Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am moving to NYC for a new job and I'm looking for some advice on where to live and what a reasonable budget is. I'll be making 80k. My office will be at Madison and 47th. I've heard that Chelsea and UWS are nice, but I really don't know much.
A bit about me - I'm hoping I can afford a 1 bed in Manhattan. I love sunlight and will want a kitchen with counter space. I don't mind walking an extra few blocks to the subway. Actually, I'm hoping I can ride my bike, but I'm not sure if that is realistic. I commute on my bike in Chicago and would love to be able to do the same in NYC, also save money on transit. To that end, I like nature and hope to take advantage of central park and the paths along the water.
Would appreciate any tips on neighborhoods, reasonable rent, budgeting in general and biking.
If you're making $80 thousand a year, you don't need advice on a budget. All you need is a sense of responsibility. And taking a bike is realistic, don't worry.
You should easily afford it with a roommate. If you want to live alone, look into Long Island City Queens which is only one stop from Grand Central Station(42nd and Madison) on the 7 train. Work would only be a short 5 block walk north. The Upper East Side close to the River further away from the 4/5/6 subway would be more affordable too. Of course, it all depends on debt levels like student loans, credit card debt, etc too.
Hey Aca! Congrats on the move to NYC! Ok so let me offer you a bit of information. With a budget of 80k, you can afford up to $2,000 on your own. Now when I say afford, I mean the landlord requirements throughout NYC are that the potential tenant must make at least 40x the rent. If you make less than 40x the rent, you'll need to produce a guarantor who makes at least 75-80x the rent.
Now you mentioned a kitchen and proximity to transportation but what about living space? These are all things to consider. Would you be open to a studio or do you need an actual bedroom? There are many great places to live in Manhattan, the Upper West Side being one of them. In the Upper West Side, you can definitely find a 1 bedroom which is walking distance to major subway lines and Central park west! The Museum of Natural History is also located in the Upper West Side! You would more than likely be close to the B or D trains which is 3-4 short stops from Midtown so that may work for you!
You can probably find an apartment on the Upper East Side in your budget - although it will probably be a studio. I know that NYC-Expert said you could afford a place on the Upper West Side - but the UWS is more expensive. The Upper East Side isn't as convenient - there is only 1 subway line there as of right now - but it's more affordable and still very nice. If you want to ride your bike to work - you certainly could. My husband works on 44th and Bway and he used to bike to work from E 77th and York all the time (when the weather was decent). You might also be able to find a nice place in Midtown East - the East 50's. That's just my two cents.
Hi Dewdrop. I actually wanted to make one correction. The Upper East Side and the Upper West Side are BOTH similar in prices. I specialize in both areas. There are high priced areas on both sides of Central Park. There are some apartments in the Upper East Side that goes as high as $15,000 a month (not the highest of course) or as low as $1,200 a month. Similar comps in the Upper West. The UWS has the B and D lines which are especially convenient for aca481 because both stop at 47/50 Rockefeller center which is right off of 5th ave and 1 block away from Madison. That is only 3/4 short stops. In addition, both lines hold connections to almost all subway lines, as per the MTA subway line map: MTA/New York City Transit - Subway Line Information.
Aca481, you could of course live in midtown but since you mentioned nature and Central Park I provided details for the UWS as it is convenient to the B and D train which would give you a bit of everything you're looking for with just a short commute.
I will say though that no matter what location you target, there are so many positives for all of them! ;-)
Last edited by bmwguydc; 05-25-2010 at 10:58 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
