Hello!!

My name is Alex and my buddy and I are currently living in a large studio/home-office on Battery Place for $2850/month (about dorm prices but way nicer). Our lease expires on Sep 1st and rent will go up to $3000/month, putting the "luxury" apartment just out of our range. We were going to go up to the next size apartment and get a third room-mate in order to keep the rent around the $1400 mark. However, there are no available apartments of that size for Sep 1.

Where should we move to? We don't mind a 20-25 minute subway commute to Washington Sq. Any thoughts on the DUMBO/Vin Hill area ... 109 Gold Street??

Thanks so much guys!

-Alex

Williamsburg

Alex,

How are you paying that kind of rent in college?
Are your parents paying that $18,000 a year in rent?
Or is this just part of the student loan jackpot?

What's your total damage going to be at the end of 4 years?
$200,000 ?

Hi Alex,

I used to go to NYU. I would consider living on the upper east side. I live here and I think you can get a lot of bang for your buck. Plus, if you're near the 4,5, 6 train the ride shouldn't be more than 25 minutes to get to school.

Renting in a NYU dorm is $14000+ for the academic year (around 9 months) for a shared room and $16000+ for the academic year for a private room. It is another $4000 + for the meal plan for the academic year. Room and board is what brings the cost of attending NYU up to $60,000-65,000 a year (I would say closer to $65,000 a year or $260,000 for 4 years of a NYU undergrad education without financial aid; unfortunately, NYU tends to be miserly with aid).

Alex, My son and friends are renting a duplex in Williamsburg for a little over $16,000 a year but that number is for 12 months, not 9 months. Also,
He will save on food expenses since he and his friends cookin their own kitchen. NYU room and board costs are expensive. Generally, finding other roommatesnwill make living even in "hot"'areas very competitive with NYU prices.

Williamsburg and Greenpoint are both nice areas for college students, as well as Clinton Hill, Ft. Greene (less expensive than the former 2 places in Brooklyn). The places you mentioned should be OK with nicer amenities and convenient access to Manhattan. It dependson if you want to live in a nicer apt./ building or if you want a more happening place for people of your age. For instance, Williamsburg is full of very young people.

If you are looking to be more economical, then you should look into Astoria, a very diverse neighborhood with close access to Manhattan. LIC would have more modern apts. But the rents are likely to be higher than Astoria.

Using the same NYU budget for housing and food, you will find you have good choices with one roommate and even better with 2-3 other roommates in some nice places with close proximity to Manhattan.

Haha, second paragraph above:
"are cooking in their own kitchen."

I would look for an east village walk-up. You certainly do not need a doorman as you should have reasonable amount of free time for deliveries etc. Why not be close to the action?

Anywhere as long as it isn't in my building. I need college students in my building like a I need a whole in my head!

oops - meant "hole" not "whole" obviously.

How much time, money, aggravation, etc. are you going to spend moving to save $75/month each?

Can you try negotiating with your landlord to keep the rent at $2,900 (or split the difference at $2,925)?

I gotta say I agree with lad. See if the LL will cut you a break. If he won't, can you cut back on something else to make up the extra $75 per person? Movies, drinks out with the guys, Starbucks, etc? Keep in mind that moving will cost in both money and time. Also, finding and screening a new roomie sounds like a major PITA.

I also agree with lad. If you decide to move, it'd better save you a bundle to do so. In this case, you may consider moving to Jersey City near the Grove Street station area. You can get to NYU by getting off the 9th street station in Manhattan. First of all, PATH is much cheaper than subway. Secondly, rent over there is much cheaper but the neighborhood is still very nice for young people. Give it a thought.

Plus, sales tax for grocery is only 3% over there.

Why do you need to be in Manhattan?
How bout Astoria or Forest Hills? You can get a REAL 2 bedroom in the 1800-2100 range.
That would be about 600-700 bucks per month.

Re How bout Astoria or Forest Hills?

yeah why not Mineola or Valley Stream while you're at it. Now there's a college experience.

Hey everyone! Thanks so much for your comments .. this is my first time using streeteasy and I'm amazed at the number of responses. Seriously, you guys are awesome!

1) dealboy, my parents are willing to pay housing (anything equal to or less than NYU dorms) until May and then I will be on my own (and unfortunately architecture doesn't pay all that well to start out haha but I will figure it out). Also, Rlr689 got it right on the nose ... NYU prices are insane and that is why I sought out another option, which while not much cheaper, is a lot nicer and therefore seems like less of a rip.

2) rlr689, thanks for the advice on Astoria and LIC. Will also check out Greenpoint + Clinton Hill!

3) 300_mercer, I would love to be in the east village but the apartments seem to be very expensive for what you get and furthermore, what you get tends to be a Jacobson Property haha. When I was looking in the East Village last year the reasonably priced places were very deep in the alphabet and with a lack of transit, seemed even more isolated.

3) jim_hones10. I know you're prob just messing around but just so you know my parents are hard-working professors who have saved and saved so I can get an amazing education. I have a 3.9, am extremely mature and certainly don't take what my parents have given me for granted. Also, I'm straight ... just not close-minded! Makes life easier haha ... okay now back to apartments lol.

4) lad, bramstar, and vic64, thanks for the comments! Keeping the price the same was my first try ... many have tried, all have failed haha. It seems we are easily replaceable! $75/month each more wouldn't be the end of the world but I am trying to move to a cooler area than FiDi/Battery Park City and pay more like $1100-1200/month (each) instead of what would turn into $1500. Not a huge savings but fairly significant and prob. worth the move!

5) ericho 75 ... might be a possibility ... thanks!

Thanks everyone
-Alex

I went to NYU for business school, and had a dorm room for all of one day. A share AND twin beds only! Its definitely a better deal to live anywhere BUT the doorms - even (older) doorman buildings are cheaper. Its true.

>Re How bout Astoria or Forest Hills?

>yeah why not Mineola or Valley Stream while you're at it. Now there's a college experience.

LOL
Yes, young adult move OUT of queens, not TO queens.

"Plus, sales tax for grocery is only 3% over there."

Enterprise Zones!

(I think it's up to 3 1/2% now, since the state raised the regular sales tax to 7% and the lower enterprise zone rate is half of that.)

Hi Alex! Did you consider Bedford-Stuyvesant? I might will have something for you. You said 3 BR?