NJ -> manhattan-What's the catch? (Union, Greene: apartment, rent, home)

[ArtAddict]

Ok I thought id ask a more specific question.

I'm amazed(thought not totally surprised) at how expensive the city has gotten since I last lived there, knowing what I know (which isnt all that much) I don't think I can afford Manhattan, (unless I find something in wash. heights or East Harlem which of course I'm still considering)

Even the recommended areas of queens and Brooklyn are more expensive.
Ive lowered my monthly rent limit (More realistic considering other cost factors that will have to be delt with) from 1400 to max 1200 and preferably lower per month!

well there goes Manhattan ~sigh~except for maybe my other choices-
Astoria? no luck yet
Long Island City- HAH!
Sunnyside-random prospects
Fort Greene ?

Brooklyn heights, williamsburg-Not a chance.

All of a sudden I think New Jersey,,,its across from penn station isn't it?

what parts of New Jersey are a reasonable commute (mine being under 25 to midtown if in NJ).

Union City
Weehaken
Hoboken (actually this area seems just as expensive now)
Jersey City?

But
whats the catch?
Where does the train cross?
How do you get home lat at night?
Is it desolate?
People don't seem to rush to recommend NJ as an alternative to Burroughs,
Any recommendations?

Thanks!

[UpsonDowns]

People probably don't recommend Jersey here because it is a NY board.

[pureistheword]

if you can go deeper south in brooklyn, you should meet your budget but you wont be in midtown in 25 minutes.

[ArtAddict]

UpsonDowns
Yeah I was kinda expecting someone to mention it was a NYC board.
heh. ,
It looks closer then east queens or brooklyn..

Guess Ill ask there though thanks-


Pure-
Your right about the time (But it used to take me 45 to midtwn from even wash. heights, right in Manhattan-so Im just looking for a little shorter than that, not necessarily. 25min,)

as far as south brooklyn, I had some friends who lived in South Brooklyn,
Really some nice apartements they had-good space etc. what sucked was the train late at night, you know slow and less frequent = much longer commutes. (I believe it was the N/R).

Im not familiar with central Brooklyn at all though and am looking there too.
--
BTW-
Was just curious on anyones experience with Jersey from a Burroughs Perspective.
I mean I figured if I ask on the Jersey board, ill be told how great it is right?

[LynnePatrice]

You could get an apartment for 1400 in some areas of Jersey City, but not where your commute would be 15 minutes. You could live near the Journal Square path station but you are looking at 35 minutes from there. If you go farther downtown, rents go up but your commute time goes down.

[ArtAddict]

thanks,
just came back from the jersey board and there are hundreds of similar questions.
Since I named mine here "whats the catch?"
ill answer it (based on what I've read so far)

The Catch (well one primary one) is:
Getting home late at night! ie:transportation.
Apparently Taxis to NJ are uber expensive,
Metro lines run less at night too (similar to any of the burroughs but It appears even more so with less options)
And not all affordable nabes are within the path..


Thanks Lynee-
It was a thought , your info helps, Now Im back to thinking I might prefer to live in Washington heights or Brooklyn or east harlem..

[Fred314X]

If you were looking in central Brooklyn, I can tell you this: I live in Midwood. On the Q train, which runs 24 hours a day, it takes 40-45 minutes to Times Square from the Avenue M station. During the day, they run on an 8-minute headway, but it's 20 minutes at, say, 2:00AM.

[Tofusensei]

20 minutes if you're lucky. I've waited 45 minutes before.