db27

edit! I posted this thread over a year ago, we are moving in 2 months for August 1st. Our budget looks to be about 2 grand per month, and we will likely live outside manhatten. Any help our insight you can provide would be great!!!



My girlfriend has been accepted to NYU for Grad School and she is deferring until Fall 2008 to begin so that we can save, plan and such. She grew up on Governors Island in the Harbor and is excited to go back because she was very young.

I have visited NYC twice, not for a terribly long time and did typical tourist stuff. To be honest it scares me to some degree that we are going there. I am excited at the oppurtunity, and I would love to get a job in the music/movie industry on some level perhaps. I will have my bachelors by then in Business.

We are planning ahead to save, I know that it is going to cost money like woah to live down there. Some of the things going through my head are as follows, I'd be appreciative of any opinions and advice or general misc stuff you could mention.

Coming from Vermont, this is a huge change! I love Boston, and have spent a lot of time in that city but I'm still somewhat weary of NYC.

Where the hell do we live? Most people have so far suggested Brooklyn. We will want a one bedroom or studio apt. Safety is a concern of mine, I really want to at least feel safe even if it isn't Without any research as yet or information we are thinking our rent budget would be about 1K, but depending on my luck with jobs down there that could be increased. We were hoping we could get on campus housing for couples as some grad schools offer it, but not NYU (at least when not married or with children).

Is it worth having a vehicle at all? I deciding if dumping my car makes sense when we go, or getting one with a smaller payment.

What is the area around NYU like? I'm worried about girlfriend being alone in the city (for nightclasses or what have you, while I'm at work and such). Hell I'm worried about myself!

In general I'm just really hesitant about this, I love what New York offers but it is by far and away the safety and security that I am scared of. Vermont to New York is an overwhelming change.

What should I know? Thanks!

A quick rent.com search yielded this apartment complex. Anyone know anything about it?

al_bundy

raise your rent budget around $500 to $1500 above what it is now depending on where you live

i don't know about vermont, but here is the NYC rental procedure for most of the market

1. let RE agent run credit. if bad he tells you to bugger away
2. look at few rentals
3. haggle on broker's fee which is 2 months rent, but negotiable
4. apply for rental. fill out the rental application form and submit tax returns, pay stubs, financial statements and whatever to prove you have the money to pay for it
5. wait for board
6. show up for board interview and act your sunday best, or saturday best since every other person here is jewish
7. pray for a few weeks for approval
8. move in on a weekday between 9 and 5 if you have furniture or big things

Vibiana

Don't.

db27

Not sure that this will be an option, she is really excited to go to NYU. She got a great scholarship and it is her top choice. She also got accepted to Ohio State, Boston College, University of Maryland. I wanted to go to Boston for a bunch of reasons, but that is where she did undergrad and wants to try something new.

al_bundy

check out williamsburgh in brooklyn
bedford ave stop on the L train and a few stops from NYU

the apartment complex in that link is the jewish projects. a lot of poor hasidic jews with their 10 kids. stay away.

and don't bring any pets until you get settled

cpgator

What kind of floor is that in the apartment? Looks like just painted slab.

Lastblade

I live in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is a very big county, there are scary parts, and there are some very nice parts. You can generally tell just by looking at the rent that landlords are asking. A 1 bedroom in a decent neighborhood should cost you $1500-1800/month. Maybe alittle less if it is alittle farther from subway lines.

The area around NYU isn't too bad, Washington Square used to be scary but it cleaned up alot and generally speaking, it is fairly safe. But keep in mind this is the city so you will see alot of bums and interesting.... people. Keep that in mind. I went to Stern school for 1 semester, took night classes and there is no problem whatsoever.

It is not worth keeping a car in NYC. The insurance alone will scare you. Not to mention finding a place to park it (living in Brooklyn would help but then most streets are alternate side parking which means you will have to move your car 4 days out of 7, even if you don't use it). You can get to almost anywhere by Bus/Subway/train.

