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I was born and raised in manhattan. Public school all the wat from k to high school then CUNY college. I have a love hate relationship with nyc. Love everything about it besides the fact that I cannot afford to but a house out here with my income unless I move to a crappy neighborhood with bad schools. Therefore i would move out of nyc
I love New York, there was no other place I wanted to live when I moved here 3 years ago. Plus I have a great affinity for the East Coast But I want to move out of Manhattan after discovering it’s not for me; I don’t want to move out of New York. Not yet at least. Unfortunately, I might have to since I haven’t been able to find a real job yet (strangely I’m one of the few transplants that hasn’t been able to get a real job yet even though there's insane competition for any job with benefits). Living in Manhattan on an intern’s “salary” will really wear you down after rent is deducted from your account every month. A foolish move I admit. Thank god I have no debt from college; I’m able to just barely afford it but it’s not smart to live with barely any savings. Many Manhattanites, even those with real jobs, have barely any savings also.
There’s a prestige factor about telling people you live in Manhattan; when I told my family I was moving into Manhattan they thought I got a job making 6 figures. The prestige and the amenities of the borough has worn away for me: tax rates, exorbitantly high rent, (paying $$$ for a place in an unsafe, loud neighborhood-where you need heaphones to fall asleep is foolish IMO), tourists hordes in Midtown during lunch hour and weekends, subway antics at rush hour (the blasting music from the “Show Time” kids on express trains can be really grating after a long day at work). Everyone who moves to New York wants to live in Manhattan but for many of them their Manhattan dream sometimes becomes an expensive nightmare and they leave for somewhere else embittered, which is unfortunate.
The thing I realized now is to find a neighborhood that's right for you. Forget where your friends tell you should live or what the NY Times says is the “best” area. I wasn't that bad living up in the Westchester suburbs and Forest Hills Queens after moving here from Chicago 3 years ago. Those areas worked for me. I got sucked into the "Manhattan or bust" mindset, wanted to live the Manhattan “lifestyle” (I been fortunate enough to live an alright lifestyle on my income but comparing your lifestyle to others in Manhattan will make you go bankrupt. I almost feel a lot of people are pretending to be rich but that’s another thread) I was happier in the quasi-suburban, more quiet areas of the outer boroughs. I love the energy of Manhattan but I miss the peace and quiet of Queens and the suburbs. I've been looking for roommates (on Craigslist of course) in Riverdale, Forest Hills, Ditmars Park in Brooklyn and Westchester for about a month now.
I’m even toying with the possibility of even lower CT, which seems like an insane place for an unmarried 20 something to live but I love spending summer weekends at the beach and the Metro North ride into the city really isn’t that bad, it actually relaxing IMO (no “Show Time” allowed on suburban commuter trains also). There’s a bit of a commute involved with these further out areas but that’s the tradeoff.
These aren't "cool" "trendy" areas in the least (there's a stimga against the suburbs or anything above 96th Street for that matter as being Upstate I've notcied) but at this point I really don't care if people think it’s not cool to live in an overpriced shoebox in Williamsburg or the Village or pay tons of money eating out everyday; many of my friends are moving from Manhattan to Astoria for a reason... it’s cheaper with a slower pace of life than “the city” Something I appreciate and miss a bit as I get a bit older. The cool neighborhoods are probably shifting to the outer boroughs anyway now that property investors are driving real estate prices up in Manhattan below 96th Street.
All of that said if I didn’t have a deep love for New York, have my father's side of the family here and experienced all the amazing luck I’ve had with roommates and apartments I would have moved away by now to Boston, Washington DC or Philly. Close enough to still visit NYC during weekends.
