By Catherine Irving
Moving to
New York City is an expensive and overwhelming endeavor. You need plenty of financial reserves and a knowledge of how renting an apartment in New York works. Look for jobs by networking and checking local resources like the Village Voice for opportunities. Newcomers should be prepared to downsize, hold down more than one job and find free events to keep entertainment costs low.
Financial Resources
Moving to New York typically requires a savings of five times your expected monthly rent. This covers first and last month's rent, plus a security deposit. Avoid paying a broker's fee to a real estate agent by looking at no-fee apartments, word of mouth and contacting landlords personally.
Sublets
Look for sublets by posting flyers and asking colleagues and friends for referrals. This allows newcomers the opportunity to explore neighborhoods and avoid costly fees.
Co-ops
According to Manhattan Connection (see Resources) 85 percent of all apartments available for purchase are in co-operative buildings. Co-ops entail a share of a building, passing a co-op board approval, and paying high monthly maintenance fees.
Downsizing Lifestyle
Even high-end apartments in New York are small in comparison to other cities and require creative downsizing. Cars are an unnecessary expense and large items can be stored at Manhattan Mini Storage (see Resources).
Finding Work
New Yorkers find jobs through networking and checking job boards and the Village Voice (see Resources). Most will work more than one job to make ends meet.
Enterainment
New York based websites like Free NYC lists free daily concerts, food and gallery openings and can help keep entertainment costs low.
Resources
About the Author:
Catherine Irving is a travel and lifestyle writer living in Brooklyn, New York and has been professionally freelance writing since 2002. She's written for "Young Money," Kayak.com, Pokemon.com and numerous other national outlets. Irving graduated with a bachelor's degree in film with a minor in English from Georgia State University.