I think NYC is a very safe city, even at night. Where we live (in Fort Greene/Clinton Hill area), we would go out to 2/3am in the morning and come home and never had a problem. Common sense is more important than anything, don't go looking for trouble and keep to yourself. I also find that most NYers are very friendly, especially, if you have a question, lost, etc. Best of luck. If you need any other info, let me know.

al_bundy

if you bring a car keep the registration in vermont, or don't live in brooklyn or manhattan

brooklyn has the most expensive insurance

and make sure you find a garage since you will then have to play the street cleaning parking game

DVD Josh

From your first two posts in this thread, I'm starting to wonder if you might be a little anti-semitic.

al_bundy

this is NYC, even the jewish people here don't like each other

Lastblade

He is not. You would understand if you live there. Nothing against the hasidic jewish community but they are a very close knit community and they don't generally appreciate you living in the their neighborhood.

db27

I love DVDtalk, I have never been disappointed at the results of my "help me out threads"

Thanks so far, keep em coming. I got a whole year to figure this out.

Bit scared of the rental process, my credit history is not outstanding but is getting much much better as time passes. In Vermont we don't have agents for apartments, so that is new to me as well.

Here is another apt I found quicklike.

Bushdog

Isn't his wife Jewish? He has good reason to hate Jews.

Jokes aside, and I only see one comment that is Jewish related, the Hasidim are a tough crowd to deal with. They are insular and fairly intolerant. And his 10 kids comment is an exaggeration, but boy do they breed like the Irish! That's meant tongue in cheek, of course.

al_bundy

reddish brick building usually mean 1960's - 1980's government housing projects

look for concrete buildings

if you want to live with the hasidic jews rent the movie with Meg Ryan from years ago. It's like a mix of Islam and Big Love without the polygamy.

raise your budget and live among people that won't refuse to speak with you because you are a gentile to them

Bushdog

I'll avoid the race argument this guy is making, but look at where people are getting incarcerated from. Those are probably not your best choice of neighborhoods.

http://www.prisonersofthecensus.org/.../01/24/cadora/

Tracer Bullet

Everyone will tell you to sell you car- don't listen to them. A car is easy as pie to keep in the city.

Generally, the best neighborhoods are found at the very end of subway lines.

It's not important to find an apartment near the train. You'll have your car.

Don't worry about saving money. Cheap apartments can be found on relatively no notice.

Apartments are super easy to rent. Pets, smoking, bad credit, etc. are no problems. If you have a choice, go for a two-or-three family home. The landlords there are normally the most professional.

vegasbaby

NY is overcrowded as it is. Stay away!

Look in Astoria. Pretty safe. Not crazy expensive. I hate Brooklyn. Overpriced and mediocre.

At least Astoria, while mediocre, is not terribly overpriced.

PS: I dont live in Astoria, but I know it's a destination for younger people on a budget.

Don't be frightened of NY. People are very unfriendly, but its safe (outside of Red Hook, Brooklyn).

If you dont plan on travelling to the Long Island Malls on weekends, dont bother with a car (unless you get a garage spot in your building). Finding parking is a pain in the butt and you have to move the car 3-4 times a week for 'Street Cleaning'.

al_bundy

Red Hook has that awesome liquor store down the road from the new Fairway

Bushdog

My jaw was dropping and my head shaking as I read this. Wasn't till I finished it all that it came together.

Septemberbaby

Would you both consider living in Jersey and commuting? Just a thought.
I was born and raised in NJ and when people ask me what's the best part of living in NJ...I tell them, NYC. There are a ton of towns right outside of NYC that are much more affordable.. but you will have to use mass transportation.

al_bundy

car insurance is cheaper in NJ and the PATH train is like $1.50

Bushdog

But it is still New Jersey. *ick*

Tracer Bullet

Okay, but seriously, stop looking at apartments now. Seriously, just stop. You will do nothing but build up unrealistic expectations about quality, availibility, etc. Plus I'm assuming you don't know anything about the neighborhoods/areas that these places are in.

People do not even start looking at apartments in New York until about a month before they want to move. If you plan on doing the apartment hunt yourself (i.e. without a broker) it can be done (I've never used one). It just requires organization, persuasiveness, and a lot of legwork.

Also, dump your car. Unless you plan on moving to Staten Island or way the hell out in Brooklyn or Queens, it will be about 100 times more hassle than it's worth.

db27

For sure, we are open to whatever. Obviously budget is going to play a big factor, but I don't want to live in the projects (jewish or otherwise so thanks AL Bundy )

db27

was only trying to get a vague idea of what to expect

but, for you, i will stop!