Moving to New York is very exciting. New York is a city like no other and that’s why it’s on so many people’s bucket lists as “a city I’m going to live in one day”. But the only disadvantage of this is that it is very hard to find a decent apartment in New York that you won’t need a small fortune each month for. If you were looking for some pointers on how you can find the perfect first apartment in NYC, you came to the right place. We know all about it and we’re going to share our tips with you.
Know your budget for finding the first apartment in NYC
New York is one of the most expensive cities in the world as far as everything goes but real estate especially. A small studio apartment can cost up to a million dollars depending on where it’s located. But not many people who move to New York actually buy their homes as not many people are selling them. This means that you will be renting your apartment. And depending on which part of New York you are living in the average rent price changes. In some of the priciest parts of Manhattan, the average rent price is $3,100. And that’s for a one-bedroom studio apartment.
This is why you can’t move to New York without a job or a lot of savings in your bank account. The best thing to do if planning on moving to New York any time soon is to start saving money. This way you will find covering all these big expenses much easier than it actually is and. It is also the only way to survive in New York as a newcomer.
You also must have in mind that many landlords require you to earn more than 40 or 50 times the rent to be eligible for renting an apartment. This way they are making sure that you always have enough for rent and for the expensive life of New York. This is just one of the problems you might face as a rental tenant in NYC.
In order to live in NYC, you will need a lot of money.
Know NYC’s boroughs
As you are new to New York, you might not know about the boroughs of New York. Brooklyn is where many young professionals end up living in New York. In Brooklyn, the neighborhoods where you’ll find best deals are Flatbush, Bay Ridge, Sheepshead Bay, Dyker Heights, Midwood, Bensonhurst, and a few more. These neighborhoods are very nice for those who are moving with a family to NYC.
Queens is a very diverse part of New York. Even though it is becoming a more desirable housing spot, you can still find cheap housing in some boroughs. Corona, Kew Gardens, and Bayside are the best ones. And if you are thinking about living in a more suburban area of New York, Staten Island is the best part for you. It has decent prices and homes come with lots of room. New Dorp, St. George, and Huguenot is where you will find the best deals for your money. ipsnycmovers.com is a moving company that moves people to these parts of New York every week.
New York has some affordable boroughs even in the most expensive parts of the city.
How to look for an apartment in NYC?
Finding your first apartment in NYC is a tricky task. Apartments come and go in just a few days in the New York real estate market. Being too picky won’t get you anywhere. But settling for less is also not something you should be doing. After all, you will be paying rent and why pay for a place where you don’t feel pleasant? If you have pets, your options will be even more limited as not many homeowners want to let animals into their apartments.
The best way to search for apartments is online. Here are some websites that you can check out if you’re searching for an apartment in New York:
- Zumper
- StreetEasy
- Naked Apartments
- Craigslist
Online searching is a good way to find your first apartment in NYC.
Searching through a broker
You can also search for your apartment through a broker. A broker will most likely find you the perfect apartment in just a few days as they are the ones that know how to search for apartments the best way. But, having a broker costs money. A broker will most likely ask for 15 percent of a year’s rent, but you can occasionally negotiate and lower this expense. Still, even if you do that, you are living in NYC and paying rent here so this amount of money won’t be small.
Once you find your apartment
Now that you’ve found your future home either on the internet or through a broker, it’s time to plan out your relocation. Whether if it’s long-distance or not, hiring movers to help you is never a bad idea. The whole process of finding an apartment in New York can be very stressful and tiring especially if you need to move to New York quickly. This is why we recommend considering hiring professionals. Professionals can help you pack too if you’re running out of time or when you simply want to get some rest before moving to a restless city like New York.
After you move, make sure you get back on your feet financially. Relocation costs a lot of money and you don’t want to end up without a single dollar in your pocket in one of the most expensive cities in the world.