Reply With Quote^ Not sure you should ask that question on this forum. We have a history of being spectacularly wrong about such things.
Inwood/Washington Heights - safe area?
Would one consider the Inwood/Washington Heights area a safe place to live? How is the neighborhood in general?
^ Not sure you should ask that question on this forum. We have a history of being spectacularly wrong about such things.
Well, I'm willing to take the chance, and am open to any and all opinions regarding the subject.Originally Posted by ablarc
^ That can and has been a matter of life and death.
I'm willing to take my chances. I won't hold you to your opinion. I just want an idea. From your response, I'm gathering it's not the best area...
Ablarc doesn't even live in the city, so take his posts with a spoonful of salt.
Some parts of the neighborhoods are fine, others are a bit dicier. I doubt that you're asking for opinions on the neighborhoods because you're looking for alternatives to your multi-million dollar Tribeca option, so you're asking a valid question.
Would you recommend it to someone who would be moving to the city for the first time?
What I am getting at is, the area in question is the only part of Manhattan I've found that is in my price range apartment-wise. ($1300/mo max) That said, I may not exactly have a choice in the matter. Unless of course, spawning off a bit - you know of another area that may offer the same as far as price goes.
You should look to Queens or Brooklyn for a cheaper alternative. Inwood/Washington Heights are nice neighborhoods in their own rights, but don't really have a lot of that "manhattan-ness" that you're probably looking for. Mostly they're really far away from downtown, so if you plan to go there with any regularity, you might look elsewhere.
What are you looking for in a neighborhood? Commute to midtown/downtown? Bars/restaurants/nightlife? A specific community?
It really depends on what you're looking for? I generally think that it's better for people just moving to the city to have roommates. For whatever reason, a lot of people balk at that, but if you don't know many people here, it's the best idea.
You could find plenty of comparable places in Queens and Brooklyn for that price- don't limit yourself to Manhattan.
How old are you? What do you do? What are you looking for in a neighborhood?
And, jinx.
The husband would be accompanying me, and we are both in our early 20's. (Which rules out the idea of rommates in my book. If I were single it would be a different story.)
As ryan put it, the "manhattan-ness" is what I crave. As far as what I'm looking for in a neighborhood...hmmm, well just a safe area. I'd prefer a light commute to mid-town, as I will more likely than not be working in the city when I arrive.
We aren't big into clubs at all. If I can't afford a decent Manhattan neighborhood, then Brooklyn it is.
$1300/month is pretty tight, but with some looking you should probably be able to find something in Ft. Greene/Clinton Hill (pretty with brownstones, Pratt University, diverse), Greenpoint (ugly, but home for me and growing hipper) or Astoria.
There are others, of course - especially in Queens, which I don't know much about, but you stressed safety, so I'm guessing you want a fully gentrified neighborhood...
Don't feel like you'll miss out on much if you don't find a place in Manhattan. Cheap neighborhoods in Manhattan suck and aren't worth the premium over less sucky Brooklyn/Queens (and Bronx, but I defer to Schadenfrau on BX) neighborhoods.
I'd much rather live in a $1,300 place in the Bronx than uptown Manhattan, but that's just me. My commute is about half the time to midtown.
I've been doing some research, and have noticed that it's definitely a steal for what you can get in Brooklyn for $1300/mo as compared to Manhattan.
I'm still grasping at straws at this point, however, I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that until I can adjust to the difference in the cost of living, (NYC compared to where I am now in a Chicago suburb) I should be satisfied being able to move to the area in itself.
Most people I know took the first apt that suited them, then moved after that lease was up. Neighborhoods are so different that it's hard to choose before you know what you like. I love Williamsburg, Brooklyn, but you'd find 5 people on the forum that hate it (and a couple that had never been). Without the luxury of a week+ long trip to apt hunt, I think it's best to just take a place that seems ok, and not worry about finding the perfect place.
It's not just the quality of apartment, but the quality of the neighborhood that changes with those manhattan prices. It's a huge adjustment, and you really can't predict what you'll want out of an apt after you've adjusted to living here. Let yourself off the hook a bit.
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