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.
Isn't Bay Ridge more expensive? I'm not as informed on Brooklyn.
Surprisingly not. In some cases, yes, depending on the apartment itself and the location but I regularly see studios and one bedroom apartments going for the same prices. (And to live by the BQE? How fun!)
Quote:
Originally Posted by cammccleary
I was in a time crunch to find a place (I had a week), and a restricted budget. I'm fresh out of college and transitioning from an internship to a full-time job. I did look in Bay Ridge, but unfortunately July-September is the absolute worst time to be looking for places and there wasn't a whole lot available. Everything I saw was either nasty or way out of my price range. That's how I landed in Sunset Park.
I actually love the apartment itself. It's in a newer building, it's clean, modern, has lots of light, and most importantly is in my budget. Nothing gross about it. It's just the neighborhood itself that I'm pretty unfamiliar with. Obviously Bay Ridge has way more going on in terms of shopping, restaurants, and night life, but we'll see if I'll "soon realize that I've made a mistake".
Where were you looking for apartments? Just wondering. My husband and I were looking for about a week when we landed on a gem---$1200 for a one bedroom apartment (big) in a coop building that even had a daytime doorman. Perfect distance from the train/main avenues. (Eventually over the years it went up to $1300 and our friend actually ended up moving in there.) Not sure what your price range was but I hope you're not paying too much. You really need to know the areas/pricing for what you're getting.
If you want to see gross, just walk along 2nd/3rd avenue. Don't go too late---when my co-worker and I used to drive out for a late bite, you'd see the hookers walking about. I would be careful walking, honestly, ESPECIALLY at night around 2nd/3rd. I used to work down by where you are moving and my job (before it stopped) used to shuttle people to the train at night because it is very desolate and people had been robbed. My co-worker was almost attacked too walking from the train down to second. (She got away.) Just be careful and you should be okay.
2nd ave is all business and industrial, so by 7pm, nothing is going on. The trucks have stopped the workers (me) have all gone home for the day, but since I go out to dinner a lot and I have to pass thru the neighborhood along 3rd later on, 2nd is completely dead. 3rd there are people, but not like 4th or 5th....
I'm assuming your very young, so it will be fine for you....I'm an old fart, so I'm over the "coolness & raw and grittyness" of the hood.....to me, it is gross, old, ugly and run down......
there is a new building they just put up on 3rd, facing the Gowanus, and amazingingly, it is all rented....Personally, I couldnt imagine any of my windows facing the expressway, but there are people that wont mind....
I'm assuming your very young, so it will be fine for you....I'm an old fart, so I'm over the "coolness & raw and grittyness" of the hood.....to me, it is gross, old, ugly and run down......
I had a friend who lived between 3rd and 4th, he didn't have much safety issues or worries though though sketchy stuff happened on/near his block (including a crack house). He stayed because he had a good sized apartment for the rent. He moved out mainly because he got tired of the neighborhood vibe: he wanted something more English speaking and less feel of a foreign country. Decent restaurants that weren't Mexican, and yes, a few (English speaking) bars and coffee shops. This diner nearby was ok for simple stuff, we'd go there frequently, seemed like a relic from when the neighborhood was less hispanic.Didn't need hipster central, but a little of the vibe would be nice. He briefly considered moving to an apartment in Ridgewood, but it got snapped up before he could respond.
3rd Avenue had easy street parking when I visited. Rather desolate late at night, probably a good spot for my car to get broken into, but it survived.
It's odd that Sunset Park has rents the same as Bay Ridge, since Sunset Park is obviously a lot poorer.
Check out the sunset park blog and do a quick keyword search on gentrification. Sunset-Park.com . In particular this post on gentrification Sunset-Park.com: A Perspective on Genrtification in Brooklyn
The map at the top is rather telling on where RE prices have gone in the last two years. Sunset Park has been targeted for gentrification at an accelerated pace and while RE prices in SP are going up considerably they have been comparatively stagnant in Bay Ridge and have actually dropped 19% in the southern part by Fort Hamilton. The city and RE developers plan to pump in excess $100 million into industry city and the Brooklyn Army Terminal accelerating the process..
It's odd that Sunset Park has rents the same as Bay Ridge, since Sunset Park is obviously a lot poorer.
It's really because people are suckers and they can't afford Park Slope so they end up moving to Sunset Park because it's "a little closer" to the city than BR is. (My guess is mostly out-of-towners who don't know the area.)
An update: I've been here for about a week, and the neighborhood seems pretty solid. It's a little bit rundown, which I knew before signing my lease, but so far I haven't felt unsafe or threatened at any point. The street on my block is clean, and apart from the constant ice cream trucks roaming the neighborhood, things are very quiet.
We'll see how I feel after a month or so of living here, but so far I really like it. It seems to be full of very hardworking, family-oriented individuals, and I love that I can here about 4 different language walking down 5th Ave. So far, I don't think I've made a mistake in not moving to Bay Ridge like other posters suggested!
An update: I've been here for about a week, and the neighborhood seems pretty solid. It's a little bit rundown, which I knew before signing my lease, but so far I haven't felt unsafe or threatened at any point. The street on my block is clean, and apart from the constant ice cream trucks roaming the neighborhood, things are very quiet.
We'll see how I feel after a month or so of living here, but so far I really like it. It seems to be full of very hardworking, family-oriented individuals, and I love that I can here about 4 different language walking down 5th Ave. So far, I don't think I've made a mistake in not moving to Bay Ridge like other posters suggested!
Thanks again for all the advice.
Oh the words of doe-eyed, fresh-faced, non-jaded newcomer...
Oh the words of doe-eyed, fresh-faced, non-jaded newcomer...
I used to like hearing other languages, but not anymore. Now I just want to hear English... that is, unless the English speakers are talking about really annoying things. Then I would trade it for some Albanian, Tibetan or Mixtec any day.
Oh the words of doe-eyed, fresh-faced, non-jaded newcomer...
Indeed. Give it time.
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.
I would be careful walking, honestly, ESPECIALLY at night around 2nd/3rd. I used to work down by where you are moving and my job (before it stopped) used to shuttle people to the train at night because it is very desolate and people had been robbed. My co-worker was almost attacked too walking from the train down to second. (She got away.) Just be careful and you should be okay.
