Fordham Housing Forum

[Night_L]

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[Meggie5121]

I just paid my Fordham deposit last week and have started doing research on housing. The dorms are not an option for me because I am going to live with my boyfriend. He is going to be working in the Rockefeller Center so we really would like to live in a place between there and the Lincoln Center area. The problem is, of course, the cost of living in the midtown area. I have been looking at 1 bedroom places in the midtown area and some of them are like $2,200 a month for a 400 sq foot apartment. Would it be better to try and live in the village or even the lower east side? I am trying to balance price with convenience- just like everyone else.

We are trying to stay under $2500 ... any ideas on where the best place to live would be with this budget? Also we are both early 22 and even though we are both going to be really busy it would be nice to live kind of close to some bars and nice places to eat. I am not sure if my expectations are too high or not because I live in Atlanta now and the cost of living is wayyyyyyy less.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[infinity]

i am looking in riverdale and upper west for now. we most likely will also look at astoria.

i've always lived in ny and worked in nyc but have always had a BIG problem paying manhattan rents so that's why i am willing to look in these other places b/c i know i'll get more for my money.

[mike80]

The problem is, of course, the cost of living in the midtown area. I have been looking at 1 bedroom places in the midtown area and some of them are like $2,200 a month for a 400 sq foot apartment. Would it be better to try and live in the village or even the lower east side? I am trying to balance price with convenience- just like everyone else.

umm. both those areas are going to be just as expensive (or more). if you're set on manh, look in hells kitchen or murray hill. you can still get good deals particularly if you're only looking for a 1 br with your bf. if you don't want to spend manh money, move to the boros. it's cheaper and you can get more space.

[Darth Topher]

Consider "Inwood." (north most neighborhood of Manhattan)

Take the A train to class

[lsnhut7083]

that's where I'm looking

[Meggie5121]

Thanks for the responses

I have a feeling we are just going to end up paying more to live closer. He is a first year analyst for an investment bank and the hours are going to be really really rough. When he did it over the summer he normally was never home before 2 am on weeknights and he had to be back in the office by 9 am so adding a long commute to that would really be hard.

It just makes me sick to imagine paying $3,000 plus per month since my rent for an 800 sq foot place is $700 now. I guess I better just get used to it.

[barrister2b]

*bump*

anyone out there in fordham land looking for roommate(s)?

[jfugit]

I'm an incoming Fordham 1L looking for a roommate. Male. I'm basically looking for anywhere that isn't as expensive as the dorms, and I've been told that finding a place with a roommate is the best bet. Anyone in the same situation?

I don't live in NYC so it's hard for me to go apartment hunting. I was up there a few weeks ago to familiarize myself with the neighborhoods, though.

[dyermaker16]

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[dyermaker16]

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[underdawg]

I want to vouch for Jersey City here. There are shitty parts, but the nice parts are nice, and the place has a strong "young people" vibe. Kind of like NYC-lite really. Not a bad place at all. Also, it seems like every Filipino person I know has cousins there, if you're into Filipinos.

[mgrogan]

I'll also be attending fordham in the fall and am looking for a male roommate. I'd like to stay somewhere near the school if it is at all possible but don't want to pay anything too insane. PM me if anyone is interested.

[jlibou]

I am also in the market for a roommate(s) to share a place with near Lincoln Center. I'm coming up to the city from Philly next week to check out a couple places. Send me a message if you are interested.

[tracyb]

Hi there,

I just graduated from Fordham Law and have an apartment right across the street that is awesome for school. I have an open bedroom in a three bedroom apartment and need to resign by the end of july (the lease would begin August 1st) so if you want to check it out let me know! Check out my profile for pics of the apartment on facebook (marketplace). Its on the 28th floor of the Concerto and has a balcony - the doormen are awesome and there is a laundry and free gym in the building. Let me know - feel free to email me at tbookspan@gmail.com or bookspan@law.fordham.edu

-Tracy

[infinity]

Hi -
I will be attending Fordham this fall and know of an affordable apt share. It is on the UES but very close to subway.

Please PM me if you are interested.

[barrister2b]

for the record, finding a place in new york is retarded.

[SummaWrestler]

*bump*

starting fordham fall of 09, anyone looking for a roommate? 21yo female, clean, likes to go out, on a budget but the place has to be decent

[jrock12]

if you are looking for a safe, affordable apartment hells kitchen is your best option by far...having lived in nyc for 4yrs now (3 of those in HK), i know that there are great values for studios, 1br, and 2br in hells kitchen....you are walking distance to all fordham buildings, and 42st subway station can get you to virtually every part of nyc with ease

no disrespect to all of those potentially looking to live in other boroughs or nj (more power to you, you'll be spending a lot less than i will), but i would just keep in mind how long it could potentially take to commute in everyday on a daily basis (just remember the inconsistencies of mass transit/weather/etc...)

