute costs, and some parts of Westchester are not much less expensive than the city, especially in top areas.

You mentioned New Rochelle in an earlier post, and I would recommend that you be very careful with New Rochelle as its downtown is not exactly the best at night. It's an area that has turned arond much in the last couple of years, but there are still some problems that are analogous to some urban areas in New York City proper. In the same general Westhester area, keeping in mind the beach, I would recommend that you look at rentals in Rye, though Rye can get expensive as well, and you might also check into Mamaroneck and Larchmont as they are on the Sound shore. Port Chester is another area that's so-so in places, and it might not be the best match for the criteria that you outlined. These areas would be on the order of about 45 minutes to an hour to the city via MetroNorth, less if you're on an express train from Harrison, Mamaroneck, or Larchmont.

Closer to the city, but over the border into Westchester are The Pelhams, specifically Pelham Manor, Village of Pelham, and Town of Pehalm. They are close to the Sound shore, and close to City Island in the Bronx and the Orchard Beach area. It's Westchester, so the car insurance will be less, and it offers good proximity for a Westchester or Manhattan commute. The only downside, as with most of Westchester, is that the main commute option to the city is MetroNorth and this can cost an additional $205/month for MetroNorth from Rye, down to $169/month at Pelaham, not taking into account any city transoprtation that you might also use.

[TCR]

I'm sorry if this seems rude but your boyfriend needs a reality check if you move to NYC. He is moving to the most expensive city in the United States and will have to give up a lot of luxuries such as cars. (You won't need one anyway.)

A beach, a car and a yuppie, artsy area to live? Tell him to triple his income and move to L.A. Seriously.

With $85k you're looking at the non-yuppie, unglamorous areas of the boroughs or NJ. Come to think of it maybe he would like Hoboken?? It’s a bit above your budget but you might be able to find something.

Or if you’re over it just dump the diva; you can make it on your own!! As a grad student in 2003/2004 I lived in Alphabet City (East Village) on $29,000 per year by sharing with a girlfriend … it was totally fun.

Also, I am originally from San Francisco … please tell your boyfriend he will face the exact same issues (with perhaps 5-10% lower rent) there as he does in NYC, including cockroaches, some crime and other inconveniences of city living. Oh, and parking is a freaking nightmare in SF. So is public transport. And the beach is ice cold and full of sharks.

[cazattack]

oh wow. everyone says the same thing.... i don't plan on or want to break up with him, but im going to NY with or without him. i do want where we live to suit his needs as best as possible, i think he'll come to understand the compromises he has to make after we move, but i'd like for him to be happy.
My original plans, before i even met him, were to move to ny with my best friend who's from sunset park, i visit her regularly and love ny so much, i love the pace. But her BF/Fiance just got a job in boston and shes moving in a few months...which screws me over. I didnt expect my bf to say he'd move with me, but hes decided to apply to jobs in NY as well as SF.
Sinces hes making a bit of a sacrifice living with me, i dont think hes crazy about a lot of things about ny, i just want to make it easier on him, and yes he will be making more money than me, definitely, so id like to find a place he doesnt hate.

i agree he is really picky. any suggestions if i live by myself, i'd be making 35k, dont care where i live as long as its safe and i can get coffee near my apt (LOL probably anywhere) working 9-5 in manhattan, not sure where yet, and going to school at FIT (27th and 7th) nghts and weekends....
do i even have a chance alone?

[Moderate Guy]

[i agree he is really picky. any suggestions if i live by myself, i'd be making 35k, dont care where i live as long as its safe and i can get coffee near my apt (LOL probably anywhere) working 9-5 in manhattan, not sure where yet, and going to school at FIT (27th and 7th) nghts and weekends....
do i even have a chance alone?[/quote]
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Wow! Don't break up with him on account of some posters here! Come on over the two of you, there's plenty of room for two more.

And the way I hear from some in the know-how, love is all about compromise.