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Moving from Va to NJ. Would like to know some good apartments for cheap (no more than $,1000) in North Jersey. Areas that are close to NY (like Newark,Hackensack,Jersey City,Elizabeth).
Any help would be great!
For that price range, you're pretty much either going to be in a place:
(1) that's very small--maybe a studio, a TINY 1-bedroom (in a place that really should have been a studio), or you could just rent a room,
(2) that's not in very good shape and/or in a pretty seedy neighborhood,
or
(3) that's not close to the city, so that you've got a significant commute and additional transportation costs.
If we were talking 10 years ago, yes, it would have been possible to find a decent place, at least one bedroom, at that price if you were willing to hunt a bit and make some compromises. Now, unless someone knows about something that's quite the anomaly, it will be next to impossible.
It might be worth wondering how it is that a job in the heart of Manhattan, a job that's significant enough to prompt a move, could be paying you so little that you can only afford $1000 for rent. It's a bit ridiculous of your employer. The general rule of thumb is that your rent should be no more than one week's wages, although in NYC, you could go to 1.5 week's wages. If you figure 1.5, that would mean you're only getting paid 35k per year, which is ridiculous for this area.
Last edited by MontyLaSalle; 07-20-2011 at 12:50 PM..
Another option, by the way, is to get one or more roommates, but note that as you increase your number of bedrooms, you increase your rent. Can you find a two bedroom place for $2000? Yes. But you have to hunt a bit for a 2-bedroom place at that price that's in good shape, that's not in a seedy neighborhood, and that isn't far enough away that your added transportation costs might be better spent in a higher rent for a closer place.
I'm in a good location for convenience's sake, but my apartment isn't in great shape, and I'm in an older, smaller building. Well, the folks below me moved out, the landlord just redid that apartment (out of necessity, because the previous tenants had pretty much trashed it), and the new rent was $2500, for a just-big-enough 2 bedroom. Since they fixed the place, we would have liked to move in ourselves, but we couldn't afford $2500. Our rent is much cheaper, because our place was not redone before we moved in, the neighborhood wasn't fixed up near as much as it was now--it was still on the edge of seedy then, we've been here for 14 years, and there are rent control laws here (so they can not raise your rent beyond a fixed percentage every couple years). Even with that, though, what we're paying right now is above what you're looking to spend.
Also you should narrow down how urban/suburban etc. you are aiming for. there may be some towns that are suburban residential along the train lines that may float your boat, possibly. I don't track renatal prices myself.
Moving from Va to NJ. Would like to know some good apartments for cheap (no more than $,1000) in North Jersey. Areas that are close to NY (like Newark,Hackensack,Jersey City,Elizabeth).
Any help would be great!
You should look in West New York and Weehawken also you will find safer areas and better prices.
Thanks for the tips. I actually make 50,000/yr. but currently my rent is 735.00, i'm trying to stay within that range...
You've got to remember that you're moving from Virginia to Metro NYC, one of the most expensive areas in the entire country--I think only Metro San Francisco is more expensive. Consider upping your rental budget to $1500 per month at least. It's still not going to be easy to find something nice and a decent size in that range, but it's possible if you stick with 1 bedroom apartments in a more out of the way location that's perhaps on the edge of a seedy area or that's an older apartment that hasn't been renovated.
Also remember that if you move very far from the city, what you're saving in rent you're going to be spending for your commute. You can easily spend $200-400 per month on public transportation without being too far from the city (although you'll at least be working in Times Square so you can avoid buying a monthly NYC Subway pass too). Driving certainly isn't any cheaper, given the cost of gas, tolls and parking. Even if you just have to pay for the Light Rail and the PATH, it will cost you about $115 per month.
Also you should narrow down how urban/suburban etc. you are aiming for. there may be some towns that are suburban residential along the train lines that may float your boat, possibly. I don't track renatal prices myself.
Suburban residential rentals for $1000? I don't think so. Maybe $1200, though, if you search and aren't too picky.
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close to the city
