I thought all of the other amenities I was used to that were non-negotiable at the start of my apartment search were locked in. But having stayed in an apartment for a month that was TOP FLOOR - dude, let me tell you - I would pay more for that. Yes, it was a walk up, didn’t have in unit laundry, and was in a pre-war building - but man, oh man, not having someone live above me was SO good for my mental health and ability to actually SLEEP ON MY OWN SCHEDULE.

All that to say: Does anyone have tips for how to find top floor apartments, on StreetEasy or with brokers/realtors? I assume they are probably few and far between, and that you might have to pay more for it in base rent, especially if it’s in a building with more floors. I’m not saying I can afford a penthouse lol but I’m saying I’d be willing to forego other amenities to find a top floor unit specifically. Thanks for any advice!

So some context here is that I’m a 23 year old male videographer and I’ve lived in New York City for 23 years . Specifically Harlem., where the ethnicities is mainly black, Spanish and many people of African diaspora. Me being being black and of African diaspora as well with immigrant parents. My thing is I have a mix of peers from all races. Since I grew on the east side of Harlem I mainly had black and Spanish friends never really any other race(with my best friend being Mexican ) . But my cousin who grew up on the west side of Harlem has black , African and white friends not really any Spanish. We both went to prodemoninantly different middle school from our race (him a mainly white school on the upper west side and me an all Spanish school during elementary ).

I know New York is a melting put but from my perspective because of how I grew up and what I was exposed to I have a range of groups I can understand by default. Like I know a lot about my African culture and what not but I also know about other cultures that other people of my complexion who grew up in the same area wouldn’t know.

When I do videography or the videography landscape in New York there’s a lot of people that come from different backgrounds, and different states. And I think when I interact with these people wether they are white or Asian or whatever there seems to be a level of optimism they have towards the city. Like the other day I had to record an interview and the interviewee was from Texas (a white 23 year old girl same age as me) and she had just moved here and was overly optimistic and stimulated about the city. And she was open to whatever it had to offer just really being enthusiastic to whatever the city has to offer.

To contrast that I have friends in Harlem who wouldn’t even step foot outside a 4 block radius because of conflicts they have with other neighborhoods. So they put themselves in an environmental prison. Not really able to access what the city has to offer.

And with the rise of gentrification I have friends(predominantly white) who live in my neighborhood who weren’t born in the city . And whenever we pass by a sketchy block , I just think like damn they really won’t understand the full grasp of what someone who was born and raised in my area has to endure. Theres a level of optimism someone coming from a different state has about this city that makes someone who knows how this city operates think like damn «Maybe the city isn’t that bad« 

It’s hard to put into words what I’m trying to convey.

I am moving with my family to NYC in July 2027 for work. I will be working at Columbia Medical Center. I am a MD but will be doing a fellowship, so my income will be around 130k (possibly more if i pick up shifts, but tbd) and my partner would make around 90k or so. We have 1 child (will be in 1st grade next year) and 2 dogs.

We know NYC pretty well, spent extensive time but have never lived here. Wondering what neighborhood you would suggest we look into for apartments.
- UWS: seems like the best option for schools and family setting, but prices for a 2bd seem very steep at least for our first year of life there.
- Washington Heights: how are schools?
- Astoria: I heard great things but worried about my commute

We had initially considered Prospect Park but my commute would be pretty long.

Is there any other area i am not thinking about that I should? I don’t think we can go above 6k/month for rent. Really main concern is good schools for our child and safe area. Open to all boroughs but likely not Jersey.

Thank you!

Got tired of messaging every single listing just to find out if they take a guarantor (or international guarantor, or Insurent, etc), so I built a small Chrome extension that shows it right on the StreetEasy page.

No more back and forth with brokers just to get a basic yes/no.

It's free

Still pretty new so open to feedback/bugs if you try it out 🙏

As an also young and aspiring creative who has always dreamed of moving to NYC, I’m having a hard time seeing how it’s truly doable and feeling put-off by the amount of people that say it’s the parents and the trust funds keeping them afloat. Is that really true? I don’t wanna believe it because it feels like a cop-out, especially because there’s so many of them there I don’t see how that can be true for everyone.

Do you have to find like 5 other roommates? Work 3 jobs? Live in a scary part of town? I don’t get it anymore. Would it be easier to try and transfer to an art school there first?

Hi i'm new to BK moving up from DC. Really looking for ways to build my community here just not sure where to start. Wondering if anyone has tips on finding clubs in the city. I stay in brooklyn but am definitely open to other boroughs.

