The $4m question. Okay, so a few weeks back a reader wrote in asking where she could find a place to live in NYC for under $2,000, and we recieved a great response - helpful too. But today we have an even better question:
Dear AT,
I have just moved out of living with someone in the East Village (long story) and am looking for an apartment downtown (say south of 34th street) that won't cost me more than $1,000. I absolutely want to be in Manhattan and know this can be done, I just need a good tip. I am not picky, but I also don't want a roommate.
Thanks, Eliza
We once lived in an two bedroom in Little Italy for $800 a month and had to pay in cash for rent and utilities to the restaurant downstairs. We know of many instances like this, but these things are not listed. Anyone got a tip? (Thanks, Eliza!) MGR
People who have the cheap apts for under $1000, usually seem to have known someone, or some family member owns the building.
Very doubtful to find something for that price range. If advertised it would be snatched up immediately.
I pay just under 1100 a month for a studio in midtown... deals are out there, but you aren't going to find them quickly and you have to be flexible on location and usually condition of the apt. as well.
When I moved into my place 3 years ago I paid 1028 a month, and got that locked in for 2 years. It's a decent sized studio (really cool pre-war details like a marble fireplace, and lots of molding that gets too dusty) with a separate kitchen.
Only way to find apts this cheap is to find one that is rent-stabilized that someone has been living in for a while. Girl who moved out of my place had lived there for 5-6 years.
I would suggest possibly subletting or possibly moving into a roommate situation where you could get out of it, if and when a better deal came along for a place of your own. That's what I did, had a roommate who didn't put me on the lease, then I looked at craigslist daily.
The 1K mark is really low- but I feel like you can find tiny studio's on the UES for $1050.
SRO's and flophouses might be an option for the renter with low standards. I lived for years ('95-2000) in a tiny studio on 15th street for $550 a month with free utilities. The catch, other than the microscopic size and generally run-down condition, was that the room only had a sink, that's it. Shared bathroom with the floor (4 other apartments like mine). Utilities were free because we were all on a common circuit so they couldn't differentiate who used what electricity. The bad part of that was that the fuse was always blowing.
A friend of mine fell on hard times and stayed for a while in a pay-by-the-day hotel in far west village/meatpacking district. I forget the cost, but it worked out to less than a grand a month. Conditions were real rough there, the place stunk and felt like a prison, and you had to check out and back in again every few days. I worked with a waiter who would stay at a similar type of place on St. Mark's.
...but it was cheap and in downtown Manhattan.
2 months ago, I lived that that search,(found one I love for 1,400) BUT, we saw some apartments for 1,000 and some for 1,050. all of them sutdios
one on west 61st - 3rd floor (around lex)
one on west 21st - 2nd floor (around 3rd)
one on west 59th - 10th floor (around mad.)
found all of them through R.E. comapnies.
oh yea, don't forget about the fees (aprox. 1,500)
I would go down to Little Italy. I had an amazing 1 bedroom there for $1300-Eat-in kitchen, full living room, decent sized bedroom with 2 closets. It's loud and crowded on Mulberry but it's safe and for some reason your friends love to visit. Also, like someone else said-talk to the restaurant owners. They always know of something. I think that the people who own Luna also own a few buildings in that area. Good Luck!
Harlem! I have a one bedroom for $750 on West 145th street that we got through a broker, no special connections or anything. That was a year ago and the neighborhood is gentrifying at a feverish pace, but you can still get good deals. Then you just have to work on convincing your friends that you're not too far away to come visit.
GO CRAIGSLIST.ORG and check manhattan apts sublet etc...you will absolutely find something!!
Good Luck
and despite your 'no roommate' rule - I have a two bedroom and chose a roomie that works 12 hrs a day and we never see one another - she's absolutely NEVER here - you can choose a flight attendant that is looking for a crash pad - get a 2 bedroom convertible thing for 1500 and offer that person a room for 5-600 which would be a bargain for them and an invisible roomie for you!
CHECK OUT RENT-DIRECT.COM...THEY HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOUSANDS OF LANDLORDS AND THEY OFTEN HAVE RENT-STABILIZED APARTMENTS. I know you can check their database for FREE to see if they have what you want. And you won't pay a broker's fee.
If you do use Craigslist make sure you are dealing with a real landlord or, as is often the case, a legit broker. There have been many incidents recently where crooks are posing as brokers and taking peoples money!
Good luck in town. Try Astoria/Long Island City
closer/better than you think. You could absolutely find something in your range. I've had a 3BR house - duplex, driveway etc... for the last six years - $1600. Everything has gone up but you can find a real 1 BR for 1K easy.
Cheap apartment in NYC? For 1000 bucks? It can be done. I'm a real estate agent and recently I had a fully renovated studio, in a doorman/elevator building, with balcony for $1,174. It's already gone.
These types of apartments are out there, but they don't surface too often.
is there any way possible that someone will rent to a person receiving disability as their income. i get $839/month for disability. yearly that's $10068. i don't know what else to do and i have to leave the place where i'm living now. i don't want a roommate either. you can't trust anyone these days.
fuck man im screwed.. i thought studios ere only like 300 bucks... fuck.