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I'm an airline pilot transferring to Laguardia in August. I will be moving to the city and have no idea really where to look. I have only been "in" Manhattan and Queens area a few times.
About me: 33yrs old, single, no kids, coming from Chicago area, so use to using the trains to get to work. Figure If I'm gonna go to NYC, may as well be in a good area so I can enjoy it, even If I have to pay a bit more for it. After searching, no way I can get what I am use to in Chicago "rent wise" in NYC on my own. Looks like I will have to share a place to get something in the range I want to spend.
Budget: I would like to keep it around $1500/mo, 2000 max. but the place would have to pretty awesome. (seems to be lots of shared/roomate type deals on craigslist in this 1200-1800 range). My take home income currently is only about $5000/mo so I would prefer not to spend every last dollar on rent.
-Looking for a fun area, lots of nightlife, restaurants, singles, professionals. (I'm not a hipster, lived in a hipster area in Chicago and it's not really my thing, I can deal with it but..) I'm More of an athletic, play lots of sports, casual, clean cut type person
-Would like to be able to walk out, have some bars, restaurants right nearby, and maybe a Trader Joe's/Wholefoods close by on foot.
-would be nice to be at least relatively close to some green space for outdoor activities, exercise, sports, etc..
-(KEY) Need to be able to use public transport to LGA, and occasionaly JFK (JFK will not be very often so not a big deal) LGA is the important one.
-I won't be doing the commute daily, probably 2-3 days a week only.. (my concern is I could be doing the commute sometimes very early morning and late night sometimes, so transit schedule availability and safety are a concern. (think 4am-midnight range)
-I have a 3 hour call-out time from work, so I need to be able to get a call, get my stuff together, and get to the airport within 3 hours max.. 2 hours to be safe (I have no idea what commute times are in NYC) and or how long it takes to connect from trains to trains to bus..
-I was told I will have to take something to connect to the M-60 bus wherever I end up.
-I don't need to be right next to the airport, I don't mind a commute for a great area as long as it isn't like a 4 connection nightmare.
Someone recommended Williamsburg, Greenspoint and Astoria to me.. but no idea what those are like. I am thinking Manhattan is where I want to be (but I really don't know from my limited time there). The East/West village areas seemed good to me when I was there visiting, not sure of the commutability to LGA though?
*another question. I have never done the Craigslist apartment roommate type of deal.. Is this a good idea? It seems to be very common in NYC with the exorbitant rents.. Anything to look out for?
Hot FA's are a rarity these days unfortunately, unlike in the movies (equal employment opportunity and all that).. but you get the occasional rare gems though. lol.. So yes, I would prefer not to live in a rathole apartment.
Can't speak for the transit options at late night hours, but Jackson Heights, Astoria, and Flushing are all neighborhoods close to LGA and that would have apartments in your price range. Astoria is a favorite of many on C-D, though I've never felt the vibe. YMMV. Both Jackson Heights and Astoria are wildly diverse, have easy transit options to Manhattan, decent shopping (don't know about WF or Trader Joe's) and have attracted many young folks priced out of Manhattan. Flushing is heavily Asian, but a solid middle-class neighborhood. You won't feel ashamed bringing your flight attendant home! And in any of these neighborhoods you could easily call a cab if all else fails.
Williamsburg is hipster central and very expensive nowdays. Doubt you could find something you'd like there. Greenpoint is furthere away from LGA than the Queens neighborhoods and is getting some of the young people's spillover from Williamsburg (its the next neighborhood over), though in many places it's still a working-class, white ethnic neighborhood (Polish). I'd imagine a quick commute from there to the airport would be difficult unless you drive.
The M60 does run 24/7, from LGA, through Astoria, across the Harlem River, through Harlem and down to the Upper West Side. This is probably why folks have recommended Astoria to you.
Astoria, Sunnyside, Jackson Heights or Woodside. My personal favorite is Woodside, but most would probably disagree. From all of these areas you will be going out in Manhattan anyway.
What you are describing sounds like Manhattan and some of the nicer Brooklyn neighborhoods. Astoria would be a good choice if you live in queens. It is a younger scene than many of the other Queens neighborhoods, has plenty of places to go out and has a decent commute to LGA. Not sure about JFK.
I think you should also look in Manhattan, Morningside Heights, for roommate situations. You would still have the M60 bus available to you. You can check the route and schedule at mta.info. http://www.mta.info/nyct/bus/schedule/manh/m060cur.pdf
If you're going to be on call and your take home is $5000, you might want to explore the option of getting a car. Then you can live in a nice suburban part of Queens near a highway and late at night there are usually no traffic issues. You dont need something brand new just to get to work. I would recommend Bayside, Queens to live.
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"The man who sleeps on the floor, can never fall out of bed." -Martin Lawrence
thanks.. I do have a car now. I just thought it would be too much of a hassle in the city, parking, tickets, etc.. I'm not really wanting the suburban type of thing.
In Chicago having a car in the city has been a nightmare, sure it's nice for grocery shopping etc, but NEVER can find parking late at night, and when you are gone 3-5 days at a time like me you always come back to find your car loaded with questionable "street cleaning" tickets or similar and/or a boot + broken windows, dents and dings everywhere. Chicago ruined my car and I lived in a nice area! I paid over $1200 in tickets and boot removal alone last year and I am very careful about where I park (I read all the signs)! Just tired of dealing with that parking racket.. I imaging NYC is similar or WORSE.
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