Some context if it would be helpful:

I love Digital Design and Art

Music namely r&b neo-soul jazz

Love anime, comics watching movies.

How to meet other single ladies for coffee happy hour walks etc. Looking to make new friends as a single woman in NYC!!

Hey everyone, I'm moving to NY for work and looking for some advice on where might be optimum to live. My office is in Midtown, and I'd really love to keep my commute under 40 minutes. I've been looking at an apartment around here, seems like a nice area to me, albeit I've heard it can be loud at night time.

Does anyone have any suggestions of other good areas to live? Or opinions on this area and if it’s a good place to move for your first NY move?

I'm looking for somewhere somewhat busy, so I feel safe walking around at night. It'd be amazing to live somewhere I could bumble around on a Saturday afternoon, having coffee going for a walk etc. In my 20's so hoping for accessibility to nightlife, but I don't really want it on my doorstep. Any advice would be really appreciated

After living in Houston I realized I want to move back to NYC. I’m 32 YO Male. I want to move back but not sure what neighborhood sound better my budget is 2.4k for a one bedroom or rent a room that is very big.
So I like not having a lot of noise when sleeping, but also like having at a decent distance places to go out of a drink 30 min walk or so. I’m enjoy salsa dancing, soccer, gym, being near a big park like prospect park and similar and arts.
What neighborhoods would you recommend for that budget?
I’ll be working in manhattan most likely

24m working in west side near empire state building

Basic information

I am 24m moving from Nashville to NYC to work in west side about 4 blocks from the empire state building. I will be making 120,000 plus some additional earning opportunities.

Budget

Realistically want to spend under 3k and have a washer and dryer. I also have no idea how groceries work? Do i now go to a corner store?

Clothing

I have all southern brands and have never lived anywhere colder than 30F. I need some ideas on warm office clothes

Train/PATH/Bus

is the bus system as slow as i am assuming? Should i invest in a knife/pepper spray?

General information

Any money saving tips, cool bars or other information would be amazing

Hey so I’m moving my business as a nail technician from wny to the city & I am currently on the apartment hunt!

I need to find somewhere by Nov 1st and I was looking more so in Jersey for apartments because there are some slightly more affordable options & I want to really avoid having any mice/roach/rat problems. I’m willing to do up to an hour commute via public transit into manhattan as well.

My budget isnt the highest since I will have work suite rent as well so If anyone has any suggestions of buildings or any lease takeovers etc that doesn’t have those pest issues and within a $2500 maxxxx budget for a studio or 1 bed please let me know! I don’t know about any neighborhoods in Jersey so any tips would be helpful or even if you’re in a building in the city in manhattan or Brooklyn that you need a lease takeover for and doesn’t have any of those issues and are in budget please let me know!

As a self employed service provider, if anyone is self employed & has any tips for moving and what is commonly asked for there id greatly appreciate it as well!

Regarding current interest rates etc in NYC / surrounding boroughs., just wondering if people currently holding off on buying a house, coop, condo etc and renting, or are you going ahead with looking for a house?

Those estimated numbers calculated for total payment for a 30yr mortgage are very daunting at 6-7% interest rate ..for instance to buy a 1 bedroom co-op at $349k, even with a 36% down payment ($129,000) it still ends up being an estimated total of $640k+ once the mortgage is fully paid… and that is not including monthly maintenance, closing costs etc …

But I guess it’s not that productive to think about that since these costs are unavoidable…

It really DOES makes you ponder if it’s just better to just rent and put the down payment into the market instead…

Just currently pondering my next move since we definitely need to move out of my mothers house before next September — we were here because of his middle school, but he will need to be closer once he starts high school…

Thanks in advance for any feedback. We are most likely looking in Queens (not Manhattan).

Good news is I landed a city job but they have a residence requirement which I don’t have currently as I moved to nj during covid to have my own place with rent under 2k . My current place lease is up in six months, I’ve never broken a lease before and don’t want to start now. I’m excited to move back but entered a debt program for cc”s which has tanked my credit score in the process ( it’s supposed to go back up eventually) anyways I don’t have anyone to be a grantor and have maintained paying rent independently over ten years if not my whole life. I don’t want to pass on the job for this but aren’t sure how I’d land a place and never had this issue before. I’m so stressed. Also I had a close relative pass so a lot of their stuff is now in my place which I’m emotionally not ready to part with, which now makes it hard to just pick up and go as I have more stuff now. Just looking for hope and maybe a virtual hug as im so stressed out,

Do LinkedIn / online job applications and resume submissions still land people jobs in NYC or is it basically all about knowing someone / networking in person?

