New York City Rents!! Ave = $2,000 for studio

[splat]

Move to Oregon - mountains and you still won't have to pump your own gas!

Oh, yeah, it's really great. The am/pm's have one cashier/gas pumper tied up in a never ending line at the counter and they never make it out the door.
You pump your own and they flip.

[cj001f]

Oh, yeah, it's really great. The am/pm's have one cashier/gas pumper tied up in a never ending line at the counter and they never make it out the door.
You pump your own and they flip.

I did it in a Mercedes with CA plates somewhere down in the Siskiyous once - wasn't sure I was going to make it out!

[St. Jerry]

Most young people who live in manhattan can't afford it. True - their parents subsidize them.

However, there is no place in the US with as much upside income potential as NYC.

[Flexon Phil]

There is nothing I can do well enough that would pay me enough to afford to live in "The City". BTW, New Yawk is THE ONLY "City".

[SkiCougar]

Jesus Christ you people are thick. My point is that you cannot compare Manhattan to Houston. One is the center of the (arguably) epitome of the "American Urban Experience" and the other is fucking Houston.

ok, but the article did compare NYC to Houston. Having had the opportunity to live big and large in the city; i'll take a big house and extra cash around every time.
and in my opinion, chicago is the definitive american urban experience. NYC holds more with the ranks of international cities, London, Paris, Vancouver, etc. we could argue this all day, so i'm dropping it here.

[pappag]

Who said Astoria?

Ummm...yeah...Astoria is 10 minutes away from Manhattan.

[Steven S. Dallas]

Another thing to mention is that, aside from the cost, it's ridiculously hard to qualify for an apartment with most landlords. My officemate is Canadian and has only been working in the US for about a year- he's looking at a new place and the owner wants a 6 or possibly 12 month deposit. That's right- anywhere from $13,000 to $26,000 in advance, then rent on top of that. Yow. That's not typical, but Jesus- it's not like he's some illegal scrubbing toilets or something.

And then there's finder's fees, if you go through an agent, currently anywhere from 9 to 15% of the total lease value- that's from $2400 to $4000 on a $2000/month apartment. Even with a typical deposit, you're looking at an up-front payment of at least $8500 for a $2000/mo place (first, last, deposit, and finder's fee). It's so worth it...

[Woodsy]

just to toss out there:

I share a 1 bdrm in Mangattan
I pay less than $2000
I walk to work
I love living here

I would rather chew foil in a rainstorm than live in Houston

alsoto
there are tons of "native New Yorkers" that live in my neighborhood its like fixed rent heaven
I wish i paid what they did

[pappag]

So eh, that makes you a "sucker" no?

Just trying to stick to generalizations that some people are making in this thread...that's all. Carry on.

just to toss out there:

I share a 1 bdrm in Mangattan
I pay less than $2000
I walk to work
I love living here

I would rather chew foil in a rainstorm than live in Houston

alsoto
there are tons of "native New Yorkers" that live in my neighborhood its like fixed rent heaven
I wish i paid what they did

[St. Jerry]

Another thing to mention is that, aside from the cost, it's ridiculously hard to qualify for an apartment with most landlords. My officemate is Canadian and has only been working in the US for about a year- he's looking at a new place and the owner wants a 6 or possibly 12 month deposit. That's right- anywhere from $13,000 to $26,000 in advance, then rent on top of that. Yow. That's not typical, but Jesus- it's not like he's some illegal scrubbing toilets or something.

And then there's finder's fees, if you go through an agent, currently anywhere from 9 to 15% of the total lease value- that's from $2400 to $4000 on a $2000/month apartment. Even with a typical deposit, you're looking at an up-front payment of at least $8500 for a $2000/mo place (first, last, deposit, and finder's fee). It's so worth it...

It's worse to purchase a co-op. Many require you have cash in the bank equivilant to the purchase price. Plus you need to go through hoops with the co-op board. We needed 12 letters of recommendation before the board would meet with us (6 for me, 6 for my wife).

The upside is that there are few if any subprime issues with the tenants in the building that could cause a tenant to stop paying the common charges. Nor do we ever have problems with neighbors. There are no noisy neighbors/dogs/kids, etc,., it's just not allowed.

[P_McPoser]

I just can't fathom that I put less than 6k down and pay 6 something a month to own my place. Even without a car payment and the extra couple thousand "living expense" adjustment most mining engineers in The City make, god damn I don't think I could afford anything close to what I'm used to...

