Moving to New York!

[endersgame]

just a reminder, if you use a broker, their standard commission is 15% of your annual rent.

[thehouseofdis]

^ Yeah, what a racket. Do brokers provide any useful service besides knowing what is for rent? I guess it's all part of living in New York.

[t-bone]

You get access to the apartments that only brokers are showing (most). Also with a broker, if you like a place (and you have decent credit) you basically can get it. With no-fee places its you and 100 other people all applying and they can cherry-pick the best tenants.

[endersgame]

brokerage rentals is still the way to go if you want to find a place hassle free or even find something while still on the west coast (which is what you really want–a place to stay the moment you get off the plane)

i've had few experiences with rental brokers. i know some charge you a credit check/application fee which is a total scam. i would guess the cheaper your rent is, the more sleaze-bag the realtor will be..

if you have a chance to stay at a friend or relatives for a few weeks and hunt a place down broker-free or find a job first (i don't know what your priority is), then that would probably be best..

[thehouseofdis]

if you have a chance to stay at a friend or relatives for a few weeks and hunt a place down broker-free or find a job first (i don't know what your priority is), then that would probably be best..

That's exactly what I'm doing. I'm staying with a friend in Brooklyn for a month while I look for work and check out different neighborhoods. I'm hoping I can find a decent job not long after I land as I'm sending out applications and résumés now.

[casem]

This thread gives me a laugh whenever it reappears, oh how young I was.

At least I'm back, or nearly back (within hour transit) now. Good luck on the move Dis!

[MikeN]

When I was looking for my last apartment, I actually documented the entire process in a series of blog posts for Curbed.com. People have told me they're helpful, so check them out... the comments are especially golden.

Part 1: http://tinyurl.com/66vuyax
Part 2: http://tinyurl.com/68d3ex8
Part 3: http://tinyurl.com/6dwf2e2
Part 4: http://tinyurl.com/2g8pfww

[Faust]

/\ "hipster"!!!!

[vapidly]

What I have done to find my places was just interview with a bunch of people offering shares. I have had great luck with my apartment locations and roomies. Last year I was living on 15th btwn 7+8 for 1200 a month for 2b share and now I'm on sullivan between houston and bleecker and pay only around 800, granted it is a fifth floor walk-up, but dirt cheap.
I've heard a lot of nightmares about people getting lousy roomies from craigslist and i can see how it can be a very likely scenario, but IMO if you search around enough and talk to enough of the rentees you should be able to find something you're looking for.
Also, keep in mind, when I was living in greenpoint and williamsburg a few years back, i had 3-4x more space than i do now, but its not manhattan.

[swami]

One broker compared a FIDI lobby ceiling to "the sixteen chapel".

[thehouseofdis]

Thanks Mike. I'll be in touch in April.

[JacobChristian]

When I was looking for my last apartment, I actually documented the entire process in a series of blog posts for Curbed.com. People have told me they're helpful, so check them out... the comments are especially golden.

Part 1: http://tinyurl.com/66vuyax
Part 2: http://tinyurl.com/68d3ex8
Part 3: http://tinyurl.com/6dwf2e2
Part 4: http://tinyurl.com/2g8pfww

thanks mike, great inside info

[Carpe Noctem]

When I was looking for my last apartment, I actually documented the entire process in a series of blog posts for Curbed.com. People have told me they're helpful, so check them out... the comments are especially golden.

Part 1: http://tinyurl.com/66vuyax
Part 2: http://tinyurl.com/68d3ex8
Part 3: http://tinyurl.com/6dwf2e2
Part 4: http://tinyurl.com/2g8pfww

Haha dude I see you around all the time, we have like 20 friends in common on FB. I feel like we've met too. Small fucking town NYC is. Documentation is dope too.

Can anyone recommend a half-decent club? Friends want to go out and I haven't been clubbing in ages. I think that the Internet (instant info on cool) has killed the NYC clubbing scene, but is there anything these days that a) possible for mortals to get into b) not filled with meatheads? Preferably where you can have dinner and dance in the same place (but doesn't have to be). I guess something along the line of what Lotus used to be like years ago...

To be honest, Kenmare is the only place worth going to right now in NYC. Mister H is pretty good, but it's new and the door is pretty tight.

Also, as far as apartments go, finding a one BR is probably the toughest thing you can do in NYC as far as finding apartments go. Finding larger spaces are much easier. If you have some friends you don't mind living with, you can find bigger spaces for effectively lower costs. I'm currently getting a 2000 sq ft place, 15 ft cielings (sick!) in SoHo ready for an April 1st move in that's costing ~1500 each with 3 people including me. Those kinds of situations are much better, and more ubiquitous, than finding a small studio (anywhere) in downtown NYC that's less than $1800.

[kunk75]

rawhide! :p

[thehouseofdis]

I'll be there in two weeks.