How can I move to New York City?

So, you wanna live in New York City, huh? Before we go on, let me ask you a silly question... Have you ever even been here? You'd be surprised how many wannabes insist that they are moving to New York City without ever setting foot here. Of those, it's even more surprising how many are broke or unemployed.

 

Let me bottom line it for you, cupcake... You can't just show up and figure things out later. If you're not makin' it where you're at, you certainly aren't going to make it here. New York City is one of the most expensive cities on the planet. I guarantee whatever shekels you do have will go a lot further where you are. The cost of living here can be downright scary and it's only getting worse. That being said, New York City certainly has it's share of perks, but before you pack up that bindle of yours with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, heed my words, liverlips!

First and foremost, do not come to New York City unemployed or without a job lined up! Seriously, it doesn't matter how much cabbage you have in the bank or how qualified you are. The job market is very competitive and money goes fast. Apply for jobs online from home, send out resumes and set up a short visit for interviews. If you think you have a large enough stash to just move here all willy nilly, then you certainly can afford a short trip. Think of it as a test run. Besides, where were you planning to stay with your original plan? A landlord isn't going to rent you an apartment if you don't have a job or at the very least, a letter of intent from a perspective employer. Even if you have stellar credit (yes, you'll need that too) you're going to end up paying a lot more for a temporary sublet or corporate rental while you look. And, for crissakes, if you think you can do this from home by simply combing through Craigslist all day, you're out of your mind! Not only is it impractical to think you can accomplish such a thing, but you will most certainly get scammed. 

So, another obvious advantage of visiting first is the ability to begin the exhausting process of legitimately securing an apartment. Rentals don't stay available for long and people literally resort to reading the obituaries to get a jump on other seekers. And, when you do find something, you'd better be ready to drop down two or three months upfront since most landlords require the first month in advance plus one months security deposit. Some even ask for last months rent and some even charge you a one month fee. If you go through an agent you'll also have to pay another month or percentage of the annual rent to them as a fee. Try searching for "no-fee rentals" to avoid broker fees, but prepare to look relentlessly.

In addition to the time, expense  and stellar credit (usually a FICO score around 700), you'll also need to pay for credit and background checks (anywhere from $25 - $50 a pop) and earn enough to qualify for the monthly rent you must meet. The majority of landlords require renters to earn 40x their monthly rent, annually. For example: An apartment with a rent of $2,000 a month requires you to earn $80,000 (gross). How'd I get that figure, tough guy? 40 X $2,000 = $80,000. Still with me? Now take into consideration that the average one room, shoebox size studio apartment in a decent part of Manhattan goes for over $1600 a month, while a small, one bedroom gets you closer to $2k. Not impressed? Well those figures go way up if you expect to stay in a happenin' hood or don't want a birds eye view of your refrigerator from bed. Reality settling in yet? Well, you could consider renting a room or getting a roommate for a while, but make sure you use a legitimate service. Rooms for Rent New York Remember, websites like Craigslist are full of scams! Don't become another statistic!

A special shout out to my international friends... You can NOT just pick up and move to America! Your Visa will eventually run out and unless you've got some unique skill that is so valuable to a perspective employer that it earns you sponsorship, don't expect any job offers. Keep in mind that there are over 8 million of us chasing the same piece of cheese and it's a lot cheaper and easier to hire one of us.

Ok, so your credit is good and you've lined up a gig, so what about the day to day stuff? Do I need a car? Is it scary? More importantly...What if I can't afford to live in Manhattan? Again, if you visited here first, many of these questions would have already been answered, but here's the skinny on the basics...

New York City is made up of five "boroughs"... Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, da Bronx and Staten Island. Naturally, most transplants insist that they only move to Manhattan, because that's the New York City they've seen on tv and in the movies, but as I mentioned before, it is unrealistic. Unless you're earning a paycheck as obese as your Uncle Tony, you're gonna need a to find a roommate or look to the outer boroughs. Listen Nitz, there's no shame in living outside Manhattan. Just ask all the wannabe hipster transplants invading Billyburg! (Williamsburg, Brooklyn). Again, avoid sites like Craigslist and use a legit service.

Do you need a car? That depends on where you live. If you're still smoking the Manhattan pipe dream, then absolutely not. In fact, a car is a huge cost and inconvenience in Manhattan. It's simply not practical and any possible advantage it could serve will be outweighed by a myriad of negatives including the small fortune you'll shell out to park it. Wanna live in Manhattan? Leave the car behind! Take that added cost and roll it into the ridiculous rent you'll be paying. If you love your car, then you'd better fall out of love with the idea of living in Manhattan and open your mind to the outer boroughs. Even then, it's mostly unnecessary unless you live further east in Queens or further south in Brooklyn. So, now you're probably wondering, how do I get around if I don't have a car? That's easy...

New York City has an extensive public transportation system. You can get anywhere you need to go, not by hailing a cab like you saw on tv, but by hopping on the subway or bus. I'm not going to go into specifics here since I already touched on this in "What if I can't afford to stay in Manhattan?", but that's how most New Yorkers get around. That Q&A was based on vacationing here, but it still applies to everyday life, so read it!  

Look, it is not my goal to discourage anyone from moving here, but I am trying to remove the candy-coated blinders from your eyes. New York City is not a place you want to come to with a pie in the sky outlook on life. It's fast paced, competitive, confrontational and unforgiving. It can drain your sanity and your wallet if you're not realistic. Many New Yorkers live paycheck to paycheck just to survive. Others take on two or more jobs and two or more roommates. It's not the fantasy that you've probably built it up to be. It's not like on television or in the movies. Those stories focus on someone beating the odds or rising up to the task because, lets face it, who wants to watch two roommates in their 40's sitting in their skivvies eating a grilled cheese they made with an iron?