Moving to New York

[twhite1221]

as someone who is looking to move to the city from the south with no connections in the city or a job lined up prior to arriving...would landlords work with you if you had a year's rent saved up prior to arriving in lieu of rental history or guarantor in the area?? btw i have excellent credit and currently own a home where i currently reside.

[KenNYC]

Originally Posted by danielhl

I'm from Norway and I am considering a move to New York in the near future. Prices in Oslo are similar to those in New York, perhaps more expensive.

Kinda depends... it's possible to live pretty frugally in NY (except rent) if you want, but for a "normal NY lifestyle", it's quite a lot more expensive than Oslo.

I have a degree in interactive design(IT), how is the job market for that industry at the moment in the US? Shitty? Like everything else or possible to find a job?

Pretty slow right now yes, but by all means, do look. IT professionals are given beneficial treatment when it comes to visa applications, so you might be a bit more lucky than most others there.

Here in Oslo I tax 36% of my paycheck which is a lot i know(but worth it, considering what we get in return). How much is normal to pay in taxes in NYC?.

More or less the same. NYC is very tax-heavy compared to the rest of the US.

Is there a "norwegian" neighbourhood in NYC? Read somewhere that Brooklyn had an area where a lot of 2nd and 3rd generation norwegians settled. Might be bogus though.

Not really. There are a lot of Norwegian ancestry in that area, but none of them are what you'd call Norwegians. They will love meeting you and talking to you about the country, but they generally don't speak Norwegian, most of them haven't visited or anything.

The Norwegian Seamen's Church (2nd Ave and 52nd St.) has a lot of events for Norwegians. In particular they have at least once a month an event called "Ung i New York" which is a get-together of people from ages 16-35 or so (no fixed limits, mind you, just the crowd that usually shows up). No idea how old you are, so just saying. Au pairs, students, young professionals. It's a good way to get to know people if you're feeling a bit alone in the city.

There are also a few groups of Scandinavians that throw private parties around the city, usually pretty dominated by Swedes however.

This may sound weird, but I lived in DC during middle school and freshman year and I got busted for weed. Was never charged or anything, but is that something that can come back and haunt me now with the visa applications etc? Was over 10 years ago(We all do dumb shit from time to time :P).

Probably not, but full disclosure in your interview is the way to go. Nothing will piss off people more than trying to deceive them. Possession of small amounts of weed in New York isn't even a misdemeanor anymore Just sayin. (Federal laws aside).

Going to NYC in the middle of august for a vacation where I am gonna stay in Spanish Harlem

Enjoy

[KenNYC]

Originally Posted by twhite1221

as someone who is looking to move to the city from the south with no connections in the city or a job lined up prior to arriving...would landlords work with you if you had a year's rent saved up prior to arriving in lieu of rental history or guarantor in the area?? btw i have excellent credit and currently own a home where i currently reside.

Hard to say these days, landlords might be more flexible now than they were a year ago, for obvious reasons. If you are willing to pay a full year in advance, your chances increase dramatically, but you also lose leverage over the landlord in case something breaks etc. Can't withhold rent you already paid.

[Lindsay]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to move to New York in August or September of next year with my boyfriend. I have a lot of questions about this. Although I have family and friends who are from New York, most of them have not lived there for a number of years.

What are some of the more inexpensive and nicer neighborhoods, specifically for grad students? When should we start looking for/at apartments? Should we opt for a broker, or no broker? Are there any alternative housing options that would be good for us, with people are us?

Thanks so much for your help

[BrooklynRider]

What university will you attend? That would narrow down the neighborhoods.

NY is comprised of five "boroughs", which are the equivalent of "counties."

[Lindsay]

Thanks so much for the quick response.

Neither of us have been accepted yet, but we are planning on moving to the city regardless of whether or not we are accepted into our choice schools.

I'm applying to Hunter College and The New School. My boyfriend is applying to NYU.

Obviously, neighborhoods that are easy to commute from would be our best bets. We were thinking Brooklyn or Queens, if we can't afford Manhattan.

[[312]nick]

My sister and I are planning on moving to NYC the fall of 2010 for school. I am just starting to do research on apartments and such. Is it completely unreasonable to think that we can afford a 2 br place in Manhattan solely on student loans and part time jobs? If so would Brooklyn or Queens be a more viable option? I just need to get out of Chicago. Thanks

[hbcat]

Hi there. I am originally from NJ , born just across the water there, but haven't lived in the NYC area since the 70s. Visited loads of times -- ranging from a day to a few days to weeks per time. I've not lived in the US since 1983 (except for some graduate work), but I am hoping to spend a research leave in NY in a couple of years, possible 2011-2012.

My funds are not as tight as they used to be (I'll dip into savings if I don't get enough research support, etc.), and I want to live in Manhattan -- I can handle perhaps $2000+ / month plus utilities, etc. I am not asking for neighborhood advice per se, but my question comes down to this -- is a one year sublet more reasonable to go after rather than a lease? Is a direct lease even possible for a single year considering I have no meaningful rental history in the U.S.? (My credit is perfect, and I can prove I have the money for a year's rent & expenses.) I am on an academic schedule so I can be slightly flexible with time parameters such as these -- July 1, 2011-August 31, 2012, or a variation, e.g. September 1-August 31.