[CUBUCK]

I think its fair to remember that the average salary in NYC is far more than Houston or anywhere else in the country for that matter. Benny there are a lot more people in their mid-twenties making over 200k a year then you would think.

[P_McPoser]

Benny there are a lot more people in their mid-twenties making over 200k a year then you would think.

Solution: Commute from Houston.

[St. Jerry]

Solution: Commute from Houston.

Other solution: Make the $200k for a couple of years, save most of it (share an apt, roommates, live in Queens, etc,..), then move to a city like houston and buy the nicest mansion in the city. Live like a king.

[P_McPoser]

Other solution: Make the $200k for a couple of years, save most of it (share an apt, roommates, live in Queens, etc,..), then move to a city like houston and buy the nicest mansion in the city. Live like a king.

Yeah I tried the opposite. Make nearly six figures in BFE Nevada. All I did was spend what I made. I suck.

[Benny Profane]

there are tons of "native New Yorkers" that live in my neighborhood its like fixed rent heaven
I wish i paid what they did

That's a major reason why rent is so damn expensive on the free market in NYC. And why the Bronx burned in the 70's.

[Duffman]

That's a major reason why rent is so damn expensive on the free market in NYC. And why the Bronx burned in the 70's.

Yep, rent control is actually a problem in NYC. It is essentially a tax on youth, as the poor maintence of buildings in general and higher rents on unsubsidized units can be linked to below market rental units. And the great majority of them are not actually used by low-moderate income tenants, but instead is almost a housing lottery for those who have connections or get lucky. And it is somewhat responsible for the kind of adversarial relationship between many landlords and tenants that exists here. However, it is politically impossible to change, as everytime somebody brings up all the studies that prove how detrimental rent control is, somebody else troops out 95 year old Tilly who would be on the street with her 7 cats if rent control was abolished. It was a little frustrating seeing many of the people in my chelsea building paying 1/3rd of my rent for the same property.



Despite all of this expense and nonsense, I would still rather live back in Manhattan if my job didn't have me relocate. All those comparing Houston and other places need their heads examined. I could also compare the cost of McDonalds burgers to Fillet Mignon at a good steakhouse, the burger offers a much better cost per calorie.

[cj001f]

I think its fair to remember that the average salary in NYC is far more than Houston or anywhere else in the country for that matter. Benny there are a lot more people in their mid-twenties making over 200k a year then you would think.

Thats what, a take home of $100k after taxes?

[DBdude]

That's a major reason why rent is so damn expensive on the free market in NYC. And why the Bronx burned in the 70's.

HaHaHaHaHa, rent control. Just typing it makes me laugh. People wonder why rent is so expensive. It's rent control. HaHaHa, I have a relative by marriage who was a rent control lawyer at a not for profit. She never would except that rent control made New York rents incredibly high. Supply and demand curves are such a simple concept.

[CUBUCK]

Thats what, a take home of $100k after taxes?

I wouldn't know

[road trip]

Somebody else has that silly law?
But where do you get pizza? Bagels? Chinese? Korean?Indian? Italian deli? Pastrami?

How is it I have yet to meet Mr. Profane...

All the things you love in Jersey you can not find anywhere else. Period. Never leave, Benny, never leave!

(okay, maybe leave but come back)

[BeanDip4All]

Yep, rent control is actually a problem in NYC. It is essentially a tax on youth, as the poor maintence of buildings in general and higher rents on unsubsidized units can be linked to below market rental units.

the old guy down the hall from me pays $320 a month for the SAME APARTMENT I pay $1700. Then again, the couple across the hall pays $2250 for the same layout... so I guess I have a "steal" ?!

i've lived here for three years, and twice the police have knock on my door asking if I've seen the old man... then they break down his door or climb in from the windows/roof. apparently they are always afraid he is going to die in there.

he is so old. it takes him like the entire day to walk down the stairs, let his dog out, and walk back up (5 flights).

[Benny Profane]

whoops, watch out for the exploding street on your way home during rush hour. I mean, whaddya want for 2 grand, anyway?

[BeanDip4All]

Happened two blocks from my office! we evac'd - was in a boardroom, didn't even stop by my desk get my keys on the way out... people were sobbing in the streets and everyone headed uptown. scary.

[Viva]

Apparently that explosion happened right outside of the building of a company I'm currently working with. My contact there is still e-mailing me on her cell phone.