Hi, I'm from Europe and plan to buy a small condo in NYC. I can work everywhere and my son will start to study at Columbia College this fall. I love NY and have spent a lot on renting and hotels over the years. Now I want to fulfill my dream of my own home in the city. So the best value I could find so far below 600K is a small 1BR with balcony in Clinton (38th and 9th) and a little bigger 1BR... [more]
Hi,
I'm from Europe and plan to buy a small condo in NYC.
I can work everywhere and my son will start to study at Columbia College this fall. I love NY and have spent a lot on renting and hotels over the years. Now I want to fulfill my dream of my own home in the city.
So the best value I could find so far below 600K is a small 1BR with balcony in Clinton (38th and 9th) and a little bigger 1BR with balcony at 114th Street next to Morningside Park. Both are small new developments.
As my son will live on campus and my Visa status won't allow me to stay for more than 3 months at a time I would like to rent the apartment while I'm not using it.
So - for my own needs (i.e. I love to go running in a park + the environment is much nicer in Morningside) + I can be in midtown within 20 minutes and my son could walk to visit..I would choose the Morningside Condo.
(I also like Clinton a lot, at least closer to 42nd Street, I've lived there before - but I'd have to walk a few blocks to public transportation and of course there is no park.)
So far I have not lived above 96th but wouldn't mind to change that.
As I want to short-term rent my place when I'm away I guess it would be easier to rent the Clinton place?
Any thoughts on the neighbourhood, the value, etc. would be appreciated,
thanks in advance!
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Response by Jeff260
over 17 years ago
Posts: 10
Member since: Mar 2008
I've lived in both neighborhoods, and, given the circumstances you've described, would choose the morningside apartment over the Clinton one. 38th and 9th is too close to the Port Authority for my taste, and can be seedy at night. If you were a little higher up, I might have a different view, but it would also be more expensive. That's not to say morningside is much safer, and my experience -- at least 10 years ago when I went to columbia -- was that it was not a park many people took a run in. I don't know how easy it is to rent out either location, but I'd imagine that you could at least tap into the grad student population in the columbia area.
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Response by path
over 17 years ago
Posts: 22
Member since: Jan 2008
In my opinion Clinton is a much better location in a strategic sense. Morningside is just too far from the action. Sure, if you are thinking proximity to Columbia, that's one thing, but everything else...The safety comments by Jeff260..I am not sure, depends on what you do and where you go and what time of the day, so in other words you can be safe anywhere in the city or not safe at all...
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Response by buddyparker
over 17 years ago
Posts: 67
Member since: Feb 2008
I know the building you are talking about on 9th I think. Is Jan the guy you are speaking to? If it is, the building is very shoddy construction. They still dont have their c/o and there was water damage in the basement when we looked there. Be careful buying there and really thoroughly check this place out. As far as location it is a little seedy at night and there is no doorman if this is the building I am thinking of.
Hi,
thanks a lot for all this very helpful information!
I guess I will continue my search and if I'm lucky find something in my favorite area on UWS close to CPW - or decide for Morningside.
What I find interesting in my search: in Europe we are used to having our individual W/D everywhere but no doorman anywhere..maybe because I'm used to that I would like to find something like that in NYC as well.
But while in NYC doormen are everywhere , Washer/Dryers in small apartments are very rare (if so then mostly in new developments - and usually above my spending limit).
I've lived in both neighborhoods, and, given the circumstances you've described, would choose the morningside apartment over the Clinton one. 38th and 9th is too close to the Port Authority for my taste, and can be seedy at night. If you were a little higher up, I might have a different view, but it would also be more expensive. That's not to say morningside is much safer, and my experience -- at least 10 years ago when I went to columbia -- was that it was not a park many people took a run in. I don't know how easy it is to rent out either location, but I'd imagine that you could at least tap into the grad student population in the columbia area.
In my opinion Clinton is a much better location in a strategic sense. Morningside is just too far from the action. Sure, if you are thinking proximity to Columbia, that's one thing, but everything else...The safety comments by Jeff260..I am not sure, depends on what you do and where you go and what time of the day, so in other words you can be safe anywhere in the city or not safe at all...
I know the building you are talking about on 9th I think. Is Jan the guy you are speaking to? If it is, the building is very shoddy construction. They still dont have their c/o and there was water damage in the basement when we looked there. Be careful buying there and really thoroughly check this place out. As far as location it is a little seedy at night and there is no doorman if this is the building I am thinking of.
Check out the 4th comment in this dicussion: http://www.streeteasy.com/nyc/talk/discussion/3425-brownstone-single-2-or-3-family-which-one-is-a-better-investment
The comment gives you a sense of what's going on in Harlem.....I would buy the Morningside unit.
Hi,
thanks a lot for all this very helpful information!
I guess I will continue my search and if I'm lucky find something in my favorite area on UWS close to CPW - or decide for Morningside.
What I find interesting in my search: in Europe we are used to having our individual W/D everywhere but no doorman anywhere..maybe because I'm used to that I would like to find something like that in NYC as well.
But while in NYC doormen are everywhere , Washer/Dryers in small apartments are very rare (if so then mostly in new developments - and usually above my spending limit).