This weekend I did a lot of apartment hunting. As much as it was fun and exciting, it was also sort of exhausting. When you go out with a landlord or realtor to look at places, you'll probably see a bunch of places in different price ranges with different fees and utilities, so it's easy to get things mixed up!
I started off on Saturday in the East Village. I'll be working in SoHo, so I figured that it would be cool to live in a neighborhood that I like and be able to walk to work. Unfortunately, this first day of searching was a harsh reality check on how much I can afford -- all of the places I saw were SO TINY and SO EXPENSIVE! The apartments were all two bedroom "wing" style, which means that there is a kitchen with a (tiny) bedroom off each side. No living area or common space. And these places on 2nd Avenue and Avenue C were going for nearly $2,000 a month before utilities. No way!
Today was more encouraging. I looked at places on the Upper West Side, and felt a little relieved that there were places that I could see myself living that were also within my price range. I looked at a two bedroom place on West 106th Street that I really liked -- nice kitchen, big rooms and common space, and some exposed brick walls. I love exposed brick walls! As a bonus, I actually have a friend who lives on the same block and loves the neighborhood, so I know that it will be a nice place to live. My potential roommate is coming to take a look at the place this week, so I finally feel like this search is going somewhere.
I really love the fact that all of the places I've been looking at are pre-war buildings. They all have hardwood floors and awesome high ceilings. Most of them that I've seen have been renovated, but some are in tough shape. I guess you just have to be careful and do your research before you sign on a place!
I LOVE exposed brick! How much are those apartments going for? I'm definitely nervous to undertake apartment-hunting next year; how are you going about hunting?
ReplyDeleteThat's so exciting! I'm only a sophomore, but I know I want to live in the city after school, so I can't wait to eventually go apartment hunting. It must be so stressful, though! Best of luck :)
ReplyDeleteeek, good luck with the search! I'm so not looking forward to movingg
ReplyDeleteCourtney, the 2 bedroom apartment I like on the UWS goes for $1,600 a month, so it's pretty reasonable.
ReplyDeleteMy strategy has been to do equal parts of looking online, walking through neighborhoods that I'm interested in and finding buildings that are advertising rooms for rent, and dropping into real estate offices and asking to see what they have available!
I really like the exposed brick, too. My future roommates and I are looking in Brooklyn, and we're trying to do a 3 bedroom apt. among 4 people. We're hoping to keep the rent around 600 a month per person--if we can do it for less, great. Yes, I agree, so stressful!
ReplyDeleteKristen, where have you been finding apartments? I am looking now... yet still without a job, have no idea how I can afford it yet, but I have only been using craigslist, and it can be kind of sketchy! I would love to know how you found your places!
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