How to find an apartment in NYC
Series on how to thrive while saving in the world’s most expensive city
If you are new here, this is the second post of my living in NYC series. Check out my previous post about budgeting while living in the city.
So, you have decided you want to live in the glamorous New York City but you do not know where to begin? I’m here to help. I have gone through the process twice myself, once with a roommate and once on my own. I have gotten my “dream” apartment within my budget the second time around.
Apartment searching will begin to feel more like apartment hunting unlike in other cities, and it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Unless you have a high budget or are very flexible on location and/or number of roommates, it will likely be a difficult time.
Expectations: How to prepare?
- Get a sense of the market by searching early but not too early. Listings in New York City are mostly posted 2 weeks to 1.5 months ahead of time.
- Use Streeteasy to search. It has the most complete picture of the NYC market. Keep in mind there is not much point to start browsing more than 2 months before you plan to move in.
- Search in the areas you are interested within NYC. People usually start by narrowing down how close…
