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My feelings about NYC
-- It is outrageously expensive. It feels painfully overpriced even for the glories offered by the city. Even with a nice large loft-like studio in a nice neighborhood, I was fed up with what I would see on my street. I'm from a nice suburb in a city I would never move back to but I worked hard and thought I'd live better than a loft/studio in my 30s.
I'm still living in my first apartment, a (non-loft) studio. I moved in in 1975 thinking, "Well, this will do for a few years, and then I'll get a one-bedroom in a better building." As a city employee during the mid-'70s fiscal crisis, I was living in inflationary times with a frozen salary. I was not able to upgrade in the neighborhood (and it was the neighborhood that I moved here for) before rents really started taking off. Yes, I wish I had better, but all things considered, I'd rather be right here than live in five spacious, sunny rooms and reasonable closets on a high floor with panoramic views and a building staff across the Hudson somewhere. And I my choice to stay in the public and not-for-profit sectors is another decision I wouldn't have changed, even considering that a corporate job might have opened up my residential opportunities, which might have included (were it on the UWS) a loft/studio like yours. I've learned that I have to be philosophical about it and keep my expectations in perspective. After all, things could be immeasurably worse. I could be living on the streets of Calcutta -- or Madison Ave.
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I've given up dating for long long long stretches of time. It keeps me from hating men altogether. Giving up dating and focusing on work and friendships can keep you sane.
I'm trying to decide right now whether to leave NYC. I feel I still have more that I want to do with my career and I might be willing to sacrifice having kids to do it. I've invested too much in my education and career thus far.... I'm still trying to decide what to do.
As George Costanza once said, "I'd love to be a parent, but first you have to have a date."
Manhattan has always been expensive and unattainable -- that's part of the reason it has long been sought after and longed for. It has never, ever been cheap. It's always been, and will always be, a place for the very poor (subsidized by the government), the very lucky (subsidized by mommy and daddy), and the very rich (who can take care of it themselves).
Even in the 70s and 80s, it was out of reach for most of us, unless we lived with 4 other roommates in a ****hole.
Im from The Bronx and proud of it. When I was little I dreamed of having my own apartment in the city and hanging out in the Village with friends. Now New York is for the rich. If you want to find a decent priced apartment its nearly impossible unless you go to the most ghetto areas in the city. Its sad how everything is getting especially for me as a New Yorker.
Im a city girl at heart but the way things are going in New York Im planning my move to the West coast by this summer.
Being in the middle class in New York means nothing.
There is no median here. You are either rich and you can get what every you want or apply for section 8 and you dont even have to pay for your rent. (Section 8 isnt bad, its great for those who acutally need it )
Even affordable housing isnt for the middle class. Its for those who barely have an income coming in.
I think if New York paid more attention to its middle class things would be better.
It cracks me up how lots of people turn moving to Manhattan a huge deal or some sort of life goal. It isn't. Anyone can do it. You either need to have money or be able to put up with a lowered standard of living and lots of nonsense.
Of course it's not a big deal. But it's a huge change if you move to NYC from Europe with 18. all by yourself.
Excellent point NJ chutzpah. There is in fact PLENTY of room for the middle class in this city....but people want to live where they want to live and will not compromise..they want their cake and eat it too. You can have a spacious apt, and cheap rent, but you are gonna live in secondary locations like the outskirts of Brooklyn/Queens, the Southern Bronx, etc. If its not WORTH it to you that's a whole other story. The fact remains however, there IS a place for everyone in this city....it just depends what you are willing to compromise.
If you want a middle class living Wash Hi is the place for you
You get bigger rooms than the rest of manhattan for that cheaper price, and the amenities are cheaper than anywhere else in the city
And seriously the area just north of that trinity cemetary (I think that is what it is called) around broadway and south of the big hospital is quite nice
I agree..and alot of people are making the move North to areas like Washington Heights..but there rae too many others who feel they "deserve" to live in prime locations at whatever price THEY feel is fair or reasonable. That's not how its gonna work..so they come here complaining ...and I have very little sympathy for them. It's all about what's important to you...and what compromises you are willing to make..that's how the city has always been...it's just more pronounced now.
I live in Mott Haven..in a very nice home, spacious apt, nicely renovated, yard.etc...but the mere thought of remotely suggesting that someone who is looking for a cheap place to live in the city to consider Mott Haven is almost always met with outrage, disgust, or some other kneee jerk entitelment reaction. They "deserve" better...
Im a city girl at heart but the way things are going in New York Im planning my move to the West coast by this summer.
Being in the middle class in New York means nothing.
Moving to the "west coast" to escape high rents is a bit loosey goosey. There are plenty of places on the east coast that don't have the high costs of NYC.
If your dream is the NYC-equivalent place on the west coast, such as LA or SF, then I'm afraid you are out of luck.
However, I've heard rents in Portland OR are quite low so obviously you can find low rents on both coasts.
Washington Heights is a pretty respectable area, but I don't think too many of the local schools (both catholic and public) stand out as being all that good.
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