quote:

Originally posted by jerZ07002 jersey is a tough commute for columbia, but if you don't mind commuting for an hour to an hour and a half a day, you could get a spot in jersey for under 1k. Look for places that have direct bus service to the port authority bus terminal, where you can connect to 1 train line uptown. You should look into riverdale/kingsbridge in the bronx. The bronx has a bad name, but that part isn't so bad. Plus, the one train go through the neighborhood. NOTHING EAST OF BROADWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

You misunderstood, that Jersey place is only for the time of apartment hunting. 1-1.5 hours of daily commuting is definitely unacceptable. I wanna enjoy my time at campus and maybe stay a bit longer for a coffee or two after studying/classes without having to worry to catch the last trains :/

By "anything below 1.500 is fantasy" I obviously talk about studios/1 BR apts. I've been spoilt by living on my own for years now (1.5 BR, 55 m² apartment close to Vienna's city center for - relatively - ridiculous 550 EUR/month), and I have slightly sociopathic tendencies, but I'm actually okay with the notion of sharing 2-3 bedrooms to make my studying experience more complete. As you said already, it's not like I'm gonna spend the bulk of my spare time at home.

By the looks of it, you can find really nice 3 BR apts. in the(western) Morningside nighborhood for around 3k/month. Seems like the ideal solution so far. Thanks for the suggestions of looking for a student sublet for those 2 weeks of searching and for the rest of your tips! Really looking forward to it all - time to get an update on the current nightclub landscape

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"Those are my principles, if you don't like them... well, I have others.”

quote:

Originally posted by jerZ07002 fortunately for you, you don't have to renegotiate your rents every month. the reality of this recession is it's hitting professionals much harder than prior recessions, and maybe most blue collar workers (with the exception of the auto industry). Jobs that were once thought of as recession proof (e.g., lawyers) are now vulnerable. When over 100K banker and 10K lawyers, the upper echelon of the city, lost their jobs it's difficult to sustain those types of rents (that's over 100K people who made a minimum of 100K a year and up to over 1M a year). Professionals who used to be employed and lived in manhattan now can't afford the same rents (and those types were indiscriminately paying ridiculous rents, as a measure of status).

that goes without saying, we had a few tenants lose their jobs and others who simply were feeling the crunch. We negotiated with our 'good' tenants but no one got more that 7% less rent. And 7% adds up over the year!

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Originally posted by Kinezi I hate living in manhattan coz of all the swarm of tourists there..

that doesn't make any type of sense. i've lived here for going on 4yrs and wouldn't say there are a swarm on tourists you couldn't get away from. i only run into tourists by work and that's because i'm a block from time square and even there it's pretty clear most of the people on 6th work in the area.

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Originally posted by Ygrene I once saw Swamper peel off 4 or 5 $100 bills from a fat roll and say this to Donald Trump: "Go clean yourself up; you look like a bum.". And then he threw the bills right in Trump's face/hair! Then Swamper and his entourage of 30, who were all wearing TA monogramed Rolexes, left the room and flew to Hawaii for a few hours because Del wanted fresh coconut. To his defense, Trump didn't even really look like a bum.

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Originally posted by chimera66 that doesn't make any type of sense. i've lived here for going on 4yrs and wouldn't say there are a swarm on tourists you couldn't get away from. i only run into tourists by work and that's because i'm a block from time square and even there it's pretty clear most of the people on 6th work in the area.

Lol true. You find tourists in touristy parts of town. Can't say that I've ever seen a big crowd of people with cameras being led by a tour guide through washington heights.

quote:

Originally posted by chimera66 that doesn't make any type of sense. i've lived here for going on 4yrs and wouldn't say there are a swarm on tourists you couldn't get away from. i only run into tourists by work and that's because i'm a block from time square and even there it's pretty clear most of the people on 6th work in the area.

6th ave is vastly different than 7th. I work on 42nd and 7th, and I can't escape the tourists. The double decker busses pick up tourists right in front of my building. i hate it! why any business would voluntarily relocate to times square is beyond me. as soon as the tax abatements expire i bet there will be a drop in rents.

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Originally posted by jerZ07002 6th ave is vastly different than 7th. I work on 42nd and 7th, and I can't escape the tourists. The double decker busses pick up tourists right in front of my building. i hate it! why any business would voluntarily relocate to times square is beyond me. as soon as the tax abatements expire i bet there will be a drop in rents.

agreed, i never go west unless i absolutely have to. time square is the mecca for those people. as for thos buses that sucks for you, sometimes i have to go to the food emporium on 8th i think and they pick up there as well and it's craziness.

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quote:

Originally posted by Ygrene I once saw Swamper peel off 4 or 5 $100 bills from a fat roll and say this to Donald Trump: "Go clean yourself up; you look like a bum.". And then he threw the bills right in Trump's face/hair! Then Swamper and his entourage of 30, who were all wearing TA monogramed Rolexes, left the room and flew to Hawaii for a few hours because Del wanted fresh coconut. To his defense, Trump didn't even really look like a bum.

Kelly and Wai and Erica have already noted that living in Harlem can be totally affordable and fun, but I gotta put my two cents in.

If you're unwilling to do the roommate deal, go to NJ or one of the outer boroughs. But if you aim for Manhattan and can handle sharing, Harlem (not all neighborhoods, but many -- i live in west harlem near CCNY) is affordable and can be great.

If for no other reason, things happen in Harlem - not drunk frat boys, not silly tourists - real people who live here. I wouldn't trade the experiences of election night, and this past weekend after MJ died with living in any other state or neighborhood. There is something visceral and just plain ALIVE here. I am reminded almost every day why I live in NYC - sometimes that happens in Chelsea where I work, but more often than not it happens in Harlem.

Good luck in any case.

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iamcharlie

Or you can rent at Edbiza....hourly, weekly, or monthly..

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Jesus Christ, George, I don't see you for two years and you show up on my doorstep with 110 pounds of blow

ill just neeed a couple of minutes

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Gray's Papaya for breakfast, lunch and dinner

In case somebody cares: I successfully moved - found a really nice/spacious/well located 2BR apt. in the Upper West which I'm sharing with a Univ. colleague of mine. About time to explore NYC nightlife Thanks for all your suggestions!

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"Those are my principles, if you don't like them... well, I have others.”