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Hell everyone,
I will be moving to NYC in February 2011. My two kids(14, 16) will join me sometimes in July-August.
Do you have any suggestions regarding neighborhood and public high schools. I will have a job and I'll be making around 80k. I was thinking about 2 bedroom (don't mind the walkups) anywhere on Manhattan but very close to school. What are the chances? When shall I start looking?
Thank you.
How big an apartment are you looking for? I DO NOT recommend high schools in Manhattan (unless it's Stuyvesant or Hunter, which have entry by exam only).
Two bedroom would be great but we could manage in one bedroom as well at least for the first year.
The most important point is good high school since one kid will go in 12th grade and the other one in 9th. Can you recommend any other area then Manhattan (when I say Manhattan I mean below 96th street). I guess we could go to Brooklyn or maybe Long Island or even NJ but I wouldn't consider Queens.
What kind of life can we have on 80k (does that mean that apartment can be 2000 max?)? Can you recommend any additional evening jobs?
Actually, since we are immigrants, there are two schools that I found.
First one is Liberty High School in Chelsea and the second (better one in my opinion) is Manhattan International School in UES. Which one is better place to live (again on 80k)?
You'll be hard pressed to find ANYTHING decent in Chelsea or the UES for $2000, and definitely not a 2 bedroom. One bedrooms in these areas are smaller than you are used to in well. A 600 sq ft apartment in my UWS building goes for $2500.
Look at Jersey. You'll get much better schools than you would anywhere in NYC and a decent sized place to live with a pretty easy commute to Manhattan. Fort Lee is pretty close to Manhattan and I have a friend who grew up there and said the schools were fine for her.
The fact of the matter is that schools in NYC suck (I work part time with the schools and I don't really have much good to say about them) and most people who insist on living in Manhattan will fork over $30,000 a year per kid for private school, unless they can get into the magnet schools, which are VERY competitive. $80,000 won't go far for a family of three in Manhattan, but it can get you a decent life in the outer boros if you can find a good school, which tend to be in more expensive areas.
You'll be hard pressed to find ANYTHING decent in Chelsea or the UES for $2000, and definitely not a 2 bedroom. One bedrooms in these areas are smaller than you are used to in well. A 600 sq ft apartment in my UWS building goes for $2500.
Look at Jersey. You'll get much better schools than you would anywhere in NYC and a decent sized place to live with a pretty easy commute to Manhattan. Fort Lee is pretty close to Manhattan and I have a friend who grew up there and said the schools were fine for her.
The fact of the matter is that schools in NYC suck (I work part time with the schools and I don't really have much good to say about them) and most people who insist on living in Manhattan will fork over $30,000 a year per kid for private school, unless they can get into the magnet schools, which are VERY competitive. $80,000 won't go far for a family of three in Manhattan, but it can get you a decent life in the outer boros if you can find a good school, which tend to be in more expensive areas.
Thanks for all the information.
I almost decided on the school which is east 67 street between 1 and 2 ave, so I need to find an apartment somewhere in east 50's, 60's or 70's. I contacted few brokers and they send me some offers, mostly good size one bedroom and couple of smaller two bedrooms. Some of them are even just renovated. Pictures look great and the rent is from 1,700 to 2,300 and lease is for 12 months which is acceptable. There's no doorman or gym but I can live without that for the first year. Oh yeah, all are walkups but I don't mind that either. Do you think this is possible?
One more question: can anyone suggest any evening or weekend part time job for an additional income.
I really appreciate all the info you're giving me. Thank you guys.
I think it's a little far-fetched that you think $2000 in NYC will get you a doorman or a gym, especially in the areas you listed! We were looking a few years ago for that budget and were happy to see an ELEVATOR, nevermind any extra amenities. As for schools, there is no guarantee that you will get into the high school of your choice anywhere in NYC, not just Manhattan, so be careful...I think you are in for a major reality check thinking that you are going to live the life you are hinting at on 80K a year in Manhattan....Queens or one of the other boroughs are definitely a better bet...good luck!
Thanks for all the information.
I almost decided on the school which is east 67 street between 1 and 2 ave, so I need to find an apartment somewhere in east 50's, 60's or 70's. I contacted few brokers and they send me some offers, mostly good size one bedroom and couple of smaller two bedrooms. Some of them are even just renovated. Pictures look great and the rent is from 1,700 to 2,300 and lease is for 12 months which is acceptable. There's no doorman or gym but I can live without that for the first year. Oh yeah, all are walkups but I don't mind that either. Do you think this is possible?
One more question: can anyone suggest any evening or weekend part time job for an additional income.
I really appreciate all the info you're giving me. Thank you guys.
I dont understand how $2000 can get anything bigger than a studio in any of the neighbor hoods listed. $1700 for nice 1 bedroom? That has to be a joke. I have friends in those neighborhoods who pay more than that for studios.
Well i don't know, I haven't seen the apartments myself. I got pictures from brokers and they said the pictures are of actual apartments. I was wandering myself if it was possible. I contacted real agencies, it was not craiglist or anything similar.
As for high school goes, I found school which is for immigrants and I spoke with them and according to accomplishments that my kids have they are in.
I guess i was lucky. We'll see.
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