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You need to do some serious research and stop coming here posting bits and pieces as you go along. No one here can possibly give you an accurate solution to your problem. You need to get off your duff and visit the places you're considering moving to, as well as do research as to the various job markets that match your skill set(s) and cost of living.
3K/month will NOT cut it in NYC or LA (or Long Island or any other NYC suburb for that matter)
I understand that $3k is an income that's coming from a home-based business on the side. Now, with jobs, if you can swing an extra $4-5k per month in income in NYC, you should be able to finding a place that's within 45-60 minutes of 17th Street. It is difficult, however, to give an estimate or to recommend a neighborhood, and even a commute method (subway, bus, train, boat, etc.) without knowing what your total HHI from employment and supplemental business income will be in NYC.
And, it's nearly impossible to project forward to housing style: house, apartment, or townhouse, without that figure as well, since much of that is a factor of the neighborhood. A 3BR in a good part of Queens, for example, can run around $2k-$3k/month for starters, but it's closer to an hour to get to 17th Street, unless you take the LIRR train which is more expensive than the subway. The same space, though almost certainly an apartment, in Manhattan is going to be between double and triple the price, and above for some buildings/areas. The Manhattan premium also carries with it higher prices for the carrying costs on the car, which in Queens might have a private driveway or parking spot included. $300 is conservative for a parking spot in Manhattan as well, since it's dependent upon area, with the least expensive being the far west and far upper reaches of the island, where you might have to commute to the car.
Similarly, you could look in someplace in The Bronx, such as Riverdale, which is a tad further out, and a 3BR can be found for around the same price as Queens (though perhaps not that many as it's generally a wealthier area of The Bronx), and the car costs will be lower, but it's a distance to 17th Street.
There are a myriad of options available in the city and surrounding suburbs, but a $3k/month income is very low to be able to live here for a couple. As a supplemental income, that's super, since your side business could pay the rent, and then you'd be able to live on your income, but without that in place, it's going to be extremely difficult to live anything close to the lifestyle you now enjoy in the NYC metro area, though LA would also be a challenge. Knowing a bit more about what to expect in terms of employment would help to be able to give more insight as to what areas in the city would work for you.
As a general rule, you should be making 40x the monthly rent in gross income to afford the apartment. For a $2k apartment, that translates to an $80k HHI; for $3k, that's a $120k HHI; and for $6k, that translates to $240k. Comparatively, with a $36k HHI, you're looking at rent of $900, which is about what one would expect to pay for a studio in an outer borough or a 1BR in a suburb.
why do want to move here? from the way you described your home in another post, it seems like your living pretty good. do you really want to throw all that away just to move to nyc and pay out more money and have a considerably lower quality of life? nyc isn't a good city for the middle class (which by the countries standards, you are). here you have the poor and you have the rich...and the little middle ground thats left is fading quickly. even if you do happen to find an affordable neighborhood here, it will be unaffordable within a few years.
my advice to you....safe your money and move to a place where you you can actually enjoy life without giving up your car and living in a overpriced box in manhattan.
We are looking for a nice palce to live. Idaho might be very safe and cheap but it is very boring hear. Nothing to do. We are from a big city in Germany and that is why we are looking for a bigger city again. We have no idea what other cities are close to LA or NY in the nation. Those are the common ones.
We are looking for a nice palce to live. Idaho might be very safe and cheap but it is very boring hear. Nothing to do. We are from a big city in Germany and that is why we are looking for a bigger city again. We have no idea what other cities are close to LA or NY in the nation. Those are the common ones.
if by 'nice', you mean lots places to see and things to do, again with your salary you won't be doing or seeing much. there are plenty of affordable (well, cheaper than nyc atleast) cities in this country with cool places to see and things to do (that are actually affordable). you just got to do your research. i will tell you now though, if you make 3k per month you will be living in the ghetto if you move here.
What do you do for a living aside from your online job? What type of job would you and your wife be looking for upon arriving in NY? Do you have work Visas (saw Germany mentioned). Keep in mind that work is not exactly plentiful right now.
As "omigawd" has said, you need to do much more research. Don't let the L.A., NYC, or any other forum sway your decisions on such a serious move. NYC is huge and deals can be found in the outer boroughs, but the advise that people have given you thus far is very accurate.
My income statue isn't the best but I do well with a car out here in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Although, there isn't much left for entertainment after expenses each month. You may want to consider as most others have suggested Brooklyn or Queens.
Bay Ridge is an unknown gem, now everyone knows since I said it.... Only complaint(s), as far as transportation is (1): The parking. It really is an insane obsession, it's so crazy it could be it's own thread, and (2): depending where you live in Bay Ridge the subway can be a little slow, but you'll learn fast how to use the express trains.
This may or may not be encouraging; I have a real 1.5 bedroom apt. for $1050, heat and hot water paid. Everything I need is literally within just a few blocks, and I truly mean everything!!!! Cons; my rent is reasonable because I'm on a busy commercial street on the 3rd floor of a walk-up building. It's noisy all day and much in to the night, unless it rains.....But, you do get use to it.
even if you live in the outer boros, you will still be struggling to make ends meet. on your salary, like i said before, you will be living in the ghetto no matter what boro you choose, be it brooklyn, bronx, queens, or staten island.
EDIT: for a nice, safe area with alot of amenities in ANY boro, your looking at upwards of $1200 per month. yes, there is cheap housing to be found all over nyc, but to be honest....95% of it is in undesirable areas.
Last edited by GDK94; 06-13-2009 at 10:08 AM..
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Only complaint(s), as far as transportation is (1): The parking. It really is an insane obsession, it's so crazy it could be it's own thread, and (2): depending where you live in Bay Ridge the subway can be a little slow, but you'll learn fast how to use the express trains.