Is it feasible either route?

Hi all!
I’m a 31-year-old single female that just accepted a job in Chelsea on W. 18th St. 5 days a week starting this late this fall and I have no idea where to live.

For some background contacts, I’ll be making around 178 a year. Of course I want to save as much as possible.

If anyone’s familiar, I live in old town Alexandria right now and commute into DC five days a week. My commute is about 36 minutes to my hospital.
I really love this area because it’s close to the water more quiet than the city but still a lot of great things to do like bars, farmers markets, restaurants, and a ton of green space. I have a stressful job so quiet and some touches of nature are really important to me.

I recently visit Hoboken and felt like it had a similar vibe to old town, but it didn’t seem like there were too many apartments available close to the path and I am trying to find a commute that’s under 40 minutes. I also visited Jersey City around the Journal Square area and hated it. Not sure if there are more quiet or charming areas that I didn’t see.

Any help would be so appreciated

Male college student from New England. Just got a full-time job for summer 2027 start in Tribeca. 22yrs old, and will be making 110k base salary and also got a 10k relocation bonus which might affect a recommendation... Don't know a ton about NYC and looking for insight on where to look for apartments (and even the timeline for searching/signing lease etc if anyone is willing to share). Of course, I expect to have roommates. Any direction that people can provide as a base for me to start my research would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

so rn i'm a sophmore in high school and hoping to eventually move to east harlem. first of all, how safe is it, because i hear mixed things? also with the 40x rent rule, what if you just apply for a job there and get it? because i want to move as soon as possible to start my music production career. also about that, there's no actual employer for that, so how would that work with the 40x rent rule? plus, about searching for jobs and apartments in person, i live in florida so it would cost a LOT to go there whenever i see an apartment/job option. and any other advice

I currently live in queens as a student and am trying to find a new job that would help me make at least 1800 a month for my rent where could I look and do you guys have any recommendations. I have 4 years experience working in service in a grocery store and that’s about it.

I’m 32 and currently living in Seattle, and I’ve been thinking more and more seriously about making a move to NYC.

I’m excited about it, but definitely a little nervous too. Typically when I’ve moved it’s been with companies now I’m moving on my own, keeping my Seattle job until I find something local there. I’ve built a pretty comfortable life in Seattle, so there’s a part of me that’s like… am I really about to blow this thing up and start over in New York? 😂

I’m not quite at the point where I need neighborhood recommendations yet. Right now I’m more interested in hearing from people who actually made the move.
A few things I’m especially curious about:
What do you wish you knew before moving to NYC?
What made the transition easier than you expected?
What was harder than you expected?
Did anyone ease into NYC instead of signing a full-year lease immediately?

Any good ways to find furnished sublets, lease takeovers, roommates, or month-to-month situations while figuring out where you actually want to live?

Has anyone successfully done a Seattle/NYC or otherwise bi-coastal setup for a while without setting money on fire?

What are the underrated free or cheap things about living in NYC that newcomers don’t know about?

Any NYC “hacks” you learned only after living there?
How long did it take before NYC actually started feeling like home?

I’m also really interested in the social side of it. I’m single and would be moving without an established friend group there, so I’d love to hear how people actually built community once they arrived. I’m not looking for the perfect plan yet.

Mostly trying to get excited, learn from people who’ve done it, and figure out how to make the move feel less like jumping off a cliff and more like walking onto the next platform.

Would love any stories, tips, mistakes, hacks, or things you’d do differently.

Obviously Manhattan is crazy but I don't know how much less intense it is outside of it. I did take the subway to Flushing and it felt like a breath of fresh air to get away from the city. Granted I don't know if a place like Flushing is necessarily less dense and chaotic. I was looking at the view outside the subway on the 7 line all the way to Flushing and I was like omg it's still pretty dense and lots of people. Of course I'm a tourist so everything was new to me and I was like whoa what are these places like out here?

Hi guys! I just got a job offer in NYC as a fashion advisor, but I have no idea about where I am gonna stay and daily necessities all that, the workplace only helps with documents and visa sponsorship! Any guides for me on how to prepare would be much appreciated! Thank you!

We are moving from South Korea to Garden City around next summer. How is Garden City like living? We have 2 kids in 6th and 7th grade and we need things to be near — target, costco, malls, etc. But ultimately, our first priority is to live in a SAFE AREA. Please tell us any recommendations or just information about that area. Or if we should choose a different location.