Tips and Suggestions For A Move To NYC

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 7/3/11 at 10:51pm

I figure we see "MOVING TO NYC" threads frequently so why not have a thread to share your tips and suggestion for making a move to New York. So what would be yours be?

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 7/3/11 at 11:18pm

Know your budget and your area. Many people come in and think they're going to live on the Upper West Side or in Midtown for $800 a month. Rent in NYC is mad expensive. There are few places where you can live in Manhattan for under $1000- those are mainly in Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood. You'll be living in a not-so-amazing area (you can find decent areas, though) with no elevator and several roommates. For the price of a tiny room in a three bedroom in Harlem, you can get a house in many other states.

Look into the outer boroughs. Queens (Astoria, Long Island City, and Sunnyside mainly) and Brooklyn (Bushwick and Sunset Park) are very popular and cheaper.

Don't expect to live the cushy life in a huge apartment. I live in a wonderful area, but my apartment is tiny and we cut the living room in half to build another bedroom to split the costs. For a 2 (converted 3) bedroom, I'm paying close to $1500. I have a friend who lives in a tiny walk-up in the East Village on top of a cheese steak place, (and by tiny I mean that the kitchen/living room/dining room is probably 5x10) and she pays over $1000.

Also, live near a Trader Joe's because groceries are ****ing expensive. Welcome to New York!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/3/11 at 11:36pm

- If you can arrange to live within walking distance to your workplace, it'll save you $100+/month as you probably won't need an unlimited monthly metrocard.

- Groceries, laundry, haircuts, restaurants, cocktails, and movie tickets are likely more expensive than the area you're moving from.

- Many places in the city are cash-only (diners, barbershops, laundry drop-off services, etc.). Always have some cash on you.

- I don't care where you're from...this city is HOT! It's a different kind of hot than you've ever experienced. If your living space doesn't have a/c, you'll probably have to buy one.

- When it rains or snows, it puddles! Get rain boots. Always have a good umbrella when there's a chance of rain.

[siny]

Posted: 7/3/11 at 11:58pm

Don't. Not unless you have a great job lined up. Competition for good jobs in NYC is insane and cost of living is very high.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 7/4/11 at 12:18am

Same as above. Get on a waiting list for a subsidized bldg immediately, even if you start out living somewhere else. If you get lucky like I did, you may have to wait only 5 yrs. Others I know are still waiting - 13+ yrs. ("80/20" - ALL new bldgs). Worth the wait, though. You'll save a FORTUNE on rent. Free detailed info at The Actors' Fund regarding this. Very valuable resource.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 7/4/11 at 1:44am

In addition to outer boroughs, look into places in New Jersey (especially Hudson County). Can be a bit of a pain to commute, depending on where you live, but you can get larger apartments for the same budget.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/4/11 at 12:41pm

I did something that wasn't supposed to work. I quit my job in San Francisco and moved here without a job lined up. I landed in NYC on March 28th, and by May 25th I was starting my new job in midtown. Not to encourage people to be reckless, but it can happen. I did, however, come here with substantial savings and a penchant for being a cheapskate.

I stayed in a long-term place in Brooklyn I found on Air BnB for two months, until my friend and I became roommates (as was the intention) and found a place in Hell's Kitchen.

I travel enough to the outer boroughs where I do have a monthly MetroCard, but when it's nice enough, I can walk to work.

The cost of living here actually isn't all that different from San Francisco, so I wasn't too shocked by that. The weather has been the biggest challenge for me here, actually -- I've never been in this kind of humidity before, nor have I seen this kind of rain. I think I've seen more lightning and heard more thunder since I got here than I have in my entire life.