Finding the perfect apartment in New York City is challenging. After all, competition is fierce, and prices vary widely. Here are our top tips for locating the ideal place to call home in New York City:
Start early
If you know you’ll be moving to NYC, begin your search as soon as possible. This research will help you determine where you want to live and what price range is reasonable. While many apartments don’t go on the market until 1-2 months before move-in day, knowing what to expect will help you decide quickly.
Set reasonable expectations
If you’re new to NYC, you may be shocked by the prices and sizes of NYC apartments. Keep in mind that NYC has a large population in a small geographical space, so personal space is limited. Some flats are just single rooms that share a bathroom as a college dorm would. Some places don’t have kitchens. Keep in mind that you must make 40x your monthly rent or have a guarantor who makes 80x your rent to secure a lease in NYC.
Use many resources
There are several helpful apps and websites for NYC apartment hunting. If you want to live in Brooklyn, there’s an apartment site for that. If you’d like to go high-end in NYC, you can opt for a paid-entry website. Regardless of your budget and neighborhood, do a quick Google search to find the best apartment hunting website for your needs. And don’t forget about Craigslist. While not all of Craiglist’s listings are up to par, lots of New Yorkers use this site to find housing.
Take the day off
You’ll need to dedicate an entire day to apartment hunting. Keep in mind that NYC is massive. There are five boroughs, and it’s not exactly quick to hop from place to place. It’s best to decide which borough and neighborhood you’d like to look in before touring apartments. Your location can mean the difference between a 10-minute commute and an hour-long trip with multiple forms of transportation.
Decide if you’ll need a roommate
Due to high living costs, many NYC residents have roommates well beyond their 20s. You’ll find that life here is fast-paced and many New Yorkers are rarely home anyway, so splitting the rent multiple ways may not be the worst option.
Move fast
In NYC, an apartment can disappear from listings within a matter of minutes. Be prepared with all the documents you’ll need to secure a lease. This list includes things like a copy of your identification, pay stubs, and a deposit. If you’ve done your research on NYC apartments, you’ll know when you’ve found an apartment worth scooping up right away.
NYC apartment hunting can seem like an overwhelming task. But once you find the perfect place, it’s all worth the struggle. No city compares to New York City: it’s full of fantastic food, people, entertainment, and surprises. Once you’ve signed your lease, be sure to call Imperial Movers to schedule your move. One of NYC’s top apartment movers, we serve all five boroughs with reliable and professional moving services.