I REALLY want to live in the city. Yes, I know the other Burroughs have a lot going for them, and I might consider them if I decide to stay on (as I might, fingers crossed), but I want to live in Manhattan if possible. One concern will be negotiating a sublet or rental from overseas. I don't want spend precious weeks apartment hunting. On the other hand, I want to see a place before I commit, of course.

Am I planning too far ahead? Maybe, but that's just me.

What would *you* do? Any and all advice would be welcome.

Cheers,
hbcat

p.s. My partner will be living with me some of the year, but not the whole of it, unless we get doubly lucky. Wish us luck, will ya?

[ldsim1986]

Hey everyone,

Just wanted some advice on a little bit of everything, im moving to NYC for an intern.. which is unpaid. But, the opportunity is too great to pass up. Hopefully, I can stay with a relative that is close to the area. However, I am preparing for the worst case scenario. The intern starts in a few months, so im just saving what i can and preparing mentally for the move. Any advice? Cost of living? Metrocards? Subways? Im preparing from scratch so the advice is greatly appreciated

[Taz]

Cost of living depends entirely on where you live, and this is not a cheap city to live in. Metrocards range from 2.25 for a single ride to $89 for a monthly, which would probably be your best bet if you plan on commuting a lot.

You can find all the information you need on the subways here:
www.mta.info

Originally Posted by ldsim1986

Hey everyone,

Just wanted some advice on a little bit of everything, im moving to NYC for an intern.. which is unpaid. But, the opportunity is too great to pass up. Hopefully, I can stay with a relative that is close to the area. However, I am preparing for the worst case scenario. The intern starts in a few months, so im just saving what i can and preparing mentally for the move. Any advice? Cost of living? Metrocards? Subways? Im preparing from scratch so the advice is greatly appreciated

[jazzguy]

Hello all.
Okay, so my wife and I want to move to NY. I'm a jazz musician, and I played a show in NY last August. She's from London and has never seen NY so I made my gig into a vacation and she was knocked out, way beyond what I would have expected.
She's a nurse, an ICU nurse at Emory hospital in Atlanta. I'm a jazz composer and drummer, semi-retired. She's already applied for her New York nursing license which she will get with no problem. She's been moving up the ladder at Emory but she really wants to live and work in New York.
I've always wanted to live there. New York isn't new to me. I did my first recording session there when I was sixteen and I went to music school there. I know and have worked with a good number of New York musicians, all of whom encourage me to move up. They're a great bunch of guys. One of my best friends is a trumpet player who lives in Astoria.
So there's all that.
She wants to buy a place. I've been looking around all the neighborhoods on the internet and the prices are about what I would have expected for what we want, which is a three-bedroom condo or coop. Now we don't have shit for money, really. The most we could afford is, say, $290,000, tops.
So what I'm asking is this: is it possible to do this without living in a gross dangerous neighborhood? Some place close to the subway? I know that we'll be looking at Queens or Brooklyn. About the Bronx I know absolutely nothing.
Any input you're willing to provide would be greatly appreciated.

[skaterfanmike]

My Father-IN-Law lives in NY and he likes it He is a nurse.

[BrooklynRider]

Originally Posted by Lindsay

Thanks so much for the quick response.

Neither of us have been accepted yet, but we are planning on moving to the city regardless of whether or not we are accepted into our choice schools.

I'm applying to Hunter College and The New School. My boyfriend is applying to NYU.

Obviously, neighborhoods that are easy to commute from would be our best bets. We were thinking Brooklyn or Queens, if we can't afford Manhattan.

Brooklyn & Queens would probably be best. You might want to look at a subway map. The 7, N, R, W, E, V, F subway lines go to Queens and will offer each of you transfer points to get to those respective schools. For Brooklyn, you can look at the B,D,N,Q,R,2,3,4,5.

I have a personal preference for Brooklyn, but you'll find all kinds of opinions on here.

Queens you might want to check Astoria, Long Island City, Jackson Heights, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens.

Brooklyn you might want to check out Prospect Heights, Fort Green, Park Slope, Sunset Park, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens.

Those are good places to start. Rents are coming down due to high vacancy rates in market rate buildings. It's actually a good time to be looking for an apartment - but a horrendous time to be looking for work - in NYC.

[hbcat]

^^^ Yo! BrooklynRider, what's with the new look? I was getting into that beehive thing you had working, and now you go all Jetsons on us. Sheesh.

1) Real question: Can one live really much more cheaply in Brooklyn -- with easy access to Manhattan -- than in Manhattan, anywhere below, say, the 100s? I am not too picky about a neighborhood and don't need to, and don't really want to, live in a trendy place. It's just that I might have only one year in NYC and 90% of my research will be in Manhattan proper. I could compromise on the borrough, but if I don't need to, I'd prefer not to. Space is not an issue, but if I don't land any research money, I will be paying my own way out of retirement savings, etc. I am not a wealthy person.

I hope to never again live in Jersey. I am happy for those of you who are happy on that side, but I have seen enough of NJ for two lifetimes. Brooklyn ok, Jersey City, probably not.

2) Another question: If I come to the U.S. (on a US passport, if that matters), how much will private health insurance cost. I hope to get part-time employment or a one-year teaching gig, but if I don't, I will need to pay my own way for health insurance as well. America is a scary place for the unemployed & uninsured. Yeah, ok, that's probably true in a lot of places, but somehow the US looks rather fierce from the outside looking in. It gives one pause.

Opinions, anyone?

Cheers,
hbcat

[danov]

I would like to move to New York but how to find agencies котрые help to make it?