How to Get an Apartment in NYC
So you wanna move to NYC in a Pandemic? You’re not alone, and as the vaccine becomes more widespread, it looks like these ever-so-low prices are ticking downwards. I’m so happy I chose to move here and sign a 14 month lease with a great deal so I can enjoy NYC as things start to open up.
Many people have asked me exactly 1) how to get an apartment in NYC 2) why I choose to live where I did and 3) how to budget and prepare for a move. I spoke about this in this YouTube Video that went live today, but I’ve got you covered - here’s the tea:
How to Decide Where to Live in NYC
Are you a Manhattan Snob? Ew. SO many people asked me why I moved to Brooklyn, and the truth is I had only been to Brooklyn once in the time that I’d interned in NYC in 2019. That summer, I lived in Murray Hill, a popular neighborhood for young post-grads who love going out. It’s a super classic young area, but I didn’t love it. I ended up choosing my neighborhood based on what was most important to me:
1. Proximity to Friends: I have a lot of friends that live in Manhattan and a lot of friends who live deeper in Brooklyn. Downtown Brooklyn is the perfect middle ground - I’m 1 stop from Manhattan and it’s super easy to get anywhere. One of my friends from college moved to the building I live in now last July, and when I was researching where to move, the building popped up. He was able to attest to the quality of the management company and do an in-person tour for me, so it worked out perfectly: I have a friend in the building too!
2. Proximity to Shopping: Choose a place that is close to the stores you know you’ll frequent. I knew I wanted to minimize how hard it would be to get to the grocery store, so I really prioritized being close to commerce & having everything I needed in walking distance. Living next to a grocery store, Trader Joe’s, Target, and the like is bad for my wallet but I love it!!
3. Proximity to work (Whenever we go back :) If you are heading to the office, I promise choosing a building that is close to your job will drastically improve your quality of life in the long run - prioritize it! I chose a building that would be close to the train lines and minimize my commute - whenever we go to the office I’ll only be 25 minutes away.
How to Get an Apartment in NYC
So you’ve decided where to live, now it’s time to get into your search. You’ll want to do some brief research 6-8 weeks before you move to understand the prices and options, but you likely won’t be able to see the actual units you would move into until 2-4 weeks before you plan to move in. Here’s how to search for your apartment
Start on StreetEasy: this is the most reliable NYC website and allows you to choose everything you want super easily. These were the factors I looked for:
Studio in Downtown Brooklyn, Under $2000 (more on budget later), Washer Dryer in Unit, Dishwasher, Floor to Ceiling Windows, a Bathtub, Close to the ACE
Plug these in and save them, then, when it’s closer to your move-in-date, start to reach out to the property managers. Be prepared: these people are so rude sometimes so don’t take it personally, but do note if they’re rude then you may not want to live in a building that isn’t kind to residents - it may not be managed well!
When reaching out to the managers, email them from your email professionally, but ABSOLUTELY CALL. You have to be comfortable with calling them so that you can negotiate!
I found 4 buildings that had all of my non-negotiables, and I called each of them on the phone. The people that were rude to me were an automatic no, and I asked for the deals for each apartment after doing virtual tours. For my favorite apartment, I told the managers the deals that apartments nearby were offering me, and I was able to knock off $50/month on rent and extend my payment timelines.
How to Budget & Prepare for A Move
NYC is extremely expensive and even COVID rents are astronomical compared to the rest of the country. SO here’s what you need to know:
If you’re moving by yourself with no guarantor, you need to make 40X the monthly rent, have a stable job, and a good (670+) credit score. You also need to be able to put down a security deposit, first and sometimes last month’s rent. If you’re using a guarantor, they need to make 80x the rent. Whether it’s you or your guarantor, you also need to provide:
Bank statements from the last month that show enough money to move in
Proof of ID
Paycheck stubs or offer letter that shows your salary
Last year’s tax returns
Proof of payment of rent or recommendation from your current landlord
Money wise, I would say you’d need 3x your monthly rent amount to move in, and then save for buying furniture as well. If your rent would be $2000, you’ll need $2000 for security deposit, $2000 for first month rent, $2000 for last month’s rent, so $6000 total for moving.
I also spent around $3500 to completely furnish my apartment - which is relative depending on who you are!
I hope this helps anyone looking to move - I highly recommend coming to NYC and locking in a low monthly rent as we open up again!
Cheers,
Alexis
