Got a great opportunity in NYC and am wondering some of the pro's vs. con's of living there. I go there a lot so I'm familiar with the business/attractions but not everyday life, cost of living adj. etc. I'd be making into the low six figures ($180-$250k) the first year and would want a nice place in Manhatten with a doorman/view/location. Thoughts?
Isn't the cost of living in New York crazy? That salary here in Houston you're a rich man; in New York, because of the cost of living, that is considered slightly above middle class. I don't think an apartment in Manhattan with a doorman is for the Middle Class.
I'm interested in the responses as well. I may be moving to NYC soon as well, although I'm not 100% committed to living in Manhattan. What kind of work are you in Rocketman?
where in manhatten do you want to live? regardless, you might as well end over because you're going to get screwed on rent.
I gotta live in Manhattan if i'm there. I found some nice places for 3k a month but i'm not sure about how to skew other expenses for everyday items with VAT, utilities, fee apartments (locators), etc.
The Washington Heights neighborhood offers compelling value. Just a short subway ride from the heart of the city. AND, it offers Manhattan's highest point, thereby providing a prime view.
I dunno. Financial district, downtown or midtown probably. Hows the lower east side or battery park area?
Is 3k a month if I want to be downtown going to have me in a reasonable spot? I saw a few lofts in Tribeca/Financial district at $3-$3.5 that looked nice. I've been looking on sites like this. http://www.manhattanapts.com/ Is it better to go through an agent, look at buildings myself or use a service? Any insight is helpful.
I'm not too familar with real estate, but a low end, one bedroom apartment in a poor neighborhood is around $1000.
Yeah 1 bedrooms in buildings your describe probably start around 3K-3.5K. Broker fees will be between 12-15% of year's rent but try to negotiate. (I negotiated 10% if I take the apt right then and there, they agreed. ) Anyway's broker fees are biggest waste of money but it's really hard to avoid it unless you get really lucky.
Oh, oh, oh, don't forget to make a group of new friends consisting of: 1. An aspiring actor or actress. 2. A lawyer/business type. 3. A doctor. 4. 2-3 out of work folks who clearly wouldn't fit in with the above in a realistic situation. Remember to hang out in a bar or coffee shop close to your insanely expensive lofts and be sure to have hilarious hi-jinks while boning each other occasionally!
I've rented a couple of apartments in NYC and fortunately never had to use the services of a broker. Particularly for the types of blgs you are looking for (high-rise, doorman, newer bldgs) those typically have a leasing office on the premises and you can just walk in and view/do all the paperwork there without involving a broker. It gets a little harder in the condo blgs that are all owner leases, but even for those the doormen in the bldg are usually pretty helpful. So my advice would be to just come up for a week and identify 10-15 blgs you really like in areas you want to be in and just call the leasing offices directly and make appts and show up. Will address other parts of your post later regarding lifestyle/quality of life, etc. Tied up at work right now. But for that salary, (assuming thats your base salary and not an all-in number) you should have a fairly good quality of life in NYC, particularly if you are single.
