New York, NY

[AlwaysWorried]

I made good money working as a computer programmer when I lived in New York City. I don't know how easy those jobs are to find these days.

[jduds]

To to give an idea about prices close to NYU. My good friend lives in the Village, about two blocks from the NYU campus. He pays about $1500 for a studio.

[selise24]

Hey there. I don't have a response to your question, but I'd just like to add that I'm also interested in finding out which areas would be ideal for NYU students. I'm planning on attending NYU Wagner in the fall, but I live in Texas at the moment...so I'm quite dumbfounded as to which step I should take first. I'd also like to live in a studio by myself, but I've been seeing prices between $2000 and $3000 for those, so maybe not? Ha.

Congratulations to you both! I've been living in Brooklyn for about 2.5 years (and will be starting at NYU next year). My advice is pretty much the same as above re: craigslist -- it is the only way to find apartments in this city anymore. Also, maybe consider trying to hook up with other NYU kids to get a place to share. I have a friend who moved here this year to go to Columbia and after she was waitlisted for housing she got the names of other people in her program who were also waitlisted and found a place with them. You can also try to woo potential roommates on here or through Craigslist. Unless you are willing to pay upwards of 2,000 a month, a studio in Manhattan isn't going to happen. You could maybe find a studio in Brooklyn for around $1,500, but it really makes more sense to just have roommates. Right now I live in a two bedroom Sunset Park and my rent is $900/month, next month I will be moving to Bushwick (also a 2br) and my rent will be $700/month. (Both neighborhoods in Brooklyn.) I found the housing info sheets NYU sent to be pretty hilarious because the neighborhoods they recommend are not really within grad student price range, so here are my suggestions:

In Manhattan you should be able find something in the East Village for a reasonable price, if it is far east (around Ave. B or C) or even on the Lower East Side if it is near Chinatown. I don't know much about the area of the Village that NYU is actually in, but from what I hear it sounds quite expensive.

I've lived in five different neighborhoods in Brooklyn at this point, and as far as getting to NYU easily goes, I would recommend either something in Park Slope or Fort Greene (places in both of those neighborhoods are typically pricey but you can find reasonable things if you look hard or get lucky) or off the L train in Williamsburg or Bushwick. Wburg is also generally pricey but there are deals to be found. Bwick is cheaper but has a reputation for being somewhat dodgy, which is true in certain places. It is best to stick near the L and don't look past the Halsey stop. Sunset Park is off trains that go to NYU, but those trains rarely come, which is why I am moving.

I don't know much about Queens; Astoria is supposed to be really nice and reasonably priced. A studio there could be doable, but it will be kind of a long commute into school compared to the other places I have mentioned.

Obviously I have a lot to say about neighborhoods in New York. Sorry this is so long. Anyone can feel free to PM me for more.

[juilletmercredi]

Just a few things -

Personally, I live in Washington Heights (172nd and Haven Ave). Me and my roommate share a 2-bed, 1-bath for $1850 a month ($925 each). I have been told it is large, and comparing it to other apartments in the city, it is a nice size. The Washington Heights/Inwood area (north of about 165th, near the Columbia University Medical Center) is one of the most affordable areas left in Manhattan, and it's pretty nice. I live near the George Washington Bridge, which is great for getting into New Jersey (my fiance lives in New Jersey) and there are lots of cool little shops and places to eat here. A friend of mine lives further north on 191st and she bought her studio, so she'll have a nice investment when she finishes.

Columbia University is easily accessible from Washington Heights -- 1 to 116th. The A will get you to the NYU area (W 4th stop) in about 35-40 minutes. There's A stops at every couple blocks all the way up to 207th St, and the 1 goes all the way to 242nd in the Bronx.

Other places in Brooklyn that I don't know much about, but I know some of my colleagues live there: Park Slope (a bit pricey but you can find good deals), Williamsburg (same), Sunset Park. If you have really good credit you can buy an apartment, even, and sell it later. Brooklyn, it seems, is doing a lot of redevelopment for buying. As for Queens - Astoria IS really nice and reasonaly priced, and if you are going to Columbia, it is great. It's right over the bridge. It's a little ride from NYU but if you live on the NRW you can take it to 8th St-NYU and be there in like 40 minutes to an hour depending on how far in Astoria you live. Another nice place is Kew Gardens, but it's far. I don't know anyone who lives in the Bronx, for what it's worth; me and my friend on 191st live the farthest north of anyone I know.

