Living in New York Series

When to Search for An Apartment, What to Look For and Look Out For, and Some Advice About Living in the City

Okay, you've come to New York, and if you've read my previous entry, you know how to make use of the subway system.

The best time to look for an apartment is generally right before summer (around May) and at the end of summer (August / September).

At the beginning of summer school is out and people are looking to sublet their places. During summer is also a good time to look for temporary stays.

At the end of summer / beginning of Fall that is when school starts and a lot of apartments are open for renting for short and long term.

In truth, New York is a very lively city and there are always apartments for rent. Cost and location are definitely key considerations, however.

Things to Be Careful Of

Get a receipt if you are putting down a deposit or paying the first month's rent or for anything you are giving money for. There are shady people who will take your money and then deny you the apartment. If you have a receipt it is proof that you paid money and it is usable in court.

If you have your own room make sure it has a lock on it. Your valuables are just that -- valuable. I had a friend whose landlady wouldn't allow rooms to be locked. That posed a major problem as the other roommate was, well, evil. What if her passport was taken? Or money? Would the landlady take responsible? In her case, no, so my friend had to move out.

Key. You should receive a key so you can freely enter and leave the apartment. Not receiving a key is unreasonable. Do you have to wait for the landlord/lady to be home to open the door for you? Worse, if the person is unreasonable, he or she can lock you out and you can't get to your belongings.

Internet. If a place doesn't provide internet then you can afford it. If you are only living here one year all the internet companies have major deals and split among roommates makes the cost very cheap.

I know everyone loves free internet but the person whose name is on the bill is the one responsible. And yes, America monitors where we surf. It's one thing to surf naughty sites, but most people don't want to be responsible if their tenants are visiting unseemly sites. To spell it out for you -- fear of terrorism. So if a landlord / lady does not include internet, don't push it. They have their reasons and they don't want to embarrass anyone by talking about it.


Advice:

Location. Check out the area always. I see a lot of people on mailing lists and who have answered ads I've posted who say they want to rent a room or an apartment without even seeing the apartment.

The key phrase here is 'Look Before You Leap'

Check out the area first and foremost. Is it convenient? Will you do cooking? Are there supermarkets nearby? Restaurants? Drugstores? How are the prices? You can afford the rent but can you afford to live there?

Check out the roommates. I've heard lots of horror stories about roommates. Meet the roommates, see if you like them. If they are never there that may also be a good thing :)
The worst thing about spending all that money and energy into moving into an apartment is when you have to move out a month later because of a bad roommate (it has happened!)

Commute / travel. How long is it? Cheaper apartments are in Brooklyn and Queens. That being said, can you handle the one hour or more commute? Is it far from the train station or bus stop? A ten or 15 minute walk isn't too bad. Those ten minutes can actually put you in a better neighborhood. Don't forget, unsavory types can be around or live in stations. You may have lucked out and have only a 2 minute walk but how safe is the area?

Just remember, New York is generally safe, but it is still the big city. Even the richest and safest neighborhoods have crime.

Be aware of your surroundings.

Keep track of where your valuables are.

Don't listen to music while you are walking. You need to hear what's going on around you.

I'll probably post more advice when I think of it or to answer questions. Stay safe and have a great time here!