Help! Wife is moving to NY September 1st

[jeffrey_X]

My wife is moving to NY September 1st for a full year to do her residency/internship at Jacobi hospital in the Bronx.

She is going to live in Manhattan. Not sure how, but we are going to make it work financially. Do I need to use a broker? Can someone give me a good explanation on how the broker fees work? Is it impossible to find a place without a broker?

We know that she'll need to live close to either the 2 or the 5 in order to make it up to the bronx. We can go as far south as union square on the 5 and 23rd street in Chelsea on the 2.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Fredda Weinberg]

1. It's a lot cheaper to live in the Bronx and an easier commute

Whenever I've paid a broker, it was a month's rent and I was always satisfied. Of course, taking my mother along was a good prop.

Sure you can find one without a broker; it just takes leg work. But if you're pressed for time, and I was staying in a NJ motel (damn cheap, even adding in the tolls), you'll take advantage of the listings that aren't available anywhere else.

If you can plan some day trips, walk around and look for signage - you may even see a broker with an attractive office. But I'd start in the Bronx ... there are some really nice sections w/reasonable housing costs.

[DeeDeeNY]

2. The North Bronx is a really nice area

And much more reasonable for rent than Manhattan.
Knowing the hours that residents put in, it makes sense to be as close to the hospital as possible instead of commuting from Manhattan. Maybe she can contact other interns or medical staff at the hospital to get some ideas on living arrangements?

[ThomCat]

3. If you want to make this financially feasible,

you really, really want to consider living up in the Bronx. Anything affordable in Manhattan is going to be a tiny little closet, and probably not a very good quality closet. (especially in the Union Square and Chelsea areas)

Deals are out there, but you really need to search for them, know NYC, and get very, very lucky. I wouldn't depend on that kind of luck.

If you really want to have her living in Manhattan, a broker is almost mandatory. It's less mandatory in the Bronx, but can still help. Just expect to pay a lot of money up front for that broker.

[HamdenRice]

4. Why on earth would she want to live in Manhattan

Honestly, I don't think you are going to find a single New Yorker who can help you with your question because it simply makes no sense. The north Bronx is a lovely area and would be much closer to the hospital.

Why would she want to (1) pay double or triple rent and substantially more in all her expenses in order to (1) live under miserable conditions in a tiny cramped apartment, which is about all she would be able to afford, (3) double or triple her commute time and (4) never see trees or grass or know her neighbors?

I don't mean to sound harsh, but I've known several people who have gone through first year residencies, including one at Jacobi. If she tries to live far from the hospital, let alone tries to live in Manhattan, I predict that after a few months she'll have to bail from the apartment, move to the Bronx anyway and lose all the value of her broker's fee. What you are proposing to do just doesn't seem doable.

[Sanity Claws]

5. I don't want to highjack this thread but I have a similar issue

I posted a month ago or so about needing a sublet in August and still need some ideas or help.
New York has changed a lot since I moved away 20 years ago. I would love to hear about neighborhoods you recommend in the Bronx. I'm looking for a one bedroom apartment and want to be within reasonable commuting time and distance of midtown Manhattan. I'd appreciate any ideas.

[Smarmie Doofus]

6. Riverdale.

Hilly. Picturesque. Nice mix of old and new construction , private homes and apartment buildings. Interesting population mix also. Everyone fits in.

My apt would cost twice as much in Bklyn Hghts and three-four times as much in Manhattan.

[Sanity Claws]

7. Riverdale sounds nice

What is the commute time to Midtown? Also is that by subway, express bus, or MetroNorth?
Thanks.

[Smarmie Doofus]

8. Some people walk to the #1 train on Broadway.

It's a local . You have to change at 168th street to get the faster A train. I never make the trip during rush, and I rarely make it at all. Most communters take express bus. ( see Wikipedia entry below w. links to bus schedules.) My trips to Manhattan... rare these days ... are either by car ( on weekends of course) or I drive to the # 4 train ( Lexington Ave express) park somewhere and ride the train downtown. A much better, faster train and it goes to the east side, where I'm usually headed. My impression of the express bus commute is between 45 minutes and 65 minutes... depending on where in Manhattan you are going.



Transportation
The Riverdale train station on the Metro-North Railroad
The Riverdale train station on the Metro-North Railroad

The northern terminal station of the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line of the New York City Subway is located at the intersection of 242nd Street and Broadway. The tracks and stations are elevated along Broadway throughout the Riverdale area. Metro-North commuter railroad service is available at the Spuyten Duyvil station, located underneath the Henry Hudson Parkway and alongside the shore of the Harlem River at Edsall Avenue. Metro-North service is also available at the Riverdale station, located between West 254th Street and West 255th Street. The 242nd Street elevated subway station is served by the 1, while the Spuyten Duyvil and Riverdale railroad stations are served by the Hudson Line. Metro-North commuting time from the Spuyten Duyvil station to Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan is around 22 minutes.

Manhattan can also be reached by MTA Bus Company's (formerly Liberty Lines) express routes. By car, Riverdale is commonly reached by the Henry Hudson Parkway (Route 9A), which bisects much of the neighborhood. This major thoroughfare connects it to Manhattan over the Henry Hudson Bridge to the south.

[Sanity Claws]

9. Any other areas in the Bronx you recommend?

When I left New York in 1986, the Bronx was going through hard times. I'm sure it's improved since then.

[FastHorizon]

10. Besides Riverdale..

Look up Morris Park, Throgs Neck/Pelham Bay, and Woodlawn.

[Smarmie Doofus]

11. Hmmm.... not really. I've lived in Coop -City, Pelham Bay and

in the Montefiore Hospital vicinity.

There all ok but they all lack "atmosphere".
Co-op city has great apartments and the prices are more than reasonable for this housing market but there's no culture to speak of and the development is visually( and oppressively ) monotonous.

Pelham Bay is hardscrabble lower middle class. Think Archie Bunker. In fact the area usually votes Republican. Plus: 6 train to Manhattan is fast and modern, but you have to change to get the express.

The area around Pelham Parkway , esp. near the hospitals where the OP's wife will work , is kind of interesting and pretty. I'd probably look there if I had to leave Riverdale. Another plus: the 5 train is an express in Manhattan.

Oh... and City Island. It's isolation is a problem and it may be pricey by now but it's an interesting place to live. And to visit, for that matter.

All of these places have express bus service to Manhattan.

[jeffrey_X]

12. we got a place today

After seeing lot's of places the last 48 hours, we decided on a "closet" in Chelsea. This is only a 12-month stint and I will be in NY 1/3 of each month with my wife, so we decided to live in a place where we could have some fun. If we were moving here permanently or for a couple of years, the decision would have been different.

Thanks to everyone who offered their advice and opinions.

[Sanity Claws]

13. Congratulations!

Please tell me how you found the apartment. I'm looking too.

[jeffrey_X]

14. lots and lots and lots of time researching and making calls....

Knowing where you want to live is most important. From here you can narrow down your listings using craigslist, villagevoice.com and NYtimes.

Make sure to have all of your documentation in place. Here is a list of stuff that we used as a guidline.
*most recent bank statements (2)
*Letter from employer stating length of employment and current salary
*last two paycheck stubs and/or last year's W2
*other investment account statements
*photo ID

[Sanity Claws]

15. Thanks

Villagevoice.com is new to me.

[bluegiraffe34]

16. How'd it go?

Jeffrey_X ..... how did this work out? I am in a similar position this year. Was the commute killer? I also will be at Jacobi but refuse to live in that area - feel like that would defeat the entire purpose of moving to NYC.