NY Associates: Where to live? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Lived in NYC before law school. Went to law school in another major city with an objectively decent standard of living. Looking at the price of NYC apartments is making me ill. Basically, what I'm paying now for my apartment would get one something with a third of the floor space, in a horrible part of town, no view, and probably infested with roaches.

Why do people live here again?

[dixiecupdrinking]

Bump. When do I need to start looking for a place to live for the summer?

It's been a while since I've looked for sublets in NYC, but from what I recall, start looking maybe a month or month and a half in advance.

I agree with this.
If you know anyone at NYC law schools, you might want to get them to send out an ad to their listserv earlier, though. Any law student who is leaving the city for a job next summer will know by Feb/March, and might want to get their sublet situation settled early.

[Helmholtz]

Bump. When do I need to start looking for a place to live for the summer?

It's been a while since I've looked for sublets in NYC, but from what I recall, start looking maybe a month or month and a half in advance.

I agree with this.
If you know anyone at NYC law schools, you might want to get them to send out an ad to their listserv earlier, though. Any law student who is leaving the city for a job next summer will know by Feb/March, and might want to get their sublet situation settled early.

I'm not sure how useful the Buy/Exchange/Giveaway/Sell forum on TLS will be for sublets since this will be the first spring / summer of having that forum, but the possibility of having a decent law-student-to-law-student sublet market on there was definitely one of the things discussed when we were talking about starting the new forum. Anyway, probably worth trying if you're selling or looking for a sublet for the summer.

[MCFC]

Bumping this. It's been around 4 years. Curious to hear any input from a newer crop of associates.

[Big Shrimpin]

wow been a while

ive been in MFH for like 4 yrs

started in UES very briefly, then to UWS for less than a year, now in a trendy AF area downtown (not fidi) for past few years

for me, saving the extra like 20-30K over 3 years wasnt worth it to live in a shitty area that i hated

youll be dead soon, so why not enjoy it

[gnomgnomuch]

I'm assuming no SO.

Consider renting a place in Brooklyn...sheepshead bay area, possibly prospect park. Decent areas (safety wise) and shouldn't break the bank.

[Big Shrimpin]

sheepshead bay is like miles from PP

sheepshead also kinda sketch IIRC

if u want BK on budget and dont wanna get shot/pay a lot, try W/N crown heights, fort greene is mostly chill, northern part of bedstuy nearer williamsburg isnt terrible, western bushwick is decent enough and then also greepoint which is actually pretty nice but kinda inaccessible

if ur really trying to save money just live far AF outside the city and nut-up with the 1.5hr+ commute tho

[King Cayuga]

What are people's thoughts on living in the financial district? Two firms that I'm looking at are located there and on my visits I've noticed that it seems a lot cleaner and less overrun with tourists than pretty much any other part of NYC, not to mention it's quieter at night. Plus, there's a ton of subway lines that converge in the area, which means that even if I'm not living with other people of my age/professional situation, I'm never far from anything. It seems like the ideal place for a low-key person who enjoys being able to control his exposure to the teeming masses of NYC.

[Big Shrimpin]

What are people's thoughts on living in the financial district? Two firms that I'm looking at are located there and on my visits I've noticed that it seems a lot cleaner and less overrun with tourists than pretty much any other part of NYC, not to mention it's quieter at night. Plus, there's a ton of subway lines that converge in the area, which means that even if I'm not living with other people of my age/professional situation, I'm never far from anything. It seems like the ideal place for a low-key person who enjoys being able to control his exposure to the teeming masses of NYC.

lived in fidi during my SA

was okay, but dead at night and tons of tourists creeping everywhere

go east vill or ABC city

[King Cayuga]

What are people's thoughts on living in the financial district? Two firms that I'm looking at are located there and on my visits I've noticed that it seems a lot cleaner and less overrun with tourists than pretty much any other part of NYC, not to mention it's quieter at night. Plus, there's a ton of subway lines that converge in the area, which means that even if I'm not living with other people of my age/professional situation, I'm never far from anything. It seems like the ideal place for a low-key person who enjoys being able to control his exposure to the teeming masses of NYC.

lived in fidi during my SA

was okay, but dead at night and tons of tourists creeping everywhere

go east vill or ABC city

Thanks. Could you tell me more about what those neighborhoods have to offer?

[Kratos]

What are people's thoughts on living in the financial district? Two firms that I'm looking at are located there and on my visits I've noticed that it seems a lot cleaner and less overrun with tourists than pretty much any other part of NYC, not to mention it's quieter at night. Plus, there's a ton of subway lines that converge in the area, which means that even if I'm not living with other people of my age/professional situation, I'm never far from anything. It seems like the ideal place for a low-key person who enjoys being able to control his exposure to the teeming masses of NYC.

lived in fidi during my SA

was okay, but dead at night and tons of tourists creeping everywhere

go east vill or ABC city

Thanks. Could you tell me more about what those neighborhoods have to offer?

lots of restaurants, bars and young people

[PennBull]

wow been a while

ive been in MFH for like 4 yrs

started in UES very briefly, then to UWS for less than a year, now in a trendy AF area downtown (not fidi) for past few years

for me, saving the extra like 20-30K over 3 years wasnt worth it to live in a shitty area that i hated

youll be dead soon, so why not enjoy it

cosign the sentiment; I have sweet spot in the UES walking distance from my midtown firm. Fuck the subway sideways.

