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You can't afford to live in NY? That's a crock - I think you might have thought that apartments on Fifth Ave were up for grabs, but that's not quite how it works. You can easily get something in one of the outer boroughs.
If you love NYC, does that mean that the only place you would consider living in the vast NYC metro area is Manhattan? I lived in a triplex in Montclair, NJ on a hill with a view of the Manhattan skyline in the early 1990s, and paid about $850 per month rent. I could walk a few blocks and catch a NJ transit bus that went to the port authority station on 42nd street, and get there within 35-40 minutes or so. There are a hundred other places within close proximity to NYC that cost significantly less to live in than Manhattan. Jersey City, Hoboken, Fort Lee, Elizabeth, the other boroughs, if 18 million people can figure out how to live in or near NYC, you can too.
^^^ yeah that view (from Rt 3, i assume) with the Manhattan skyline in the distance is pretty cool.
if the OP wants another downtown big city feel (not boroughs), maybe Chicago? never been.
i know a lot of people who move to Boston, DC & Philly(me)..to still want the city vibe tha'ts more affordable (relatively speaking) but be close enough to NYC.
i personally have not seen any city come close
Last edited by john_starks; 09-12-2008 at 08:29 AM..
I keep hearing how wonderful Austin is, but I don't do well in extreme heat and I've heard Austin is HOT.
Please tell me I'm wrong, that Austin won't bake me. I already have trouble with our New York summers that often hover around 90 degrees with high humidity.
I'll check the Austin temp data, but would love your thoughts too!
It's the stress too. And yes you can get a great place for reasonable if you're willing to move way into Brooklyn, into Bushwick, into Crown Heights...but your train ride is LONG. And also I'm looking for a city with a few more trees.
If you want to live on Prospect Park in Brooklyn you will pay for it.
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Originally Posted by Hubcap_halo
I keep hearing how wonderful Austin is, but I don't do well in extreme heat and I've heard Austin is HOT.
Please tell me I'm wrong, that Austin won't bake me. I already have trouble with our New York summers that often hover around 90 degrees with high humidity.
I'll check the Austin temp data, but would love your thoughts too!
Yes, the summers are quite hot, but the rest of the year the weather is lovely.
Austin is to me like a 'mini-San Francisco'...it definitely has that feel, and the western suburbs feel like CA as well. The Hill Country is jaw-droppingly gorgeous...very reminiscent of Provence, if you've ever been there.
So, if you move there and are overheated, you can go over and jump in Lake Travis.
I keep hearing how wonderful Austin is, but I don't do well in extreme heat and I've heard Austin is HOT.
Please tell me I'm wrong, that Austin won't bake me. I already have trouble with our New York summers that often hover around 90 degrees with high humidity.
I'll check the Austin temp data, but would love your thoughts too!
I grew up in North Jersey, lived in Montclair my last two years while going to school. Personally, there's no force on earth that could get me to move back to the East Coast -- anywhere. I left NJ 42 years ago and never looked back. It was the best thing I ever did for myself.
But on Austin......I lived there for 5 years in the 90's. If you think you could stand being cooped up in A/C a good part of the year, then go for it. The humidity is bad there, so are the bugs. And the traffic! That's quite another matter. You have to plan everything according to when rush hour hits I-35 and other arteries. I found the only tolerable time to be out was after the morning rush, say from 9 to 2 -- after that, forget it. I also got tired, REAL tired, of hearing about the TX Longhorns all the time. Positives? Good restaurants, lots of little mom 'n' pop type places to get breakfast and lunch. Since you're a NY type, I doubt you're into the TX honky tonks, but if you are, it's a fun scene in Austin, especially the Broken Spoke on Lamar.
I live out west where it's not neck 'n' neck people, and where we have wide open spaces. Only you know yourself. Why not try other parts of the country -- NY is NY -- crowded, dirty, noisy, expensive......I would shortly die if forced to live there no matter how rich I was or how much luxury I could buy in one of those high rise condo places. I'd rather live in a tent out west if that's all I could afford.
I grew up in North Jersey, lived in Montclair my last two years while going to school. Personally, there's no force on earth that could get me to move back to the East Coast -- anywhere. I left NJ 42 years ago and never looked back. It was the best thing I ever did for myself.
But on Austin......I lived there for 5 years in the 90's. If you think you could stand being cooped up in A/C a good part of the year, then go for it. The humidity is bad there, so are the bugs. And the traffic! That's quite another matter. You have to plan everything according to when rush hour hits I-35 and other arteries. I found the only tolerable time to be out was after the morning rush, say from 9 to 2 -- after that, forget it. I also got tired, REAL tired, of hearing about the TX Longhorns all the time. Positives? Good restaurants, lots of little mom 'n' pop type places to get breakfast and lunch. Since you're a NY type, I doubt you're into the TX honky tonks, but if you are, it's a fun scene in Austin, especially the Broken Spoke on Lamar.
I live out west where it's not neck 'n' neck people, and where we have wide open spaces. Only you know yourself. Why not try other parts of the country -- NY is NY -- crowded, dirty, noisy, expensive......I would shortly die if forced to live there no matter how rich I was or how much luxury I could buy in one of those high rise condo places. I'd rather live in a tent out west if that's all I could afford.
Well, that's YOU.
There is a reason why those condos sell for millions in New York and the ones in Colorado are basically worthless. Opinions are *******s, but most people who live in NY would rather drown themselves in the East River than move to whatever uncivilized Mountain West podunk town you call home.
Chicago without a doubt! The three cities you listed lack alot of your critera. You can get a nice 1 bed apt in Chicago and walking distance to the lake for $800 a month (which should include free heat). The little bit of money you'll save in them other 3 cities, you'll end up spending on gas, car insurance, maintence, etc. Plus the wages in Chicago will be higher. In Chicago you wont need a car. The job oppurtunities in those other 3 cities are nowhere near what Chicago has to offer.
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Thank you so much for the replies!
