Ever since I moved to New York, the majority of emails I get from readers are about life here – getting an apartment, a job, making friends, etc. While I’m definitely no expert (yet), I have picked up a thing or two that might be helpful, so I figured it was about time to do a series of posts answering your top questions about life in NYC. Let’s start with the number one topic I get asked about…
finding an apartment in nyc.
1. the budget.
It’s no secret that rent in NYC is some of the most expensive out there, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a multi-millionaire to make it work. You do, though, have to be an expert at managing your money rather than letting it manage you. Before even looking at apartments, figure out exactly how much you can realistically spend on rent each month/year (be sure to include utilities). In my opinion the best way to do this is to make an Excel sheet with all of your expenses - taking into account everything else you’ll be paying for and won’t be paying for (i.e. no more car payments, holla). If you’re a newbie to making a budget, here are some helpful budget forms. Lastly, know that unless your income is 30-40 the monthly rent, you’re almost definitely going to need a guarantor.
2. the roommate.
There are some definite pros and cons to having a roommate(s). The number one reason to have a roommate is to cut the cost of living (depending on how your little budget-making thing went), and if you decide to live with a friend, just having the company of someone you like is an obvious perk. My number one tip for living with a roommate is go over every single ground-rule before moving in together. Decide if you’ll be sharing things like food (which I highly don’t recommend), who will clean when, etc. It might seem a little bit awkward at first, but trust me when I say it’s better to have all of that out in the open rather than letting it turn into stupid arguments down the line.
3. the location.
For the most part, right now you can get the most bang for your buck in Manhattan by living in Upper East Side, Upper West Side, and Financial District. You can also find reasonable living in Hell’s Kitchen, East Village, Lower East Side, and Grammercy. Personally my ideal neighborhoods to live in (which also happen to be the more expensive and best transportation-wise) are Chelsea, Flatiron, West Village, and SoHo. I would suggest being open to all neighborhoods if it’s your first time living here, and the next time you move you can be a little more picky. You could also look into living in the other boroughs, but I know very little about them.
4. the search.
First of all, always be sure to bring someone with you for safety reasons. Secondly, I would definitely try to avoid using a broker because their fees are ridiculous. If you do end up working with a broker who “insists” there are no fees, don’t be afraid to grill them to make sure that they’re not giving you the runaround…and definitely don’t sign anything without reading the fine print. With that being said, here are some resources to search for apartments:
- Craigslist. Definitely a hit or miss. You can find a great deal but also get really ripped off via Craigslist. Also – just because you choose the “for rent by owner/no-fee brokers” option, brokers with a fee still find a way to sneak on there, so be sure to still question them.
- StreetEasy.com
- RentHop.com
- Apartable.com
- UrbanEdgeNY.com
- directly through management companies. Here’s a pretty decent database of NYC management companies.
- walk ins. Take a day to walk around the neighborhoods you’re interested in and just go in buildings and ask about vacancies. Most of the time they’ll be able to direct you to the management company or landlord.
- social media. You never know which of your friends on Facebook or Twitter know someone who lives in New York, so it wouldn’t hurt to put the word out there that you’re looking for living options.
The bottom line: do your homework, but also don’t be afraid to as too many questions. The first time I lived in New York a few years ago, I did just about everything wrong. I ended up getting taken advantage of and paying way too much. Get as much information as possible from as many resources as possible so you can actually know what you’re talking about when working with the apartment brokers and owners.
If you have any more questions feel free to leave them in comments section! And good luck, you little future New Yorker, you.
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disclaimer: Please note that I’m not an expert and these are only my thoughts based on personal experience!
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What else would you like to see me answer about life in New York?
YESSSSSSS . I so neeeeeeddd to read this [ goes back to read ]
Love this! Any suggestions on job searching would be awesome!
Yes I def. agree, the job hunt is my biggest issue at the moment.
Very cool! I’m certainly not planning on living in NYC anytime soon, but it’s still interesting to read! 😉
Cool, I definitely asked you about this exact thing! This actually helped a lot. I thought I was going to HAVE to use a Broker, and I was clueless aside from Cragislist what sites to use. I am going to take your advice and just walk around and pop in to buildings I like. Lower East Side is definitely top of my list due to location. I’m going from March 14-21 for meetings to find out where I want to work (thankfully that’s not the hard part for me given the field I work in, legal) and figure out where I want to live 🙂 I’d totally like to read one on making friends too. I have a few close friends that live in the city thankfully, but being almost 30 (YIKES) that is something I’m worried about — making NEW friends! I don’t exactly have the option of the swing set at recess anymore 😉 thanks for writing this post!
Hey Brandy! I remember your email…this definitely goes out to you 😉 glad it was helpful! I’ll be sure to do a post on making friends here too.
I’m excited for you! xx
I live in the East Village, 2 blocks from the Lower East Side. I moved to the city in September and found my apartment on craigslist with no broker and in only a week of looking.
You can definitely do it!
hahaha… you know which part
haha yup
These are great tips for living in any big city! I think the budget one is so important too! I hate facing financial stuff, but it’s essential for city living!
Ugh… budget seems to be all I think about! Living alone… not necessarily in a big city… will do that to you 🙂
Every time I visit the city I think how fun [yet expensive] it would be! I lived in Boston for college and absolutely LOVED it! After graduation I moved back to my hometown in the ‘burbs and my only complaint is that I can’t walk everywhere… I’m hoping to have the opportunity to live in a city again 😀
I know what you mean about wanting to walk everywhere! I am from California and HATED the fact that I needed to fight against traffic constantly. I am now in China & am LOVING public transportation 🙂
Ohhhh I love this post! I’m absolutely in love with NYC. Everytime I visit I fall in love with it a little more. I’ve always considered moving there but there’s so many factors to consider. I love the apartment post, but I’d also like to see one on the money factor to living in the city. Oh and how to dress like you’re from the city, I feel like that could be fun because people in NYC dress so differently than where I’m from! 🙂 Can’t wait to read more!
Thanks for the info.! Maybe one day… just maybe… I will find myself in NY 🙂 It’s nice to know that you don’t need a broker to assist in finding an apartment… I’ve always assumed that one was needed… … …
This is perfect. I am looking to move away this summer for an internship, and even if it doesn’t lead my to NYC I’m sure this will help either way. Thanks!
Can’t wait ’til I get to move to NYC. Will definitely be getting in touch when said dream comes true.
Love the practical, yet entertaining advice - as always.
-Gabrielle
I would recommend looking at Brooklyn.
There are a bunch of amazing places there with a small town indie vibes and usually a quick 20 min ride into the center of Manhattan.
Amazing cafes, restaurants, bars, lounges, lots of live bands and friendly atmosphere
Look at places like Park Slope, Clinton Hill, Williamsburg, lower half of Eastern Parkway (Prospect Heights, I believe) , Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo, BedStuy, Bushwick. All these neighborhoods are right by the train so they tend to be expensive but a whole lot cheaper than Manhattan.
Gracie, thank you so much for the useful information!!!!! I’m from Greece and I’m thinking to move in NYC. I want to study makeup artist and live for ever in NY. Please, do you have to suggest me any good makeup college in NYC?
I would prefer to study at the best makeup college, so it would be easier for me to find a job later on.
Thank you again and I wish you all the best.
Awesome post..
Nice post….These are great tips for living in any big city! I think the budget one is so important too!
Apartment management says
Thank you so much! As soon as i get the job i will move to the NY This information are great.