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Hey,
I was just wondering what happens in this situation. If an out-of-towner moves to NYC would they be able to move here in an apartment without a job? For example, if someone wanted to move to NYC and had about 6k saved up could they get an apartment? I know a lot of people who would move to NYC but can't commute here for every interview. What options do they have?
I don't think 6k is enough for manhattan. Not sure about queens/brooklyn/etc. But for NYC real estate, 6k is not a lot of money in the bank account for a landlord to take a chance on you. If you're rolling in here with like 40k, that'd be a very different story. I'm sure other people on the board are more knowledgeable though.
I came out here on LESS than that and only interviewed once I got here. I rent a basement apartment and I immediately signed up with the agencies out here. I was going to like 4 interviews a day and in less than a week I was offered work and then a few days after that offered positions from two different places...but this was when the economy was MUCH MUCH MUCH better...work is MUCH HARDER now.
6k is gone instantly. Is there even a decent apartment available at market rate for less than 2k/month. That's 2k first month's rent, 2k security deposit, and 2k realty fee= 6k gone in an instant. Now how are you going to pay the second month's rent?
Lot's of people live in NYC with no job. Half the people in my building live like aristocrats with no discernable income.
Thankfully, these days with the internet, there is no reason to pay realty fees. If you are willing to do a little work on your own, you can bypass this altogether.
Page - some of us Californians are made of pretty tough stock despite the reputation. LOL
I came here in 1992 with $300 in my pocket, no job and no place lined up to stay. I stayed in a cheap hotel the first night and then one of those women's only residences (are those even still around?). I pounded the pavement the second or third day I got here (literally - I walked from 103 & Broadway all the way down and then across Central Park West and then up Third Ave to 83rd St.) I applied at EVERY SINGLE restaurant until finally someone hired me immediately. (That was no small feat because it seemed that no one wanted to hire non-NYers). When I say pounded the pavement - I limped home across the park due to so many blisters. But I was off and running. I waitressed for about a year (mostly for the social aspect - I was in my late twenties), but then ended up working in the financial industry making very decent money. So, NYC was very good to this California girl!
And not only once but twice! I left the City after 9/11 to go back to my home town in California. A few years later, I needed to return to NYC (basically for the money and to replenish the "coffers" after having been the owner of a few small businesses. California business taxes, workers comp and insurance?!? Don't get me started!!). I returned to NY in 2005 (I did have a friend's apartment lined up to rent), immediately signed up with an agency and was working that first week as a temp - and by the end of the week I had a job (where I am presently employed).
So, I guess the moral of the story here is - yes NYC is brutal and can seperate the "men from the boys" in a heartbeat, but with determination, a ton of grit, and a willingness to sacrifice in the beginning - it can be very rewarding. In this economy and the way NYC is so out of control expence-wise these days, I would not recommend coming here like I did (without money), but don't be scared off either by other fears.
I rented an apartment without a job, coming from another state. The landlord asked me to put down three months security deposit...two months of which would be returned to me once I could verify employment. You might make that suggestion to a potential landlord if you can afford it. Use Craigslist, skip the realtors.
The problem is that the realtors in this town are tenacious, and many of the best apartments are only available for viewing through a realtor. I tried to find something without a realtor and they were all dumps. Believe me, I didn't want to pay that fee.
The funny thing is that in other parts of the country there is generally no realty fee for apartment rentals and some places even give a cash bonus upon signing a lease. Oh, if only it were so in NYC.
Agreed, Philiptries. And Manhattan is probably another animal than the boroughs in this regard as the apartments are in such higher demand. I got burned with realtor fees, "key money" fees, dishonest brokers telling me what I wanted to hear just to get my money, etc. when I first came to New York. When Craigslist came out and people were suddenly able to sidestep this NYC institution - I was secretly tickled pink.
(But then again, I have friends in the business - who are decent, honest people - and I do feel badly for some of them now that their job is a) harder and more competitive and b) less lucrative than in their heyday when they held all of us captive.)
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NYC - not so scary!
