Seattle to New York (Hudson, Clinton: low income, for rent, lofts)

[bozo190101]

So we are moving from Seattle to New York and the thought is scary. We might both get jobs in Manhattan and would like suggestions on areas to rent. We are looking to rent a 1/2 bedroom up to $2400 per month.

Which are the areas that would be safe/within the budget/close commute-
Can we even get a decent place within this budget?

Thanks,
Bozo-78

[Viralmd]

It all depends where your workplaces are - it's different going to the East side and the West side. For example, if your office was on the East side, I wouldn't recommend NJ for finding a place to live.

[voyager77]

you should be able to find an affordable place in Brooklyn, which I highly recommend. The rent in most neighborhoods is definitely less expensive to comparable areas in Manhattan, and the commute isn't bad(30 minutes or less for many areas). Check out the Boerem Hill, Prospect Heights, Clinton Hill, Carroll Gardens, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint neighborhoods on Craigslist. Plus, Brooklyn is just a better place to live in my opinion. People are more friendly and down to earth.

If you insist on living in Manhattan I'd try the Lower East side, or Washington Heights.

[voyager77]

I'm not sure what you meant by 1/2 bedroom. If you mean efficiency or 1 bedroom, then the neighborhoods listed above should be well within your price range.

[Futcha]

Check out DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) in Brooklyn. You buy a place there and within 5-10 years you can sell it and you'll be loaded. That's an up and coming neighborhood. Prices are pretty cheap there now, but they won't be for long.

[Hustla718]

Seattle to Brooklyn, talk about a serious downgrade in quality of life.

Unlike one of the above posters, I would not recommend Washington Heights to someone from Seattle. You deserve better, that would be a major downgrade. That basically is a Dominican ghetto. A lot of low income Dominicans. Violent crime is common in the area. Best to simply stay away and it's not even that cheap. There are some okay parts along the Hudson but it's just too close to the slums. If you can tolerate living adjacent to the slums to have a 212 area code, that's on you.

The LES is too expensive. Cramped housing and the areas along the East River are full of crime. Lots of housing projects. If you can find a decent place away from the public housing on the East River you could go for it.

As for Brooklyn. Clinton Hill is basically West Bed-stuy. It's right along the border. Where the hood starts to fizzel out. It's been gentrifying but it has it's problems. Like Grand and Putnam, one of many drug blocks. Not worth the crazy rents you find there these days. Already too expensive. If it was cheaper it would be worth a shot. Even Bed-stuy has Brownstones priced way over their value.

Williamsburg and Greenpoint are ugly, dirty neighborhoods. Crime is a little above average in national terms (pretty much all of Brooklyn is a little above the national average with a few average and high crime areas). I belive this is due to the close proximity to the high crime neighborhoods of Bushwick and Bed-stuy. The closer you are to those neighboroods, the more poverty, the more crime. I heard condos ain't selling too well in Williamsburg lately so you might find a deal. Mostly trust fund kids living in lofts.

Prospect Heights is expensive now but has it's problems. Like the occasional drug block. Overall the area is okay. A yuppy area now.

South Brooklyn is the better part of Brooklyn. I would just try to stay away from housing projects, Sunset Park, and Coney Island. The bad is these areas are more then 30 minutes away from Midtown.

At $2400 a month for rent, you can find a decent place to live. Just make sure you check out the area first, and then the dwelling itself.