# Move to NYC with husband and 1 year old - where shall we live?



## Poppyjen (Apr 13, 2011)

My husband and I are just researching a potential move out to New York later this year with our 1 year old and need to work out whether the money offered will allow us to live have a decent lifestyle in the city or whether a move a bit further out would be best.

I am staying at home with my son, and my husband's job will be near(ish) Grand Central. He wants to keep his commute to a minimum so ideally we would like to live in the city but appreciate that rent may be huge.

Just wondering if anyone can tell me roughly what it would cost to rent a 2 bed place in:

1. Manhattan
2. Hoboken
3. Brooklyn Heights/Park Slopes
4. Greenwich CT or similar location
5. Any other locations anyone would recommend

We aren't looking for a luxury apartment or any outside space or anything, just a modest 2-bed with good transport links and a decent family friendly area. The areas I have listed are some that I have seen mentioned on other forums.


Any advice would be much appreciated, apologies that this has probably been asked a thousand times before!

Thanks!


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

There's a book out called Buying or Renting a Home in New York that might be of interest to you. Publisher is Survival Books and I think the book is available from Amazon.

Past that, you can check the Real Estate section of the NY Times website, which will give you some idea of apartment rental prices by area/district. I've used their search tool to gather general information about rental costs and it's really quite handy.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Poppyjen (Apr 13, 2011)

Bevdeforges said:


> There's a book out called Buying or Renting a Home in New York that might be of interest to you. Publisher is Survival Books and I think the book is available from Amazon.
> 
> Past that, you can check the Real Estate section of the NY Times website, which will give you some idea of apartment rental prices by area/district. I've used their search tool to gather general information about rental costs and it's really quite handy.
> Cheers,
> Bev


Thanks - we have that book, but our edition is 2006 so I am guessing prices etc would be a bit out of date. I will check out the NY Times website. Beyond that would you have any recommendation as to areas? 

Thanks for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it


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## nat21 (Oct 10, 2010)

Poppyjen said:


> Just wondering if anyone can tell me roughly what it would cost to rent a 2 bed place in:
> 
> 1. Manhattan
> 2. Hoboken
> ...


Instead of Manhattan, I would recommend that you look in the following areas of Queens:

Bayside- very residential and your husband can get the LIRR to Penn Station in Midtown from there. Might be a little cheaper than Hoboken. When I lived there (2008-2009), we paid $1800 for a 3 bedroom and it was right across from the train station. My friend who lives in Hoboken paid the same price for a 2 bedroom and his place was a few blocks from the station. There is also a park there and lots of restaurants just like Hoboken.

Forest Hills- 2 express trains to the city and you're in midtown in about 30 minutes, also 2 local trains. There is also the LIRR but it's not that frequent. Nice area with lots of restaurants and the 3rd largest park in the city (Forest Park). A two bedroom would be about the same as you would pay in the city but the apartment would be larger. 

Kew Gardens- extremely residential and borders Forest Hills. The same 2 express trains as Forest Hills (only one stop away) and the LIRR only stops here once an hour. You would pay about $1400- $1600 for a 2 bedroom, depending how far away the apartment is from the train station.


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## Newyorkaise (Nov 30, 2010)

I'm a big fan of Manhattan, but it's true that the rents can seem astronomical for what you get. Still, you might as well look, right? On top of which, if you're new to the city, you'll want to be able to take the most advantage of it - and much as there are some great neighborhoods in the outer boroughs, it's a lot easier if you can just head out with the pram and start walking. The subway makes a commute to the Grand Central area a breeze whichever side of Manhattan you live on, since both the #7 train and the Shuttle cross town right at 42nd Street.

The NYTimes is a good source, and for additional information on current prices and photos of what to expect, check out the websites of some of the larger real estate agencies (Halstead, The Related Companies, Citi-habitat, Prudential Elliman, etc.) - a quick google search will give you these and other names. Most of the websites also have descriptions of the neighborhoods (admittedly pretty much all glowing, but I'm sure you know enough to take it with a grain of salt). You will be able to find info not only on Manhattan but also on the other areas you've asked about.

