aaaaaah wrote:lawstudento wrote:As far as budget, what is a reasonable range that I can expect for rent and utilities? I know there many areas to live in, and commutes to make, but for a 20-something new to the city on a budget, what are some areas and their respective rents? Assume finding a room to rent in a shared apartment, not having silver-spoon taste, but also trying to avoid the worst areas and commutes.
What does it cost to use public transit? Is there a monthly pass you can buy?
As a 0L, I don't have much to offer regarding the first set of questions, but as for budget concerns, I think your best bet would be Astoria/Long Island City. Most rooms in a shared apartment in those areas go for $700-$900. I'm talking about the more traditional walk-ups though; the newer buildings in LIC are probably more. Regarding utilities, I split cable, internet, gas and electric 3 ways and pay about $100/month for my share, with gas going up in the winter and electric in the summer. You could probably find a landlord to cover gas and save a little money there. An unlimited monthly metrocard is $104.
Also a 0L and not going to Fordham, but as a former NYer, the unlimited monthly metrocard is great if you're using it every day. Purchase it with your credit card in case you lose it sometime in the month because they do give refunds for lost/stolen monthly metrocards.
If you want nice but aren't high maintenance, stick to the UWS (below 100th or so), look at "Pre-war" "walk-up" buildings, and find a roommate or two (you'll probably see terms like "1 conv 2 bdrm" or "2 conv 3 bdrm", which means an extra wall has been or can be put up to create an extra bedroom. Many 20-somethings on a budget do this. Elevator/Doorman buildings tend to be more expensive, but if you find one in your price range/neighborhood, they're worth checking out. $1000 for your share of the rent is good; you shouldn't need to go over $1300/month for an okay room in a shared apartment in a decent Manhattan neighborhood. The closest train to Fordham is the 1 (red), so it'd be ideal to live near a 1 stop. However, it's also close to the A/C (blue) and B/D (orange) stops at Columbus Circle.
It's not the end of the world if you have to have a transfer in your commute, but I personally prefer as few transfers as possible.
I'd suggest starting with your ideal neighborhood (right by the law school), and then widening your search until you find apartments you like in your price range, staying along the subway routes you like.
Be careful with Craigslist... they sometimes like to call Harlem the UWS (or Spanish Harlem the UES). Granted, there's enough overlap to get away with it, but just be aware. This is not to say that Harlem and Spanish Harlem are
bad neighborhoods (I <3 SpaHa!), but they may or may not be what you're looking for.
I tip my hat to patent who is, indeed, awesome!
