Paying the Rent in New York

[pip]

Umm ok.

Not sure were I said surburban areas of Boston are comparable to downtown Chicago.

All I could afford in Boston is the surburban areas and since I don't want to live that way I chose to live in another city that I could afford to live the way I wanted.

So to me Boston is a great anaology. You know why? Because it is me and my opinion of my life and of where and how I want to live.

[skylife]

Originally Posted by DC4life

A lot of you people sound like haters. If you can't afford to do it then do hate on people who can.

I don't see very much of this hate you speak of. I think everybody would agree NYC is an awesome city and good for the people who go for it. Some people aren't into making the financial sacrifices often necessary to live in NYC, and choose to find a better match for them. That's pretty much what I see on this thread. No big whoop.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by fleonzo

For all of you who argue that it isn't worth it you'll never understand until you experience living in NYC.

that's a bunch of silly nonsense. for some people, the cost of living in manhattan is worth it, for others it's not (hell, there are many people in this world that wouldn't live in a big city like manhattan even if you paid them to live there). it's really just that simple. this whole thread boils down to personal taste, despite the best efforts of some to prove that there is some deeper objective truth about the supposed "value" of a place and the price it costs to live there. to some people, the cost of manhattan is not worth it. to some people, the cost of chicago isn't worth it. to some people, the cost of milwaukee isn't worth it. to some people, the cost of green bay isn't worth it. are you getting the pattern here? we all have different wants and desires in this world, and there is no one-size-fits-all locality that everyone will agree is "worth the cost". that's why different people live all over the friggin planet, in just about every nook and cranny. only the frigid unihabitable polar extremes are void of human settlement.

[DC4life]

My hater comment was based on those who question why one would prefer Manhattan's steep prices when they could live in another city for cheap and get some of the same ammenities that NYC has to offer. I for one don't feel that rent in Manhattan is that mich different from a lot of other places. Check out the rent in Boston, SF and DC?

[DC4life]

Skylife,

What is a better match - People move to New York because of their own personal goals??? We don't know what each of their individual goals are, so it is sort of presumptuous to make a statement like the one you made. Someone in Topeka, KS can say the same thing about moving to Kansas City and paying higher rent. There are people in Tuskegee, AL that will never understand why someone would pack up and move to Birmingham and pay higher prices. I can go on and on and apply this to a bevy of situations. My point being - people make sacrifices everyday to obtain what they are looking for.

[skylife]

Originally Posted by DC4life

My hater comment was based on those who question why one would prefer Manhattan's steep prices when they could live in another city for cheap and get some of the same ammenities that NYC has to offer. I for one don't feel that rent in Manhattan is that mich different from a lot of other places. Check out the rent in Boston, SF and DC?

Yes, and I'm leaving DC. It's too expensive here and I would like to buy a little condo sometime soon. I can buy in another city, so why stay if I can't do that here? How is not wanting to live in Manhattan because it's too expensive hateful to anybody? I don't get it.

What is a better match - People move to New York because of their own personal goals??? We don't know what each of their individual goals are, so it is sort of presumptuous to make a statement like the one you made. Someone in Topeka, KS can say the same thing about moving to Kansas City and paying higher rent. There are people in Tuskegee, AL that will never understand why someone would pack up and move to Birmingham and pay higher prices. I can go on and on and apply this to a bevy of situations.

And? People move to NY because they want to live in NY and are willing to pay for the experience. Not everybody is and that's FINE. Why are you so defensive about this?

Originally Posted by DC4life

My point being - people make sacrifices everyday to obtain what they are looking for.

Er, that's my point too. You're just a little bit odd, aren't you.

[totheskies]

Houston, TX

Car payment= $300
Rent $300
bills $100

total $700

what am I missing from NY again???

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by totheskies

Houston, TX

Car payment= $300
Rent $300
bills $100

total $700

what am I missing from NY again???

If you think Houston and NYC are completely interchangable, then it makes sense to live in Houston.

I would, however, invest in some eyeglasses.

[DC4life]

Rent in Houston is $300? Damn!

[fleonzo]

I live in NYC and go to Houston every other month for business. I do go around to see what it's like and deal closely with people who live and work there. I know Houston pretty well and totheskies....Houston is no NYC. Not even close. If you don't know the difference by now then yes please stay there.