My salary is $27,000/year (around $2100 a month) and it's pretty good. You can definitely live on it. I still manage to save about $200 a month and pay all of my rent and utilities/bills and have around $700 left afterwards. I travel to New Jersey a lot, get my hair done at the salon once a month, I like to shop for clothes and shoes, eat out, etc. I know people are like 'how could she possibly do all that on $2100 a month' but I'm just very frugal and I think a lot before I spend money...most of the time.

Also, JSYK, the fee for the 30-day-unlimited metrocard is going up to $103 on May 1.

[hornedfrogmeg]

Hey guys, I am looking into attending The New School in the Fall. I am wondering if I should look into Greenwich Village/west village area or if these areas are just too expensive? It also looks like I might have two other roommates, so from what I have seen there are affordable places in the financial district with three bedrooms. Is this a nice area to live or should I look into more brownstone/residential areas?

[cardnav]

Hey guys, I am looking into attending The New School in the Fall. I am wondering if I should look into Greenwich Village/west village area or if these areas are just too expensive? It also looks like I might have two other roommates, so from what I have seen there are affordable places in the financial district with three bedrooms. Is this a nice area to live or should I look into more brownstone/residential areas?

With three people The Village may actually be affordable. The Fin District is generally a nice area, but it defiantly has more of a 9 - 5 vibe. If you are the type that wants to be able to walk out your door and walk down the street to enjoy the NYC nightlife, then it may not be the best choice. If you don't care as much about it, the Fin District can be a great area.

[Sibilance7]

Just a few things -

Personally, I live in Washington Heights (172nd and Haven Ave). Me and my roommate share a 2-bed, 1-bath for $1850 a month ($925 each).

My salary is $27,000/year (around $2100 a month) and it's pretty good. You can definitely live on it. .

I've been hearing that you can't rent an apartment in NYC unless your yearly salary is at least 40 times the monthly rent. Is this not true of your apartment, or does your roommate make a ton of money to make up for it? Or did you get a guarantor? I'm only waitlisted at an NYC school, but this seems to be the biggest financial hurdle I can identify - if you have any tips on how to conquer it, I'd love to hear them!

[stacgrad]

Does anyone know anything about NYU's graduate housing? Is it easy to get, or should I just start looking for an apartment?

[feisty]

I've been hearing that you can't rent an apartment in NYC unless your yearly salary is at least 40 times the monthly rent. Is this not true of your apartment, or does your roommate make a ton of money to make up for it? Or did you get a guarantor? I'm only waitlisted at an NYC school, but this seems to be the biggest financial hurdle I can identify - if you have any tips on how to conquer it, I'd love to hear them!

With some building managers/brokers you may have to get a co-signer who does make at least 40 times the monthly rent. For them, it's just signing something and proving that they have that money. You're still paying for the apartment, it's just a safety net for the landlord. It's not law or a city-wide thing, and I think it's not something you'll run into outside of Manhattan, and even within Manhattan you can probably avoid it.

If your parents or a roommate's parents or anyone in your families make that much, then they can co-sign, and as long as you don't default on your rent you'll never have to revisit it again.

[Sibilance7]

I was told that if I didn't make the 40x, I had to have a guarantor who made 80x the rent - is that not true?

[feisty]

I was told that if I didn't make the 40x, I had to have a guarantor who made 80x the rent - is that not true?

I don't think it's across the board, every apartment building in New York. But I could be wrong.

One of my roommates had a guarantor. In reality, if you make your rent it's very little obligation for the person who acts as a guarantor. The tricky part is finding one (she used her parents.)

Get a second opinion from someone other than whoever you are talking to.

Edit: I rembemer now:

For my building, we had to fill out a short application and provide financial information, and included in that information had to be something...solid, I guess, to show you could make rent in the future. There were four of us: I had a job and a letter from my boss saying I had a job, my one roommate had a relatively large amount of savings, another roommate had a grad stipend from NYU. The only roommate who required a guarantor was the one with no job and very little savings. We all gave them totally different sets of documents.

I didn't even show them my bank statements, and they didn't ask, my pay stub was enough. For my unemployed roommate, though, they wanted a bank statement. For the roommate with the stipend, they wanted a bank statement.

It's less rigid then you think, I think.

This was just my experience though, last year, with a small multi-building manager on the UWS.

[cardnav]

Everything is negotiable, within reason. A lot depends on what you have in the bank -- BRING YOUR '09 TAX RETURN (Yes I have friends who needed to show their tax returns as proof). I know it sounds crazy, but your landlord will know more about your finances than your lover.

The guarantor thing depends on a) what you have in the bank. If you don't make a lot but your bank account can pay the years rent you'll be fine your credit score. the higher it is the more likely they are to be nice c) how much are you willing to front. The rule of thumb is security deposit and first months rent, but if you tell them you'll pay the first 4 - 5 right away they'll overlook a lot of stuff.

