Zooming to NYC!

[autorock]

Hi all!

My company is giving me the option of working in its New York office. Annual salary being offered is US$100, 000 before tax. However accomodation will not be reimbursed.

So my questions are :

1. Can I get a nice 2-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn? Like in Bay Ridge or Fort Greene? Budget is US$1800 max.

2. Which Brooklyn areas are convenient to live in if the office is in midtown Manhattan?

3. What percentage of tax can I expect to be deducted from the $100k annual income?

4. After tax deduction and rent (oh man!) will there be enough money left for nice dinners and nights in the town? Can I live comfortably?

5. How do you live on a budget in NYC? Do you cut coupons?

6. My fiancé will be coming with. Will she be able to find a job as a Art Director / Designer easily?

Thanks so much for your time! Please help if you can. Any opinions and suggestions are welcome!:) :rolleyes:

[Ninjahedge]

My opinions:

Hi all!

HI!!!!

My company is giving me the option of working in its New York office. Annual salary being offered is US$100, 000 before tax. However accomodation will not be reimbursed.

Lucky bastard!!!!

So my questions are :

1. Can I get a nice 2-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn? Like in Bay Ridge or Fort Greene? Budget is US$1800 max.

Check the real estate pages on this site. $1800 can probably get you a small decent place, but I would not be hoping for much over a 1 BR within easy commuting distance of the city.

Depending on how much you have, you may want to look into buying into a condo or co-op in some place like Cobble Hill or Brooklyn Heights.

It is expensive, but figure a $300K mortgage at 5% will probably get you close to $1800 in payment....

Plus you may be entitled to a tax deduction on the interest.

2. Which Brooklyn areas are convenient to live in if the office is in midtown Manhattan?

Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo, Cobble Hill, Park Slope, Carol Gardens are all nice.

Red Hook requires a bit of walking to get to a station.

You could also look to areas in Queens (forest hills is at the end of the F train line, great if you have a midtown commute).

You could also try areas like Hoboken or Jersey City, depending on where your office is in the city.

3. What percentage of tax can I expect to be deducted from the $100k annual income?

Depends on what else you are spending on. Medical insurance? Retirement accounts? etc. I would estimate about 60% of your salary will be coming back to you after most of this, but you may want to talk to an accountant about that.

4. After tax deduction and rent (oh man!) will there be enough money left for nice dinners and nights in the town? Can I live comfortably?

All depends on your definition of comfortably. NYC has some relatively inexpensive places to eat and hang out. But if you plan to save ANY MONEY (which is a good idea, it helps later when you move out) I would not look to be eating out too often on one salary of $100K for the two of you in NYC.

5. How do you live on a budget in NYC? Do you cut coupons?

Shop online, look for sales at places liek Shop Rite or Stop and Shop. Limit the drinking at bars (one case of beer is about $25 for good stuff, that is only 4 pints plus tim in most bars around here), and eating at restaurants. Look for value, not just plain cheap.

6. My fiancé will be coming with. Will she be able to find a job as a Art Director / Designer easily?

Depends on how much she is willing to work for.

If she wants, she can work for nothing, or next to nothing at a small playhouse in the lower east village or another enclave. If she works with WEB design/production (photoshop) she stands a much better chance of finding something here.

Thanks so much for your time! Please help if you can. Any opinions and suggestions are welcome!:) :rolleyes:


Keep snooping around here, craigslist, newyork.citysearch.com and other sites to get an idea of the prices, neighborhoods and the like.

GL!

[Ninjahedge]

Pssst!

Apartments:

http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3261

[autorock]

Ninjahedge!

Wow! Thanks so much...you're awesome. That was definitely helpful information.

40% tax?! Ouch...I can feel the burn in my pockets already.:D

[Ninjahedge]

Ninjahedge!

Wow! Thanks so much...you're awesome. That was definitely helpful information.

40% tax?! Ouch...I can feel the burn in my pockets already.:D

Not just tax, but a bunch of other expenses that go along with it.

Some may or may not apply to you, if you are not a US citizen, but others do since you are a resident.

national tax at about 12-17 percent, Social Security (maybe for you). State tax, health insurance, etc etc.....