If you can swing it financially, the whole downtown Manhattan area is quite family-friendly - the West Village, Tribeca, Battery Park City - and the newly developed parkland that runs along the Hudson is a great place to explore with a child. Plus, although you don't need them yet, the public schools in the area are really good (despite what the naysayers will tell you, a child can get an excellent education in the NYC public schools).

As a purely practical matter, I wouldn't suggest Hoboken (although it's supposedly quite hip) or Greenwich (suburban, expensive - and you'll never get to the city yourself). First, neither is going to be convenient if your husband ends up working late, and secondly...well, it's not New York, is it? You'd need a car in both places, and why burden yourself with that enormous extra expense when you can stay in the city and use public transportation and taxis - and rent a car if you need one for special errands or the weekend?

Anyhow, that's the view of a confirmed Manhattan advocate, although of course I respect the opinions of others.

Best of luck to you.


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## nat21 (Oct 10, 2010)

Newyorkaise said:


> As a purely practical matter, I wouldn't suggest Hoboken (although it's supposedly quite hip) or Greenwich (suburban, expensive - and you'll never get to the city yourself). First, neither is going to be convenient if your husband ends up working late, and secondly...well, it's not New York, is it? You'd need a car in both places, and why burden yourself with that enormous extra expense when you can stay in the city and use public transportation and taxis - and rent a car if you need one for special errands or the weekend?


I wouldn't rule Hoboken out, depending on how far from the train station you are. I found it much more convenient when traveling to midtown. I would be in midtown in just under half hour when traveling from Hoboken. However, when travelling from Kew Gardens it took me 45 minutes to get to midtown. Also, I found everything to be within walking distance in Hoboken (granted I never went grocery shopping there) and the Path train is very reliable and runs frequently.


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## Newyorkaise (Nov 30, 2010)

You're absolutely right about the normal travel time to Hoboken, Nat21 (and the relatively longer time to Kew Gardens), but the question of overall convenience depends partly on how late Poppyjen's husband might have to work (and in NYC, young professionals are often subjected to harrowingly long hours).

I'd once considered a move to Hoboken, but the prospect of schlepping back on the PATH train at 2 a.m. or later was just too daunting. The cost of a car service seemed hard to justify (although my employer would have paid), and I felt that driving my own car alone to and from NYC would be environmentally selfish, for lack of a better term - not to mention outrageously expensive.

Also, with respect to Poppyjen herself, while Hoboken has its charm, it's not Manhattan - and if I were a young woman with a small child making the move from part-way around the globe, I'd want to be able to take full advantage of living in the heart of what is arguably the most vibrant and intellectually stimulating city in the world while my husband was off at work each day.

There are lovely, liveable, even affordable, neighborhoods all around the New York City area, but if a family can manage it financially, I'd say it's well worth it to give Manhattan a go.


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## Poppyjen (Apr 13, 2011)

Thanks all for your responses  

I think my thinking is in line with what Newyorkaise said, I'd love to be right in the city where we can explore on foot (with pram). The hours my husband will be working will be typical investment bank hours - good some days and hideous at other times so it would be great to be close enough for that not to be too much of a nightmare for him.

I think we've both got our hearts set on Manhattan - we've both spent time there in the past and promised ourselves we would live there one day so it would seem a shame to be close-by-but-not-quite-there if your know what I mean. I know the rents are huge but we rented in London for 7 years in various locations so they're not so alien to us, plus we already live in an apartment so it won't be difficult to adjust to the living space (and we will be leaving all of our hoarded junk behind in the UK which will help!)

One question you could all maybe help us with - slightly random - but what is the deal with washing machines/dryers in apartment buildings, is it normal to have a laundry room or would you expect to have them in the apartment? 

Thanks!


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## nat21 (Oct 10, 2010)

The majority of buildings have a laundry room in the basement, however I have seen a few buildings with laundry facilities on every other floor or so.


