Tips On Finding a New York City Apartment
New York is one of the greatest cities in the world, which makes living here exciting, and expensive. Everything that you could ever want in regard to culture, dining, shopping, education, culture, etc. is at your fingertips. Not to mention with the abundance of public transportation available, you’ll never have to own a car! Amidst all of the excitement and perks of living in the big city, there are some downsides as well, such as, the generally high cost of living, the insanely expensive, yet competitive real estate market.
If you are new to New York, it’s good to know that you’ll pay double rent for half the space that you could get in other cities. But, for us native New Yorkers, we think it’s worth it. Not to mention, the opportunities are endless here no matter what career path you pursue!
When moving to New York City, before you call up the best movers NYC, here are a few tips to get you thinking like a New Yorker and hit the ground running in your apartment search!
- There is a lot more to a neighborhood than meets the eye.
Every one of the five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Staten Island), has neighborhoods that are highly desirable, and others that are less desirable. For the best deals, property located on the fringe of some of the more popular neighborhoods can translate into better deals for everyone! It is important to know, that some brokers (landlords) will fudge the neighborhood location to make an apartment appear more desirable for potential tenants.
Before deciding on an apartment to rent, here are a few questions that you should ask yourself to see if the location is going to be a good fit for you and your lifestyle:
- How convenient is the area when it comes to subways?
- What are your food options?
- What are the public schools in the area like?
- What is the nightlife like in the neighborhood?
- What evacuation zone is the apartment located in?
- How safe is the neighborhood?
- How easy is it to find a parking spot?
- Despite what you might think, money can’t buy you everything.
In New York City, being able to afford the monthly rent payments isn’t enough to be qualified to sign the lease. Most landlords require that tenants earn a minimum of 40 to 50 times what the monthly rent is. For those who do not make that much, they’ll be required to have a guarantor to makes 80 to 100 times the monthly rent, and will promise to pay the balance on your lease if you default. Often times, it is required that the guarantor lives within the tri-state area. If this is not an option for you, you may qualify to use a guarantor service who has less strict income and employment requirements, but requires a clean credit score.
- Descriptions can be misleading.
We’d like to believe that everything a broker list in an apartment listing is truthful, but unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Here are a few things to keep in mind when searching for a New York City apartment.
- “Cozy” generally translates to so small you’ll be lucky to fit yourself and your clothes inside, never mind anything else.
- “Unique” generally means an extremely strange layout, or worse! Beware!
- “Quite” can translate to mean it overlooks an airshaft/brick wall.
- “Luxury” generally means anything but luxurious. Some buildings listed as “luxury” can actually be old 1960s sets, with a few doormen and a parking garage.
- If there is no mention of a doorman, elevator, or onsite laundry facilities, it’s because they don’t have any.
Once you have found the perfect New York City apartment that is going to be ideal for you and your lifestyle, call the best movers NYC has to offer, and trust your possessions to the professionals. At American Movers, we have extensive knowledge and experience in helping individuals and families move into and out of New York City apartments. Contact us today to schedule your next move, and relax we’ll handle all the heavy lifting for you!
