Renting in NY: Fee or no-fee brokers?

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by StephenHero

You thought wrong. I'll be there in September. Let me know where you hang out so I can avoid it.

Charming, as always.

 

[StephenHero]

Originally Posted by gdl203

Charming, as always.

You dislike me. I dislike you. You've made it clear numerous times. I didn't think there was lingering doubt.

 

[gdl203]

Well surely now there isn't.

To answer your question, I hang out mostly in lower Manhattan (pretty much anything below 34th St) and all over Prospect Park and the Slope.

 

[Cool The Kid]

Originally Posted by gdl203

Jon, don't disrupt the mythology of NYC being only for 7 figure earners. Even when faced with income statistics at the borough level, people still want to believe what they want to believe. I've tried a few times and that clichÃ

is hard to break.

Originally Posted by gdl203

Yes that's one of the common misconceptions too. It also happens to be a bit insulting for the other boroughs to be presented as a fallback choice to Manhattan rather than being liked for their own merits. I know plenty of wealthy people who wouldn't give up their Brooklyn hood for Manhattan.

I've been here since '84 and lived in BK, Queens & Manhattan (currently and for school).

Outer borough living is doable. I have a special place in my heart for Brooklyn. But for the average Joe + Jane making $60K total a year & looking to raise a family (I will even bump that to $110K total for me and my girl), there are a lot of tough decisions. Either buy a house out at the edge of Queens or the BX and be completely away from young people + have to own a car and pay NYC's expensive insurance & LIRR tickets, or buy a cramped up condo/co-op and have to deal with the board + pay maintenance fees indefinitely. IDK. Outside of the reach of the subway, NYC is like a whole other state, and is overpriced for what it has to offer. Within the reach it's cramped. I've thought about it a lot and I just can't see myself spending all that $$$$ to stay here when I think I'd be happier raising a family elsewhere.

Originally Posted by chorse123

I don't get it with people and Park Slope. Brooklyn has some great neighborhoods, but Park Slope just doesn't do it for me.

Me neither. Greenpoint and Prospect Heights are my neighborhoods of choice in BK. Young interesting professionals w/o the pretense or "scenery".

Originally Posted by StephenHero

I want to stay a bit farther away from the epicenter of Hipsterdom and have access to the park. I can deal with strollers but trilbies and high waisted jean shorts are a bit too much. I won't be commuting to Manhattan so the commute time isn't a big deal. I'd be open to more neighborhoods, but limiting my search to one area is easier because I don't have to research the area every time I see something I like.

I would check out PH. It's just on the other side of Flatbush and has some really nice spots for much less money.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by gdl203

Charming, as always.

Well, I don't dislike you

 

[gomestar]

+1 on Greenpoint in Brooklyn. It's a bit of a pain to get into Manhattan with the G train and all, but rent is low and I really like the neighborhood. Bars such as The Black Rabbit are a good time and it hasn't been invated by hipsters and the inevitable Target, BBB, Cheesecake Factory, and Applebees (like Williamsburg)

 

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by gomestar

+1 on Greenpoint in Brooklyn. It's a bit of a pain to get into Manhattan with the G train and all, but rent is low and I really like the neighborhood. Bars such as The Black Rabbit are a good time and it hasn't been invated by hipsters and the inevitable Target, BBB, Cheesecake Factory, and Applebees (like Williamsburg)


I've never been enamored with Greenpoint simply because, I don't find it aestetically pleasing. I've always considered it a Billyburg runnoff neighborhood. If you're willing to live in a neighborhood that looks like Greenpoing, you're better off in LIC, where you'll get wayyyyy more bang for your buck and have beter subway options.

If you want to be in BK, but aren't into Williamsburg or the Slope, I'd suggest, Prospect Heights, Cobble Hill, Carol Gardens, Ft Greene or Boerum Hill.

 

[Cool The Kid]

When I say Greenpoint, I don't mean the part that's the armpit of the Billy and Bushwick (South Greenpoint). There's a hidden jem up by the Pulaski bridge (North Greenpoint?).... if you live close to the bridge, it's a short walk over to the Vernon-Jackson stop which is 1 stop out of Grand Central on the 7. In the area there are decent grocery stores, lots of cool bars and relatively decently priced housing. There's one building over on Commercial street that's beautiful... a great collection of converted factory lofts with an unimpeded view of the city and a 2 block walk to the bridge.

Only real downer is the whole polluted creek thing....

If not for that... I would probably buy a place there

 

[Joffrey]

Originally Posted by gdl203

I love living in NYC. I loved it when I was a student with a budget of $1500/month...

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by Jodum5

Was not that difficult to be honest. Mamoun's falafels, pizza slices, $5 pepe rosso bowls of pasta and Wendy's dollar menu were good friends.

 

[MetroStyles]

Go with a broker who charges the landlord.

Second best, go no-fee.

Last, go fee broker. It is a total rip-off and unnecessary.

 

[whiteslashasian]

Originally Posted by gdl203

^^^ I would simply expand the area around the park to include Prospect Heights, if you really want to be close to the Park. If you're OK being a long stroll or a two-stop train ride away, you should look at the Boerum Hill / Cobble Hill / Carroll Gardens.

Agree with this but would add Fort Greene to the mix. Maybe Vinegar Hill but it's a bit far from the trains (10+ minute walk).

I lived in Prospect Heights for my first year in the city and really liked the are (just didn't really end up working for my commute). It's up and coming, has a lot of interesting places to eat and drink, close to the park, Brooklyn Museum and Public Library, seemed to be able to park on the street easily, but still retained a lot of character in the neighborhood.

A less expensive option would be south of Park Slope. My sister lived in Windsor Terrace/South Slope (at the Western corner of Prospect Park) for a 2 years until recently and really liked the neighborhood. She didn't have to go into Manhattan too often at the time and had a car too (I think she paid something like 550 a month for a share with a few other roommates).

 

[Cool The Kid]

Originally Posted by gdl203

Was not that difficult to be honest. Mamoun's falafels, pizza slices, $5 pepe rosso bowls of pasta and Wendy's dollar menu were good friends.
Were you in Manhattan? Did you have roommates? How long ago was this? I lived on about that much (or maybe less) during sophomore year of college, where I shared an apt with 2 roommates. I had my own room and everything

 

[MetroStyles]

$1500 is somewhat doable. $900 for crappy room. $400 for food. $200 for going out (no taxis for you!) - you can do 3-4 drinks a night for 8 nights a month. This of course does not take into account utilities/metro card, etc.

Life sucks but it is feasible, loosely speaking.

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by Cool The Kid

Were you in Manhattan? Did you have roommates? How long ago was this?
2000 to 2002. I shared a large 2BR with one person in Park Slope ($800/m pp). Then I moved to West Soho on my own in a tiny 1BR ($1100/m), but that happened only after I secured a job and knew $ were coming for sure.

MS - I never got the feeling that life sucked then. Probably because I was hanging with other students with similar budgets so the places we would go to were fit for micro-timers. I think it would really suck to try to live on such a budget and keep up with freinds who make/spend much more.