starter info on moving to NYC (Nyack: 2009, apartment, lease)

[Tyodd]

I am a 22 year old college student who is graduating in May 2009 with a business degree in Marketing. I am thinking about NYC upon graduating... but I dont know where to start! It's just me, I'm simple and don't need much. Can anyone help direct me in trying to find a reasonable place to live (cost, location, area, etc)? I have been to NYC a few times, but am clueless about becoming a resident of the area. How should I start trying to find a job? Are there any websites that anyone can suggest for me?Thanks for all of your responses...

[Viralmd]

Look at the sticky at the top of the board entitled, "Need info on moving to NYC." That should give you some ideas. And you're going to need to figure out a budget.

[danameless]

I wouldn't suggest moving to nyc until you've already secured a job and have money saved up. NYC is very different from Missouri in terms of living expenses.

[livinginnyc]

That other thread mentioned is 35 pages long though. I'm sure there is a lot of good information there, but it is a lot to go through.Anyhow, yes, most important thing is to secure a job first. Aside from credit worthiness, in my apartment search this month, I found that having a job was at the top of the list for approval. Also, having an idea of your budget is good too, which in turn, will help determine where you can afford to live. Right now, with the economy the way it is, I've been seeing studios/1 bedroom apts in Manhattan going for 1500-2000. I was able to get a studio in Tudor City for $1749 that includes utilities, highspeed internet, and cable. It's also a doorman building with laundry, so it gives you a pretty good idea of how much prices have dropped. Normally, this place would go for $2,500 as listed in the past. I'm just about moved in too!As for finding a job, I still see Hotjobs as a reliable site to see what's out there. You may also want to work with a recruiter as well. Right now though, it seems like there's not much out there in terms of jobs, and a good number of my friends have been laid off from their jobs, so you have to think that the market is very competitive right now, bc there are a lot of people looking.

[Bookery]

Might as well post this here, because it could be of use to Tyodd, too.

I've been lurking on this forum and doing some research (and I read all 35 pages of the "moving to NYC" thread), but I'm still trying to grasp the cost of living in NYC, not including rent. I used an online COL calculator to convert me & hubby's monthly COL here in TX to the NYC rate, and it gave me:
Food- $880
Utilities- $272
Transportation- $387

The food I believe, but the other two seem a little high from what I've read. Transportation would just be two monthly metro passes ($81 ea.), right? What about utilities? Right now we're spending $160/mo for internet, cell phones, and electricity/waste water. What do you NYers spend, or is it normally included in rent?

[Viralmd]

Electricity, gas (for cooking) and phones/internet are generally not included in the rent. How much you need to budget for these depends on how profligate you are in using your lights, how much you cook, etc. I am a maniac about turning off lights that aren't in use and I spend about $60/month just for electricity. This goes up in the summer with A/C, when I spend about double that figure on a monthly basis. I don't cook very much and spend about $14/month for gas.

[Bookery]

Thanks, that's exactly what I needed to know. Our electricity ranges from $60 to $130 (for August in Texas..ugh). I lived in Nyack for a summer without A/C, so I'm mostly worried about the cold! We'll probably end up in a studio, which will be easier to keep warm than our current 2-br.

Thanks again for all the great info on this site.

[Viralmd]

You don't usually pay for heat in NYC.

[livinginnyc]

I know, that is why I said, in my lease agreement it is (highspeed internet, cable, utilities, etc) included. So, some people get lucky, and some dont. Again, that is why I provided the example about the economy in general, and how you can find some good deals, and my place in Midtown is actually really nice.