There’s a prestige factor about telling people you live in Manhattan; when I told my family I was moving into Manhattan they thought I got a job making 6 figures. The prestige and the amenities of the borough has worn away for me: tax rates, exorbitantly high rent, (paying $$$ for a place in an unsafe, loud neighborhood-where you need heaphones to fall asleep is foolish IMO), tourists hordes in Midtown during lunch hour and weekends, subway antics at rush hour (the blasting music from the “Show Time” kids on express trains can be really grating after a long day at work). Everyone who moves to New York wants to live in Manhattan but for many of them their Manhattan dream sometimes becomes an expensive nightmare and they leave for somewhere else embittered, which is unfortunate.
The thing I realized now is to find a neighborhood that's right for you. Forget where your friends tell you should live or what the NY Times says is the “best” area. I wasn't that bad living up in the Westchester suburbs and Forest Hills Queens after moving here from Chicago 3 years ago. Those areas worked for me. I got sucked into the "Manhattan or bust" mindset, wanted to live the Manhattan “lifestyle” (I been fortunate enough to live an alright lifestyle on my income but comparing your lifestyle to others in Manhattan will make you go bankrupt. I almost feel a lot of people are pretending to be rich but that’s another thread) I was happier in the quasi-suburban, more quiet areas of the outer boroughs. I love the energy of Manhattan but I miss the peace and quiet of Queens and the suburbs. I've been looking for roommates (on Craigslist of course) in Riverdale, Forest Hills, Ditmars Park in Brooklyn and Westchester for about a month now.
I’m even toying with the possibility of even lower CT, which seems like an insane place for an unmarried 20 something to live but I love spending summer weekends at the beach and the Metro North ride into the city really isn’t that bad, it actually relaxing IMO (no “Show Time” allowed on suburban commuter trains also). There’s a bit of a commute involved with these further out areas but that’s the tradeoff.
These aren't "cool" "trendy" areas in the least (there's a stimga against the suburbs or anything above 96th Street for that matter as being Upstate I've notcied) but at this point I really don't care if people think it’s not cool to live in an overpriced shoebox in Williamsburg or the Village or pay tons of money eating out everyday; many of my friends are moving from Manhattan to Astoria for a reason... it’s cheaper with a slower pace of life than “the city” Something I appreciate and miss a bit as I get a bit older. The cool neighborhoods are probably shifting to the outer boroughs anyway now that property investors are driving real estate prices up in Manhattan below 96th Street.
All of that said if I didn’t have a deep love for New York, have my father's side of the family here and experienced all the amazing luck I’ve had with roommates and apartments I would have moved away by now to Boston, Washington DC or Philly. Close enough to still visit NYC during weekends.
I agree with all you have stated 1000%. I have a friend who is DYING to move out the Bronx (don't blame him one bit) and is trying to move into Manhattan. I'm not the one to burst anyone's bubble because its certainly possible to live in Manhattan, its just really hard if you don't have the funds. He's making a good amount of money but he doesn't want to live anywhere north of 90th street in Manhattan. I've been telling him he can move to areas in Brooklyn or Queens that have very nice and pretty happening areas, that have bars, restaurants, museums, galleries, shopping centers etc that are not far away from Manhattan. Even areas say, if you don't feel like traveling into Manhattan, being in that area will do just fine for the day.
Unfortunately, he's falling for this "prestige" of being in Manhattan. I have several friends who live in Manhattan and all but one, is rich. The other 5 live in Manhattan but live in the projects or affordable housing. Fortunately for them, they are just one or two block away from EVERYTHING that's happening so there's a HUGE redeeming factor. I understand why he would want to live in Manhattan since its just so convenient. I would love to reside in Manhattan but nice, quiet, convenient areas in Brooklyn and/or Queens that are just a 20-30 minute train ride from "The City" would suit me just fine.
Everyone just wants to always be right smack in the middle of everything without realizing that they are STILL in NYC if you know what I mean.
^^^I agree. I know someone who currently feels this way. They can only live in Manhattan and it must be below 96th street. They make around what I make so I know for a fact that they will be living on beans or will have to find a second job eventually. To each it's own. As long as I'm in one of the boroughs (except Staten Island) and near a subway line I'm O.k. I can't live without disposable income for the fun things in life.