[Steely Dan]

^ totheskies may very well know the drastic differences between houston and new york, but it's also possible that he ain't looking for the type of lifestyle and amentieis offered by new york and is hence not missing out on anything by not living there. everyone has their own preferences and perhaps totheskies simply prefers a city like houston to a city like new york. if that's the case, then the fact that houston is a relative bargain is just icing on the cake for him.

[Chicago103]

Originally Posted by totheskies

Houston, TX

Car payment= $300
Rent $300
bills $100

total $700

what am I missing from NY again???

Its your lifestyle choices of course but without a car you could easily have a $600 rent apartment on the fringes of downtown Chicago. In NYC $600 would be very tough without living with roomates, for that matter $300 seems insanely low for even Houston, do you live with roomates? In any case my point is if you have a car that eats up alot of money that could otherwise be used for rent in a more urban neighborhood without a car.

[alleystreetindustry]

$2600 is way too much for a one bedroom. $1500 here gets you the same thing. there is no way in hell i would ever move to new york as long as the rent is that high. thats ridiculous. and their vacancy rates are so low for office space. are offices just happy saying they have some of their operations in new york city? theyd be better off in places like atlanta, charlotte, or austin. id prefer cheap offices in a nice place with extra money to blow on things hooligans would.

[Dr Nevergold]

Houston doesn't have $300 rent without a roommate in a nice modern or renovated accommodation.

My rent here in Chicago is $575 for a studio that fits a full sized bed, futon, and a separate kitchen as well as a walk in closet with full sized bathroom. Its certainly not lifestyles of the rich and famous, but its livable, and all utilities are included (water, gas, heat, electric).

The problem is that its older, and price per sq foot is fairly high compared to what I am used to. A lot of people don't want to live like this, but that's what choice is all about.

My big thing is that people should have better choices that are more affordable. Manhattan sounds ridiculous quite frankly.

[JEH-NYC]

Originally Posted by alleystreetindustry

$ id prefer cheap offices in a nice place with extra money to blow on things hooligans would.

worry not, my fellow friend.
there are plenty -- and i mean plenty -- of folks here blowing money on things a hooligan would. including yours truly.
cheers!

[PhillyRising]

Originally Posted by DukeofWellington

Bear in mind that about 60% of apartments in the city, including Manhattan, are rent regulated. Therefore, middle class people can and do live in Manhattan. They just can't afford to own.

I always wondered if buildings with many apartments under rent control weren't kept up by their owners because they weren't getting full market values for their units. I always picture an apartment to be a dump when someone has lived in it for decades under rent control because the landlord doesn't give those units any priority for upkeep and unit upgrades.

I always thought it was stupid to have rent control. It seems like it caused the housing shortage in New York thereby making the market rate units overpriced. If I were a landlord/developer in NY...why should I invest in a new structure when I can charge steep prices for a unit in an existing building that hundreds of people will inquire about and who will pay the price I want? I understand the reasons behind it....but it seems like it winds up working against the group of people it is supposed to help.

[Master Shake]

The fact is the majority of Americans would prefer to live in Houston than New York. Simply look at population growth.

Americans love the Sun Belt, the low taxes and economic growth.

Plus the more suburban car oriented life style is the way most Americans live. But yes New York and Houston offer very different environments.

That is why Chicago is a better comparison to New York, with its lower cost of living, but with its unprecedented skyscraper core, arts and business community.

[PhillyRising]

Originally Posted by totheskies

Houston, TX

Car payment= $300
Rent $300
bills $100

total $700

what am I missing from NY again???

If you don't know....then you should stay in Houston. It would be like someone in Beaumont asking you what they are missing from Houston....

[shovel_ready]

Originally Posted by totheskies

Houston, TX

Car payment= $300
Rent $300
bills $100

total $700

what am I missing from NY again???

You're forgetting car insurance, fuel, and maintenance costs.

With that said....back when I lived in NYC...

Rent = $600
Bills = $100
Car = $0 (duh!)
Monthly Metrocard = $76

Lifestyle, Amenities = $Priceless

[PhillyRising]

Originally Posted by Master Shake

The fact is the majority of Americans would prefer to live in Houston than New York. Simply look at population growth.

Americans love the Sun Belt, the low taxes and economic growth.

I don't know about all that. Not everyone who has moved to the SunBelt did so because they though it was a better place to live......