Safe and Affordable in Manhattan? (Murray, Washington Heights: cheap apartment, lease, broker)

[Lance24568]

I was wandering if it was possible to find a cheap Apartment(1200-1500) a month in manhattan in a safe neighborhood?

[dee5543]

I'll just say this: Good Luck! Does it really have to be in Manhattan? Because the only place you might find something like that is Washington Heights or somewhere up there...and I say might...but it isn't exactly the safest place...not the worst (before everyone jumps down my throat!) either, but I think your options would be better in one of the outer boroughs.

[jeffcon0]

Not likely. You may be able to find a converted broom closet/studio apartment in the far northeastern part of the Upper East Side for $1500 but you would be looking at a 15 minute walk to the nearest train. Your best bet would be to either substantially up your budget or look in the boroughs for a studio apt. $1500 can get you a studio in a nice Brooklyn nabe.

[holden125]

Originally Posted by dee5543

I'll just say this: Good Luck! Does it really have to be in Manhattan? Because the only place you might find something like that is Washington Heights or somewhere up there...and I say might...but it isn't exactly the safest place...not the worst (before everyone jumps down my throat!) either, but I think your options would be better in one of the outer boroughs.

I agree. If by Manhattan you mean "the Manhattan below 96 St that everyone in the world outside NY thinks of as Manhattan" then the answer is no. You might be able to find something in Washington Heights. Part of Washington Heights are better than others. The question is if you are going to be spending a lot of time in the lower half of Manhattan for work or whatever. If you need to go downtown frequently, or even to midtown, there are many places in Brooklyn or Queens that are closer than Washington Heights and have as many, and often more, of the amenities and lifestyle things you'd find that far uptown. Manhattan is so long and skinny that people don't process that Wash. Hghts is pretty far and it may not make sense for you to go there instead of, say, Park Slope or Astoria just because of a fixation on Manhattan. Astoria is much closer to midtown, and probably cheaper and nicer than Washington Heights.

This is a recurring theme this week on here, that people should not rule out areas just because they only want to be in "Manhattan," or "Manhattan and Brooklyn."

[Lance24568]

what do you think the cheapest I could go without going out of manhattan and in a safe neighborhood? I may be going to school in Midtown and dont worry size isnt much of an issue with me....im pretty flexible

[holden125]

Originally Posted by Lance24568

what do you think the cheapest I could go without going out of manhattan and in a safe neighborhood? I may be going to school in Midtown and dont worry size isnt much of an issue with me....im pretty flexible

Read my post above. There are areas technically outside Manhattan that are closer, safer, cheaper, and will give you as much flavor as you'd get in the parts of Manhattan your price range would allow.

If you're going to go higher in price, a friend of mine has a pretty decent studio at 55th and 9th for $1800 or so. The area is not rough like it was years ago and hardly deserves the name Hells Kitchen. Another friend has a studio at 46th and 2nd for $1950. That area is safe but, to my mind, pretty boring.

That range might get you a smallish studio in any number of places in Manhattan but $1200-1500 is tight.

[KB4]

If you are going to school in Midtown Manhattan, the commute from say Astoria or Sunnyside in Queens would likely be more convenient than from Washington Heights plus you would be as safe or safer. Why does it have to be Manhattan? You could do $1500 in Manhattan if you share a 1-bedroom and split the cost.

[cyrusjul]

If you are going to be going to school in Midtown, and you really want some 'safety', I will look somewhere in Queens, like Astoria, Sunnyside or Woodside. Close to Midtown and these neighborhoods have plent of good public transportation.

[Lance24568]

I was planning on having a roommate anyway, I just figured it would be easier living in Manhattan than commuting from Brooklyn or somewhere else....thanx for the comments

[jeffcon0]

Originally Posted by Lance24568

what do you think the cheapest I could go without going out of manhattan and in a safe neighborhood? I may be going to school in Midtown and dont worry size isnt much of an issue with me....im pretty flexible

If you up your budget to $1800 or so you can find a very small, no frills studio in a mostly safe neighborhood like Hell's Kitchen or *maybe* somewhere like Murray Hill/Kips Bay. Lotta competition for these low end apartments, believe it or not, because of people who feel the need to cling to Manhattan even though their budget does not really allow it. Keep in mind that any broker you go to (ESPECIALLY in Manhattan) will require you to either make 40x your monthly rent annually (I assume as a student this will not be possible) or that you have a guarantor to co-sign the lease for you who will need to make 80 to 100x the monthly rent. Most college students, unless mom and dad are footing the bill, are in the boroughs or the dorms.