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I'm going to be moving to NYC with my girlfriend in the next couple of months and I really need some advice on where to live. We are young and enjoy an active lifestyle and would prefer to live in Manhattan. We are looking for something somewhat quiet and close to a little "nature," if possible.
We would like to spend approximately $2,500/month on rent for a 1br apartment.
I will be working on Madison Ave. in the 40s and would like a reasonable commute to work. My girlfriend is still looking for a job, but presumable it will be in Manhattan.
We have been looking at the Lower East Side, Gramercy, and the East Village, but are open to other ideas. I have a couple of questions that I was hoping to get answered:
1. Is my price range reasonable for what I am looking for?
2. What are the best areas to live in given that price range?
3. What is the best way to go about finding an apartment? (i.e. using a broker, craigslist, etc.)
I would think you'd be able to find a one bedroom in your price range in the neighborhoods you're looking at, especially further east in the East Village. Be warned, it won't be as big or as nice as what you're used to for that price range, but you'll have a decent selection. I've worked down in the East Village and there are lots of great places around there. I'd choose it over Gramercy (a little post college frat boyish) or LES (the original trust fund hipsters), but you really can't go wrong in Manhattan. The one thing you won't have is proximity to nature, but you're gonna be hard pressed to find that anywhere in the city.
I'd also look on the Upper East Side. You'll be closer to Central Park, which is kind of like nature. The 4,5,6 line is usually packed during rush hour though, so you'd need to factor letting at least one or two trains pass you in the mornings til a slightly emptier one comes along.
I'm personally a fan of the Upper West Side, but I also live there. The only downside would be that you'd need to take the shuttle from Times Square to Grand Central which is usually painfully crowded, but it's not as bad as the 4,5,6 during rush hour. I like the UWS because it's got fun little restaurants and shops and it's a very beautiful neighborhood.
Oh, and if you have the money, going through a broker is better. When we were looking, we definitely had a selection of weird craiglist meetings. You pay an arm and a leg for a broker, but they often times have a better selection and you can see apartments that might not be available otherwise. With the economy the way it is, more brokers are willing to negotiate their fees or the owners are paying them, so it's worth a shot. Remember, you don't have to pay them unless you go with one of their apartments, so it never hurts to look.
I recently moved out of NYC, but I did live there for 10 years.
My advice - if you want to be close to nature, take a look at Battery Park City. It's the prettiest area in NY, near to Tribeca and Financial District. As the name suggests, it's filled with parks.
If you don't mind a little walk, your closest subway stop would be either Bowling Green or Wall Street on the 4/5 line, straight shot up to Grand Central (42nd and Madison).
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Last edited by Viralmd; 01-15-2010 at 10:00 AM..
Reason: not a chat board
A little unknown spot that DEFINITELY fits your price range is Hudson Heights. As far as nature, Ft Tyron Park will surprise you. Inwood Hill Park is not far (North) and is the largest wooded area in Manhattan. Riverside Park extends all the way up. Check it out!
commute is reasonable. A train or even the 1/9 train. There is a bus that goes directly to Madison from here (but that might be a little slow/ take a little to long).
The one downside might be nightlife.... but still worth a look for you.
You should have a decent amount of apts to look at for a 2500 one bed. Prices have fallen about 25% in some spots of manhattan in the past year. If you're working on mad in the east 40's I'd def reccomend living on the east side, it will make your commute much easier. My wife works on mad and 32 and it takes her like 20 min door to door to get to work from our place in the upper east. The 4,5,6 is the most crowded subway line in the country. More people take that one line ALONE per day than the riderships of Boston, San Francisco and Chicago COMBINED. Staggering statistic. Just to give you an idea of how crowded it can get. Depending on what time you go into work will make a bit of a difference. I usually cruise in at 930, so my commute on the 6 is a little easier.
Grammercy would be the best location of those you mentioned for commute. It also has close proximity to union sq, which would put you in a great central location to a ton of trains. (L for crosstown, 4,5,6 for uptown, downtown, and nrqw, to shoot up to times sq 42nd or herald sq if need be). It wil also be quiter than the east village. The best places you'll find in the east village will be EAST as well. Ave C and B most likely. Do not go east of C. D can be quite sketchy, particularly around 10th st. The closer you are to the 6 train, the higher the cost. Keep in mind you could have a 15 min walk to the subway, or deal with a crosstown bus, or the L which can easily tack on 15, 20 min to your commute. the east village is also quite loud, at all hours. maybe this is your thing. Lastly, dont pay a brokers fee. The market is down now, and there is NO NEED. there are plently of places begging to be rented. (try stuy town, they're practically giveing those away. great apts, and you can prob get a one bed for 2500 or so) Want more advice? Shoot me a message. Moving here is super exciting, good luck!
The only reason you might need a broker right now is if you are looking at an apartment that's an exclusive listing. If you're looking at a managed larger building, I agree that there's no need to go through a broker -- just contact the building yourself, either through the management company or on-site rental office. And, if you are dealing directly with an owner, there's no need for a broker, but it might be a wise idea to have a real estate attorney review the lease for you.
Nature in Manhattan is basically going to be Central Park, so I would concur with others who have suggested areas close to the park, particularly the UES, since it also offers an easy commute. The UWS can be very nice too, and some people prefer it to the UES, so a slightly longer commute might be worth it for your situation.
If you want something a little larger for your budget, you could look to Brooklyn Heights, which would be about 25-30 minutes to Grand Central Station, and then a short walk to work. You would be able to get a larger 1BR with a view, or even a 2BR in Brooklyn Heights/DUMBO. The problem is that you'd still have to commute to natural settings in the city, or at least the landscaped nature that we have in parks.
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