Dear Charlie,
I want to move to NYC but I haven’t found an apartment. I don’t mind having a roommate if I have to, but I don’t know of anyone there. Everyone always tells me how it’s expensive, so I’m preparing to pay but I don’t know where to start. Please help!
-Dreaming of NYC
Dear Dreaming of NYC,
What a lovely dream to have. However, I sigh at the memory of what many of my friends and I have gone through. Apartment hunting in NYC is a hefty undertaking, resulting in paying a hefty price. Websites will direct you to other websites, where you can find listings for tenant seekers, but all of them are a mystery. Agencies will charge you outrageous fees. Craigslist is becoming notorious for its large volume of freaks, creeps, and perverts. Alert the media if you find someone legitimate on there. What resources do we have any more? Beyond Facebook or a good old fashioned referral by a friend, you are best to “network” on foot and personally find something that works for you. This will be time consuming though. You must grasp that New York is sophisticated in every way possible, on a whole new level than what you may be used to. Even the insanity of New York is sophisticated. You have to be careful. The truth is that everything is done very quickly here. If you’ve ever heard the phrase “in a New York minute”, it’s not just a cute bluff. If/when you do find something, they will most likely ask you when you can move in, meaning that week. Most people are looking for someone immediately, who will pay up front. There are 25 people in line behind you ready to take your place. Some tenants will conduct a group interview and then select a few final candidates to choose from. They will insist they don't discriminate, but of course their decisions are bias based on personal compatibility. It’s like finding a job. If you can afford the luxury of living alone in Manhattan then that would probably mean you are somewhat well off. On average, a small studio apartment in a sketchy neighborhood in Manhattan (Washington Heights, Harlem, Inwood) runs at about $1000 per month. If you want a small studio in a decent neighborhood in Manhattan (Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Lower East Side), you’re looking at $1200 starting price, and that’s a deal! Now if you want to be fancy (Gramercy, Midtown, Soho, East Village, Chelsea, Tribeca, Greenwich Village), we’re talking about maybe $3000 per month and that's still a small studio. Fuggetaboutit. People talk about it because it truly is one of the most hyper expensive cities in the world. It seems like everybody wants to live here at one point or another. Think of it in terms of a population demographic alone. In 2008 the top cities were: NYC- 8,363,710, Los Angeles- 3,833,995, Chicago- 2,853,114 Houston- 2,242,193 and Phoenix- 1,567,924. Those have obviously grown over the past couple years, but as you can see there is no comparison. NYC is BY FAR the most densely populated city in the country. More people; more EVERYTHING. Not to mention that you will pay out the roof for a VERY SMALL space. People feel this is a compromise worth making in return for living in one of the greatest cities of all, with the world at your finger tips. It’s very ambitious to try and settle your roots here, without having any connections. However, most people here are from somewhere else. People do it, so it’s not impossible granted your will is strong. There are plenty of native New Yorkers scattered throughout the island, but many have set up shop in the outskirts of Manhattan. People do really well in Brooklyn and some parts of Queens, but certain neighborhoods can be just as pricey as Manhattan. Williamsburg & Park Slope, Brooklyn as well as Astoria or Sunnyside, Queens are popular picks for new comers. They are younger and more hip neighborhoods. You may have to move around a bit before you get situated. I don’t know what your plans for coming here are, but granted you plan to work; it would help if you had something lined up first. Find an organization to be a part of, like an improve troupe or cast (if you are in the arts). Otherwise, try to find a job of some sort beforehand. That way you might get direction from your future colleagues or cast mates. Be prepared to stress about money in ways you never did before, unless money is not an issue for you (which isn't for some New Yorkers). This is all part of the hard, cold, yet beautiful realities of our truly marvelous metropolis. New York is a living multicultural epicenter of the universe. You know what they say; it’s the city of dreams waiting to spit you out, or swallow you whole. You just have to find what works for you. I know people who came here on money they didn’t have and sold Broadway tickets in the streets to support themselves until they got settled. I also know people who practically had a loft apartment on Park Avenue handed to them on a silver platter fresh out of College. There are a lot resources here, and money, but there are also a lot of homeless people. It’s the extreme of everything. You have to play your cards right and be wise about it. The competition is stiff and if you like to compete you might come out on top, but there is an element of luck too. If you really want to be prepared, I would say to come and spend a sufficient amount of time here first. You can find a sublet or a hostel that allows you to pay by the week for your visit. This way you can explore, meet people, get comfortable, find work, etc. Every neighborhood has its own charm. You may feel the pressure of rushing this when you arrive, but try not to let it consume you. Everyone is on a mission. Establishing a new life in the Big Apple is not easily explained in one of my ranting paragraphs. I wish you luck. Don’t forget to breathe when you are your neck deep in the chaos. If you can make it here…