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## thatonr5 (Apr 14, 2011)

Try Weehawken , Union City and Hoboken.. 

The commute to the city if you take the ferry is shorter and pretty reasonable. 
(NY Waterway)

Rents are lower and the safety is comparable to NYC itself...
Check trulia dot com for rent prices and review.


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## Newyorkaise (Nov 30, 2010)

You'll find individual washer/dryer facilities in newer buildings and sometimes in recently renovated apartments in older buildings. Elsewhere, there'll generally be a basement or 2nd floor residents' laundry room.

In most Manhattan neighborhoods, the local dry cleaner or laundromat will also do "wash and fold" for you - you drop off your laundry in the morning and it's ready that evening or the next day - and many of them will pick up and deliver as well. Even for someone who isn't working full-time, this is a great convenience if you find yourself overwhelmed some week (with visiting relatives, or holiday activities, or a sick child) and just can't manage to do the laundry yourself.

If you've been paying what I understand "typical" London rents to be, you won't have as much sticker shock as others might have at the high rents in Manhattan. And if your husband is keeping "investment bankers' hours," he'll find the convenience of being in town is worth the cost, I suspect.

Have fun lookling for the perfect place.


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## hutais (Jul 2, 2010)

We have moved here from Australia and live on the Upper West Side. I have a 7 and 2 year old. I have been all over Manhattan and nothing beats the UWS with kids.
Rent is high but we wanted to be able to enjoy the city  
We dont have a laundry in our block but across the road.Yes its a bit of a hassle but all the other benefits make up for it. I use a stroller everyday and its the most stroller friendly area in Manhattan. Also you have Central Park at your doorstep and kids need parks.
Good luck with your choice.


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## LIzCW (Dec 20, 2009)

Hi, I'd echo the upper west side. We've been here for a year and, although we don't have kids, theres no doubt this is a very child friendly part of town with lots of families in our building. We have a good size two bedroom with a kitchen which is big enough for a small table for 4 (a novelty in manhattan I realize!) in a doorman building with laundry in the basement and we pay $3250 per month. We could have got cheaper but we wanted the ease and security of a doorman and super on site so pay a little extra.


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## hutais (Jul 2, 2010)

Oh and with the upper west side I was told to not go past 96th. We also looked at schools for our daughter so we wanted to be in the zone for either PS 199 or PS 87.

We ended up on 71st and Columbus and LOVE IT!!!
My daughter now goes to ps87 and its a fantatsic school. We negotiated our rent and managed to get them down to $2800 from $3100. We dont have a doorman but a super on site.Our block is super secure too. I think the further up you get it does get cheaper too.
Our apartment is 2 bedroom and we also have a large dining area where we too can have a dining table with 4 chairs.

The other area we looked at was the west Village and I think its great for kids that are young.Once they are older I think there is not as much to do like Central Park. You child is still young so that Washington Park is great for play.
Also UWS has the 2 lines which are great for commuting. My husband is home in a flash after work.


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## LIzCW (Dec 20, 2009)

I think the 'don't go past 96th' line is a bit of a myth these days! We're past that and I've never felt unsafe here. Columbia university is about 116th so there are loads of people who live very happily above 96th!!!! My suggestion would be ( as if you move anywhere) to see the place in the day and at night and make your decision then...


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## hutais (Jul 2, 2010)

Yes I agree need to check it out because it is such a large area.
I dont think its about safety and 96th and beyond but just more about the variety of food Markets/Restaurants etc.


Also along riverside Drive seems nice too. Lots of families everywhere.


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## Fjac (Oct 28, 2010)

Poppyjen said:


> Just wondering if anyone can tell me roughly what it would cost to rent a 2 bed place in:
> 
> 1. Manhattan
> 2. Hoboken
> ...


Poppyjen,

Since I'm still pretty new to this site, I can't post links. Still, I suggest typing in each of these areas into a site called Rent Jungle and changing the max./min. number of bedrooms to 2. This should give you a bunch of results that will help you find out what the general pricing in each area is like. I hope this helps. Good luck!