[dixiecupdrinking]

I'm assuming no SO.

Consider renting a place in Brooklyn...sheepshead bay area, possibly prospect park. Decent areas (safety wise) and shouldn't break the bank.

Prospect Park isn't a neighborhood. ("Prospect Park South" is an area that some people refer to but it's like 2 blocks.) Sheepshead Bay is at least an hour from midtown.

Honestly if you're just looking for affordable/safe/reasonably convenient and don't care about having nightlife etc., Queens is the way to go. Jackson Heights, Sunnyside, Forest Hills.

[PennBull]

I'm assuming no SO.

Consider renting a place in Brooklyn...sheepshead bay area, possibly prospect park. Decent areas (safety wise) and shouldn't break the bank.

Prospect Park isn't a neighborhood. ("Prospect Park South" is an area that some people refer to but it's like 2 blocks.) Sheepshead Bay is at least an hour from midtown.

Honestly if you're just looking for affordable/safe/reasonably convenient and don't care about having nightlife etc., Queens is the way to go. Jackson Heights, Sunnyside, Forest Hills.

maybe they actually mean bumming it in prospect park

[ruski]

wherever you decide live you should use these guys to find the right place: www.zenly.com

they charge like 3% brokers fee and have video tours

[starryski]

I'm assuming no SO.

Consider renting a place in Brooklyn...sheepshead bay area, possibly prospect park. Decent areas (safety wise) and shouldn't break the bank.

Prospect Park isn't a neighborhood. ("Prospect Park South" is an area that some people refer to but it's like 2 blocks.) Sheepshead Bay is at least an hour from midtown.

Honestly if you're just looking for affordable/safe/reasonably convenient and don't care about having nightlife etc., Queens is the way to go. Jackson Heights, Sunnyside, Forest Hills.

^yup came to say this. im from NYC (born and raised and law schooled) i moved to the bronx for law school, and am planning to return to queens now that im done. the bronx was fine (north west) but so dull compared to queens. jackson heights, east elmhurst, sunnyside, forest hills lots of options for train lines that go in the city. it's much more diverse than any other borough. it is worth the commute. MOST people living in NYC commute. hell my parents have done it for 30+ years. i used to commute 1 1/2 hours just to get from the west side of queens to the east side in high school. i was fine. you listen to music or read a book. i completely think its worth it to pay for a 3 bed with a big living room etc, for the same price as a cramped 1 bed or studio in Chelsea.

[dwyf]

For those not from NYC- streeteasy should always be the starting place.

[smaug]

wherever you decide live you should use these guys to find the right place: http://www.zenly.com

they charge like 3% brokers fee and have video tours

I looked into this, but their selection isn't the best. OK if you're looking for higher end places, but what they list often approaches high-rise building territory, and with a high-rise you don't have to worry about the broker fee at all.

I haven't started work yet/it's too early for me to actually say, but I love my apartment. I know I'm spending too much, but both the building and where I live make me very happy. I'll be able to walk or bike to work and that is also very important to me.

Even with the crippling debt, I think it's worth thoughtfully considering what you're buying with your money. I looked at it in terms of "how much will the delay my exit/how much longer will this force me to stay in." I also thought about "well, if I had a long day and am taking a car back, will it actually get me home quickly?"

I'm sure the actual associates can better speak to how they looked at the differences in prices.

[WahooLaw24]

Any thoughts on Jersey City/ Hoboken if your firm is in Midtown East (think Grand Central area)?

[WokeUpInACar]

Any thoughts on Jersey City/ Hoboken if your firm is in Midtown East (think Grand Central area)?

I'll be exactly in this area. I've looked into this and it kind of sucks getting there from JC/Hoboken.

[Kratos]

Any thoughts on Jersey City/ Hoboken if your firm is in Midtown East (think Grand Central area)?

if you live close to a PATH train it isn't too bad. from either it's probably a solid half hour commute, on the low end and depending on how close you are to the PATH.

[dixiecupdrinking]

NJ to the east side sounds like a complete nightmare to me. What are you gonna do, PATH to 33rd and 6th and then walk 15 minutes?

I wouldn't do NJ unless you work downtown, personally.

[Tiago Splitter]

NJ to the east side sounds like a complete nightmare to me. What are you gonna do, PATH to 33rd and 6th and then walk 15 minutes?

I wouldn't do NJ unless you work downtown, personally.

I agree but I worked midtown east last summer and a surprising number of associates came from NJ. They did whatever it takes to get to the E train and took that over.

[gnomgnomuch]

I'm assuming no SO.

Consider renting a place in Brooklyn...sheepshead bay area, possibly prospect park. Decent areas (safety wise) and shouldn't break the bank.

Prospect Park isn't a neighborhood. ("Prospect Park South" is an area that some people refer to but it's like 2 blocks.) Sheepshead Bay is at least an hour from midtown.

Honestly if you're just looking for affordable/safe/reasonably convenient and don't care about having nightlife etc., Queens is the way to go. Jackson Heights, Sunnyside, Forest Hills.

There are plenty of areas around prospect park where you can rent lol. As for Sheepshead Bay being an hour away from Midtown, so what? I commuted 1.5 hours every day for undergrad, it saved me like 100k. If OP is willing to commute, he/she could seriously cut down on wasting money (and space) when compared to a place in the city somewhere.

[sublime]

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