NYC Residents...
#1
Boost Pope
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NYC Residents...
Or, more specifically, those who either live OR work on the island of Manhattan, or have done so in the past.
I am interested in hearing your commentary on EITHER:
Assume that I find long commutes to be a significant quality-of-life penalty, and that I am accustomed to paying $1,700 per month in rent for a 1 bedroom apartment in California and would not find $2,000 - $2,300 (or so) to be outrageous for a DECENT place. I don't give a **** about trendy / artsy neighborhoods, assume that I just want something that DOESN'T suck and is relatively convenient to midtown east (42nd at 3rd), so that would basically be anything that hits either Grand Central or 42nd / Times Square Station.
Yes, I know that it gets cold in NY. Yes, I know that it's noisy and crowded. I have, in fact, lived in Manhattan before, but only as a temporary worker, staying in hotels or corporate housing arranged and paid for by someone else, eating Chinese take-out every night, etc. So I'm familiar and comfortable with the fundamental concepts of city living, but completely ignorant to the surrounding geography as well as to the nitty-gritty details of arranging housing, motor vehicle management, etc.
I am interested in hearing your commentary on EITHER:
- Living some distance outside of the city and commuting in via LIRR, Metro North, PATH, etc., or
- Living within the city itself (specifically Manhattan), insofar as the technical minutiae of:
- Keeping a car in the city without paying for parking or going nuts trying to understand Alternate Side,
- Finding an apartment,
- The actual process of moving in (eg: one does not simply drive a U-haul truck into town, park it on the street, and unload, does one?)
- Where the hell do you shop for groceries and gas on the island?
- Etc.
Yes, I know that it gets cold in NY. Yes, I know that it's noisy and crowded. I have, in fact, lived in Manhattan before, but only as a temporary worker, staying in hotels or corporate housing arranged and paid for by someone else, eating Chinese take-out every night, etc. So I'm familiar and comfortable with the fundamental concepts of city living, but completely ignorant to the surrounding geography as well as to the nitty-gritty details of arranging housing, motor vehicle management, etc.
#2
I moved the Brooklyn Heights/DUMBO area of Brooklyn in my early 20's, and stayed there three years. It was my foray into leaving the nest. I really enjoyed it there.
It is the first stop in Brooklyn when coming from Manhattan. The view from my window was the classic shot of lower Manhattan that is commonly shown. Very nice neighborhood, think Huckstables, and the commute to mid town on the 2 train wasn't to bad, ~20 min.
It's not the classic NYC experience though, the streets are tree lined and mostly quiet, the brownstones are beautiful. If I hear correctly, the DUMBO area is the new Silicon Valley. Might be worth checking into.
Good luck with your search.
It is the first stop in Brooklyn when coming from Manhattan. The view from my window was the classic shot of lower Manhattan that is commonly shown. Very nice neighborhood, think Huckstables, and the commute to mid town on the 2 train wasn't to bad, ~20 min.
It's not the classic NYC experience though, the streets are tree lined and mostly quiet, the brownstones are beautiful. If I hear correctly, the DUMBO area is the new Silicon Valley. Might be worth checking into.
Good luck with your search.
#6
There's an awfully wide variety of places, depending on how you define "long commute." If you want to live on Manhattan, I don't know that you can get much for $2300. You should be able to swing a decent neighborhood in one of the outer boroughs, though. Keeping a car in NYC can be a big problem or a big expense, so Older Guy's suggestion is right.
The commute from Greenwich to GCT is about 1:06. Bedford Hills is about the same. Mamaroneck is 0:42. They're all good areas with a lot of trains, and you should be able to find a decent place for under $2K. An hour on the train with a smartphone and a cold beer > 1/2 hour on subway >1/2 hour driving anywhere in greater NY.
The commute from Greenwich to GCT is about 1:06. Bedford Hills is about the same. Mamaroneck is 0:42. They're all good areas with a lot of trains, and you should be able to find a decent place for under $2K. An hour on the train with a smartphone and a cold beer > 1/2 hour on subway >1/2 hour driving anywhere in greater NY.
#8
Boost Pope
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iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,483
Total Cats: 6,898
- Say one expects to receive a FedEx package, and one lives in a typical Seinfeld-style walkup without a doorman. What do?
- Say that one is moving in. I assume that one cannot simply drive a U-haul truck into midtown, park it on east 80th, and start unloading ****. What do?
The commute from Greenwich to GCT is about 1:06. Bedford Hills is about the same. Mamaroneck is 0:42. They're all good areas with a lot of trains, and you should be able to find a decent place for under $2K. An hour on the train with a smartphone and a cold beer > 1/2 hour on subway >1/2 hour driving anywhere in greater NY.
Also, an hour on the LIRR / Metro North / NJTrans / whatever is NOT better than a half-hour on the subway. For me, time is an absolute when it comes to commuting. I'd rather spend half an hour listening to N'sync while driving a Kia than an hour in a private car on the LIRR getting a foot massage from Grace Park*.
It it not the EXPERIANCE of the commute, but the opportunity cost of the time spent commuting which could have otherwise been used for non-commute purposes.
* = to be clear, there are certain other things which Grace Park could do which would tip the scales in favor of the hour-long LIRR trip.
#9
Also, an hour on the LIRR / Metro North / NJTrans / whatever is NOT better than a half-hour on the subway. For me, time is an absolute when it comes to commuting. I'd rather spend half an hour listening to N'sync while driving a Kia than an hour in a private car on the LIRR getting a foot massage from Grace Park*.
It it not the EXPERIANCE of the commute, but the opportunity cost of the time spent commuting which could have otherwise been used for non-commute purposes.
It it not the EXPERIANCE of the commute, but the opportunity cost of the time spent commuting which could have otherwise been used for non-commute purposes.
#10
I just took a look at some listings on Trulia. There used to be an additional cost roughly the same as common charges in a condo for many places that had amenitites like doormen, health clubs and such. Might have changed, but I'd be surprised. A lot of the prices I saw looked pretty attractive - 1 bed 1 bath in midtown west with doorman, health club and views for about $2200 seems like a deal to me. I can't help feeling there's a catch....
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