Moving to NY from IL - Help Needed! (Bedford, Prospect: rent, neighborhoods)

[sapsparky]

Ok, after living my entire life in central Illinois a big change is coming with a move to NY next month and after reading over a great many articles and postings I've decided to solicit advice for where to live.

My girlfriend and I have pretty much discounted Manhattan because of housing costs and have been looking (online thus far, as I'll be heading out in a few weeks for the final meeting with the new employer) in Queens (Sunnyside, Astoria and Long Island City) and Brooklyn (Prospect Heights) mostly, though I have read some nice things about Bedford Park and Fordham up in the Bronx.

I am going to be working near 7th Avenue and 30th Street in Manhattan and would like to keep the commute below 40 minutes, and even lower if at all possible.

We are looking to keep the rent below $1500, and we know that will be a bit limiting. We'd love to get a 2bdrm but from looking it looks like a 1bdrm is going to be much more realistic.

So, it comes down to this, we want to be pretty close to the city, a nice and safe building and area, and a neighborhood that we would feel fine going about with a newborn as we are looking to add a new member to our family in the next year. We may or may not keep our car as I plan on using public transporation to go to work all the time so parking isn't much of a concern at this point.

So, what would really be our best bet? I know that several will say we are crazy for moving to NY right now, but I'm in IT and the new job is going to be great. Oh, and we are both really excited to live in NY! Thanks in advance to everyone's advice.

[bmwguydc]

I would look in the Bronx, but I'd recommend Riverdale. A 2BR on that budget is tough, but not impossible. $1500-$1600 is where the 2BRs generally start. You can definitely get a nice 1BR in that range, but a 2BR is realistic, but closer to $1600 for a real 2BR. It's about 50 minutes on the express bus to Manhattan from Riverdale, which has everything, or a little over 20 minutes to Grand Central on MetroNorth. Having a car is easier in Riverdale, and you can usually find street parking, though it depends upon the type of vehicle as street crime, even in the nice neighborhoods, is not impossible.

Other than Riverdale, I'd look in Queens. I'd look into Forest Hills/Kew Gardens, and Bayside/Doglaston/Little Neck. Via city transportation, subway/bus, it might be longer than your preferred commute time from some of these locales, but you can also catch the LIRR train to Penn Station and be there in about 20-30 minutes from Queens. It's not far to your work site from Penn either.

[Viralmd]

You might want to look in New Jersey, as well...Especially since you're going to be working on the West side.

[Biskit]

Do Astoria. You can find get 800-1000 square foot new construction 1 bedrooms for $1500 and even less. It's very safe, diverse, mostly European and yuppy types. Has the most amenities of any NYC neighborhood and is 10 minutes to Manhattan. Can't beat it!