Also keep in mind that you may have to pay by certified bank checks and some landlords only accept from banks with locations in New York City. Bottom line call ahead or try to find a no fee broker if you feel you won't be able to survive on your own.

The reason NYC is the craziest is that you normally can't evict a tenet out for 6 months so young renters tend to pay for the first half of the year then don't pay the second half of the lease.

[StrangeLight]

NYU will sign as your guarantor if you don't have an in-state or tri-state guarantor available. so that's one hurdle cleared. i don't know if other schools do the same.

NYU grad housing is located just north of the east village, in stuyvesant town. you can either get one room in a reno'd two-bed apartment for $1350/month or one room in a non-reno'd two-bed apartment for $1150/month. that includes your utilities, cable, internet. not a terrible deal, but if you're only getting $1800/month from your stipend, before taxes, do you really want to have only $500 left a month to cover books, photocopying, subway fare, and food? that's a tight budget to live on, and i'm not sure how many of the cheaper, non-renovated apartments the school has available.

also, you can only live in NYU grad housing for your first year. after that, you've got to leave and find your own place in the city. might be better to just get into the market now, while rents are cheaper than normal, than to take grad housing for a year and have to find a new place 12 months later. you'll have to pay for movers all over again, and perhaps in one year's time the NYC market will bounce back a bit and you won't find the same deals that you do now.

i don't work for these companies, but they've got some good, cheap rentals, occasionally no-fee.

bestapts.com

ardorny.com

rgny.com

hope that helps.

also... bribes still work in manhattan. find a building or neighbourhood you like and ask the landlord/building manager if they accept "key deposits." sometimes paying an extra $1000 off the bat can get you a great apartment in a great area for $500/month under market

[1fabi]

I'd definitely recommend living outside of Manhattan; Queens and Brooklyn are great options, with lower rent. Brooklyn is especially great if you're going to NYU, it's an easy subway trip into downtown Manhattan. I'm hoping to get into their Psychology program, and plan to remain in Queens if I do, it's about a 30 minute commute from Astoria.

Check out the mta site- http://www.mta.info, that will give you a better idea of where in Brooklyn you might want to live (NYU is 8th street on the Q/N/W line).

Roommates are always a good idea in NY. I live with my boyfriend, in a small but comfortable 1 bedroom, both of us working full time, and we aren't rich, but we certainly don't go hungry. 35k should be a comfortable salary if you have even just 1 roommate who also works.

If you get a chance to visit, that's the best way to get to know the neighborhoods. Not being a Brooklyn resident myself, I don't know that much, but even some good old internet searching should give you a good idea of what's best for you, what's close to the subway, what the rent prices are like, etc.

Good luck!

Hi

Did you apply to NYU Steinhardt for Psychology. I havent gotten a response from them and I'm just wondering.

[withjoy]

Thanks for all the great info everyone! I have an NYU question. Do you know who I talk to about having the school sign as a guarantor? This is the first I've heard of that, and it's a relief. I'm moving from Kansas, and feeling overwhelmed at the though of dealing with the NYC rental market. I'd like to find a place in Brooklyn, hopefully near Prospect Park. (I need some green space nearby if I'm going to stay sane!) :-) :-) I'm excited about the PhD program I'll be in at NYU, but pretty nervous about life in general in New York.

For those of you in the know -- in this rental market, do you think it's possible to find a place for $700-800 that's within a few blocks of a subway station? I care less about how long I'm on the subway than I do about how far I have to walk to get to the station. Also, when do apartments that are available in August start showing up in craigslist? (and is that the best way to go? Are there any no-fee brokers that you recommend? I can't tell which brokers are genuine and which I should avoid.) It seems like all the apartments right now have April and May move in dates.

Thanks for the help and information!

Withjoy

[prefers_pencils]

withjoy-

Near Prospect Park, you won't find housing under 1000/month unless you share an apt with several roommates. The east side of the Park is dodgier and therefore cheaper. Windsor Terrace on the south side of the Park has better deals, as well, though the F train service could be better. Park Slope and Prospect Heights on the remaining west and north sides (respectively) are a bit more expensive and generally have better access to trains. The cheapest studios start around 1100/month recently. I've heard the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn still has some great deals, so I'd look around there. Craigslist is a great resource. Real estate is sort of a last-minute deal (agents show apts they want signed within the month or so, usually not earlier than that), so seriously look in mid-June - July to sign Aug 1. Before then, go to open houses in the nabes you are considering to get a feel for the area. Good luck!