LOL. When I lived in Queens, it took me 1 hour door to door to work in Manhattan. After doing every day, I didn't feel like going to the City again on weekends. Especially since subways on weekends become unreliable. Now, I walk to Central Park, Met Museum, 2 blocks. Comedy club? 2 blocks. Galleries? Cool Shopping? A million restaurants? Around the corner. Best programs for kids? 10-15 minutes, walk or subway. You walk around you see beautiful people. In Queens it was depressing. I go to Barnes and Nobles and can strike a conversation anyone, most will be intelligent, well-educated.
I hope someone is still checking this thread! I love NYC - it's my hometown. I'm definitely a Brooklyn girl, and proud of it. But I need to move because I can't afford to live here any longer! I've been on disability for a long time due to chronic cluster headaches (aka "suicide headaches"- check wikipedia). I've been camping in my mother's living room since losing my apartment, (My elderly landlady decided to go live with her daughter's family and sold the 2-family house). It's been taking so much longer than I expected to even narrow the search to a state and town, which I haven't been able to do. But if I stay at my mom's much longer I'll be committed to some asylum. (Not joking!)
I was hoping to find something in the northeast, maybe as far south as the mid-Atlantic region but I'd prefer to stay where it's cooler. Not near the beach, but because I don't drive any longer (maybe in a couple of years, but can't now), it needs to be a town/city with reliable public transportation. I also need to be near a teaching hospital so that I can find a new headache/pain doctor, along with the other usual specialists. (When I moved to Florida in 1998, where I only lasted 4 yrs, I didn't set up a pain doctor in advance and almost died from unintentionally ODing on aspirin.)
Also, of course i"m looking for lower cost of living, reasonable rent for 1-2 BR apt. (in a min. 6 unit building), walking distance to supermarket, bank, pharmacy, library, gym. Ultimately I'd like to be able to adopt a dog (prob. a German Shepherd, to train as my service dog). Can anyone advise me? I'm totally serious about staying with my mother - it's extremely unhealthy for me. The stress is causing major depression, and worse, making my head pain the worst it's ever been.
I know exactly how you feel. Everyone has their own reasons as to why they want to get the hell out. My husband and I are burned out. We work to live and live to work. We hate public transportation mainly because of people sitting or standing on top of you and are starting to hate people in general. I know everywhere we go there will be some nice and some rude people but people in ny are just nasty. Most people take out their anger and issues on you no matter what you do to help them, I work retail it's even worse. I've lived here all my life and have no family anywhere else in the country but its time to go. We are considering the suburbs of south Florida, somewhere where we can have peace and quiet but still be a short drive from everything.
Brooklyn is expensive but some areas can be better than others like maybe gravesend or bath beach apts. you really have to do your research. There are people renting out their studios and basement apts for less than you'd expect. Also look at Staten Island maybe in the beginning of the island like New Dorp you can walk or take the bus to a lot of things there and some apts are cheap because there are tons of illegally rented apts in one family homes. I'm not really supporting that but hey if that's what works it's not a bad idea. I really don't know much about other areas in the north east, I mean I don't know about transportation details really so I won't be of any help there. There are a lot of very affordable areas but if you can't drive than its wont be an easy life.
People in other cities, who don't necessarily make more money than New Yorkers, are living better than we do. Big houses, cars, and they seem to have less stress. We make good money, but we just don't have anything to show for it.
People in other cities, who don't necessarily make more money than New Yorkers, are living better than we do. Big houses, cars, and they seem to have less stress. We make good money, but we just don't have anything to show for it.
big houses that waste more land + more cars to burn more gas = living better under less stress
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A foolish move I admit. Thank god I have no debt from college; I’m able to just barely afford it but it’s not smart to live with barely any savings. Many Manhattanites, even those with real jobs, have barely any savings also. 