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## Zoom (Jul 7, 2008)

Move to Manhattan is my advice. If you're gonna go for it go for it ALL THE WAY !! (Upper West Side or Soho/TriBeCa) I would also avoid NEEDING a car and using Public Transportation instead. Cars are a giant pain in the a** plus an amazingly big financial drain in huge cities like New York (It has some great public transportation so you're covered). I used to Love New York - great city. Words of wisdom from, Zoom

- "I Wanna Wake Up in a City/That Doesn't Sleep/And Find I'm King of the Hill/Top of the Heap....da da da da.... whatever whatever (help me out Frankie !!!)" :^)


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## sam_ana (Apr 22, 2011)

I would recommend you to live in NJ-Wayne-Little Falls or any nice city 
good schools, nice houses , and way cheaper than NY
from wane city-NJ to NY down town 30 minutes 
good luck


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## Newyorkaise (Nov 30, 2010)

Ah, but there's no reason to live 30 minutes from downtown when you can live right IN downtown 

I respect that there are those who love suburban life, but in my opinion - and especially for someone with a small child - it can't compare to living right in the City, where you have marvelous child-friendly parks, cultural activities, and public transportation. And it's so much easier to meet people in the city - there are groups for everything and you don't end up isolated in some small town where you need to pile everyone into the car just to go and buy a quart of milk.

Although I adore the downtown neighborhoods, I'd agree that the UWS is very family-friendly as well. And there's no reason to discount the areas above 96th Street. That old guideline was, quite frankly, an ethnic/socio-economic distinction - it's largely disppeared over the past 30 years or so. On the UWS, the area between 96th and the Columbia University area has been changing steadily over the past decades. On the Upper East Side, 96th was the starting point for Spanish Harlem, which is also, I am told, becoming more developed (just as Harlem itself has). This "gentrification" has its good and bad points, of course, since at the same time that it brings new economic vigor and more safety to these areas, it forces out long-term residents unable to pay the vastly increased rents or to buy into new developments. But that's a digression from the OP's original question...

There are still some side streets on the UWS that seem a little unsavory, so you'll just want to do your research before committing to an apartment. I personally find the "street people" a bit more numerous and more aggressive uptown than down here in Tribeca, but that may just be because the overall population density is higher there. 

Definitely move to Manhattan...and how could I ever out-do Zoom's marvelous musical tribute?


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## hutais (Jul 2, 2010)

Newyorkaise said:


> Ah, but there's no reason to live 30 minutes from downtown when you can live right IN downtown
> 
> I respect that there are those who love suburban life, but in my opinion - and especially for someone with a small child - it can't compare to living right in the City, where you have marvelous child-friendly parks, cultural activities, and public transportation. And it's so much easier to meet people in the city - there are groups for everything and you don't end up isolated in some small town where you need to pile everyone into the car just to go and buy a quart of milk.
> 
> ...


Oh I totally agree!!! I would feel so isolated living out of Manhattan! 
There is no comparison whatsoever 
My important thing is to keep in mind the proximity to food markets as I know with kids you always need food  all the time too.


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## nomadnina (Feb 14, 2011)

*Hoboken*

Hi 

We have just moved to NJ from Australia and are looking at apartments in Hoboken and on average a 2 bed apartment can range from $3000 to $5000 a month - this is just what we have seen to date I suppose you can get cheaper and move expensive - but Hoboken is a little gem of a place it has loads of shops, restaurants, pubs, parks and people and is only +- 10 minutes to the city via ferry or train.

It has a very European feel to it but best of all has a great view of New York.

Happy house hunting 

Nina 






Poppyjen said:


> My husband and I are just researching a potential move out to New York later this year with our 1 year old and need to work out whether the money offered will allow us to live have a decent lifestyle in the city or whether a move a bit further out would be best.
> 
> I am staying at home with my son, and my husband's job will be near(ish) Grand Central. He wants to keep his commute to a minimum so ideally we would like to live in the city but appreciate that rent may be huge.
> 
> ...


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