[heathbar88]

McMahon hall isn't bad at all. Actually, the dorms are pretty nice & clean. Law students get first dibs on singles which are 3 bedroom apartments (with 3 single rooms), a bathroom, a kitchen, and a common/living room. It's about $13,000 for the school-year so it ends up being about $1500 a month, but that includes all utilities & cable.

Unfortunately, Fordham is a Jesuit school. There is no curfew, but you can't have overnight guests of the opposite sex (you can get someone else to get a pass for them, but it's annoying). You have to get a pass for guests of the same sex if they're there after 3am, and you have to sign all guests in. Also, even if you're 21, unless everyone in your room is over 21 you're not supposed to have alcohol. Oh and it is true that mostly undergrads live in the dorms.

Good luck!

[SummaWrestler]

does anyone know of any listings that have possible graduating 3Ls posting their soon-to-be-evacuated apartments? I know the dorms seem like a good deal, but there's a possibility of not getting in bc I'm only from Philadelphia, and priority goes to people from the furthest away. I want to be prepared to have to search for an apartment.

[chilerelleno]

you guys suggesting jersey city are out of your minds. the commute is horrible--takes forever and on weekends you have to ride the path through hoboken and it takes even longer. plus the path comes rather infrequently late at night and you could be waiting 30 minutes on the platform and THEN have to go through everything else. ugh. JC is lifeless and it sucks. chain restaurants, young professional condo type stuff (lame)... i personally think life is too short to commute to midtown from jersey city. if you're doing NYC, shouldn't it be go gold or go home?

but i guess people have different priorities.

[OperaSoprano]

I am not a Fordham student, but I attended undergrad in the City, and still have a sublet in the East Village. In general, in order to take out your own lease here, you must make 40x the monthly rent annually, or you will need a guarantor who makes 80 to 120x the monthly rent, depending on your landlord or management company. In addition, you could be looking at a broker fee of 15% of the first year's rent. For these reasons, it is much easier to take over an existing lease as a subletter, as I did, or move into a vacant room in someone's apartment.

All that said, there are still bargains to be had in Manhattan, particularly on the Upper East Side, east of 3rd Ave, and above 100th St in the Columbia area, known as Morningside Heights. Your second best option is a nearby part of Brooklyn like Greenpoint or Williamsburg (the eastern fringe is fast gentrifying). I second considerations of Long Island City and Astoria. Anything else is too damn far for a law student with a full schedule!

And while my own adopted neighborhood is not cheap, you could still get luckily: I pay $1200 for an elegant room with high ceilings that is 3 blocks from Union Square, with one roommate. Believe it or not, I found it on Craigslist.

[crabbycakes]

So I don't post much here, but I'm probably headed to Fordham in the fall. Just wondering if there are any guys our there looking for a roommate. I'm an easy-going guy and looking to get an apartment because I hear the dorms are kind of sucky. Unfortunately, I have no idea where to begin really. If there's anyone who's looking that knows something about NYC, that'd be awesome.

[the fledgling]

Heading to Fordham as well Not looking for a roommate, but as a current commuter to NYC (about 2 years now) I figured I'd give my two cents. I commute from Long Island and work four blocks from the law school. My commute's a little over an hour, except in the summer when it's longer because I walk from Penn Station to save money on the subway (fyi--they're raising the fare again, possibly up to $110 for a monthly, so budget that in). The pros: I save money, can keep my car, and the beach is down the block from me. The cons: I wake up at 6:30 to get to work at 9, my life revolves around trains and their schedules and their (increasingly many) problems, and I don't live in the city ( ).

I personally will be moving to Hells Kitchen or the Upper West side, preferably close enough to the school that I could walk. I love Manhattan and am looking forward to enjoying life without having to factor in the commute home. Sure it's expensive, but the prices have been going down and I have fortunately saved up for it. I've heard good things about Astoria (a friend has a studio for $1,100) and it is closer than Brooklyn. Can't speak to Jersey City, though I imagine the view's nice if you're close to the Hudson.

And for the record: Fordham's 2008-2009 COA budget (housing portion only) allowed for $1,875 per month for 9 months rent, and that goes down to $1,400 per month for 12 months. It isn't cheap compared to other cities but it is doable.