[withjoy]

Thanks! I've been a little obsessive about checking craigslist lately. (I'm thinking it may be an addiction.) :-) I know that Park Slope and Prospect Heights are out of my budget, but I'm hoping to find something in a different nabe. I don't mind living with someone as long as there isn't much drama. :-) Thanks for your input; I'll check out Bay Ridge.

[rx8anna]

I'm hoping to get into one of the graduate dorms at CU, but I've also been obsessive about Craigslist apartment listings. It's interesting to note how many times the pictures of the same apartment get used by different listings. It's hard to sit here 3000 miles away, knowing that I want to go to NYC and find a place to live.

I'll be interested in finding a roommate if I don't get into the dorms. I just downsized from a 1800 sq ft house and I would be able to outfit an apartment if necessary, but I'm hoping to just leave everything here in storage for the first year to figure out NYC first.

[magbal8]

I'm going to be attending NYU and probably looking to live in Washington Heights. I've heard that you should only really start looking for apartments about a month before you plan on moving in. Is that true, or is it possible to begin looking earlier. The prospect of waiting that long and not finding an apartment in time is pretty scary...

[prefers_pencils]

magbal -

I think it's good to look on Craigslist now, so you know what to expect for the money, esp when comparing kitchens and natural light (gotta love those basement apts). However, I wouldn't make appointments with real estate agents until 1.5 months before - or until the listings start advertising the move-in date you're aiming for. I can empathize since I went through the same thing when I moved to New York 2 years ago. However, don't despair: there are always plenty of apts that are available, and will be when the time comes. Plus, Washington Heights has great deals so you're in a good position already. Good luck!!

[withjoy]

Quick question for strangelight - Could you let me know where you found out that NYU can act as a guarantor? When I looked on the website, I found this:

http://www.nyu.edu/housing/offcampus/faq/#Q5

"The university does not act as a guarantor. If you are receiving an award package as part of a fully supported Lease Guarantee Program we suggest you speak to your department head and find out what options are available through your department. . ."

I'm not sure what the "Lease Guarantee Program" is, but it seems to be a GSAS thing. I'm attending Steinhardt. How did the person you know have someone at the school sign? Was he/she a student at GSAS?

[StrangeLight]

Quick question for strangelight - Could you let me know where you found out that NYU can act as a guarantor? When I looked on the website, I found this:

http://www.nyu.edu/housing/offcampus/faq/#Q5

"The university does not act as a guarantor. If you are receiving an award package as part of a fully supported Lease Guarantee Program we suggest you speak to your department head and find out what options are available through your department. . ."

I'm not sure what the "Lease Guarantee Program" is, but it seems to be a GSAS thing. I'm attending Steinhardt. How did the person you know have someone at the school sign? Was he/she a student at GSAS?

i had just heard from a few people attending NYU's GSAS, about two or three years ago, that NYU acted as a guarantor for them. that may have been a within-their-department arrangement, and NYU may also have changed its policy since then. sorry that i don't have any more concrete information than that. the journalism department told me that they could assist me with securing off-campus housing as well, but they didn't say specifically that they'd sign as a guarantor and since i decided not to attend, i never inquired further.

[lotf629]

A quirky question for anyone in the Columbia area:

Around Boston/Cambridge, there are a number of different types of university involvement or volunteer work that can get you on a cheap or free meal plan. It looks like for my first year at Columbia I'll be living in a dorm-style single, and as a result I'm looking for the cheapest and most convenient possible meal plan in the area. I'm wondering if there are any opportunities for advising at Barnard, working with undergrads, staffing nonprofits, etc., that would save me from eating out six nights a week but also save me from the hassle of cooking meals in a toaster oven. Any resourceful individuals out there with good ideas?

[plasticastle]

I'm going to NYU for grad school in the fall. I'm actively searching for an apartment in the city, and I haven't had any luck. I would like to live below 23rd in Manhattan. Does anyone have any advice or know someone who is in need of a roommate? I can only pay $950 per month (all utilities included).

Thanks!

[kh1264]

Hey!

I've never posted to this particular thread but love reading all the helpful advice for when I start my program in the city next month. Here's a practical question for you New Yorkers:

How do you grocery shop?

This sounds like a stupid question but I can't imagine lugging bags and bags of groceries for blocks or on the subway...is that the way you do it? I have also looked into having some heavier grocery items delivered via Freshdirect.com, which I've read different reviews about. I remember, when I studied abroad in a small city in England a while back, how torturous it was to go grocery shopping because the grocer was about 5 blocks away. My hands and arms would be SO sore from lugging chicken, milk, etc...all the heavy items. Any suggestions or any grocery stores that you favor?

Thanks!

~kh1264