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relocation from london to nyc - advice please

relocation from london to nyc - advice please

Old Jun 29th 2011, 8:55 pm
  #16  
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Default Re: relocation from london to nyc - advice please



That's the one!
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Old Jun 29th 2011, 8:58 pm
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Default Re: relocation from london to nyc - advice please

Originally Posted by LillyRobeson
Thanks rpjs.

I really don't want to commute far and I'd much much rather go out a little bit to Queens or Brooklyn or get a smaller apartment.

Are there any particular areas in Manhattan or close by that you'd recommend?
When we first moved here in January we had temporary accommodation through work, a studio in a managed apartment building at 94th and 3rd. That's technically the Upper East Side, but isn't as posh and pretentious as the bits closer to the Park and further south. It was a safe, pleasant neighbourhood with a good selection of places to eat and drink. Whilst we really like where we are now, if we had to live in the city and could afford it (the rent for a studio there is only a little less than what we pay for a full apartment here) then I'd have no problems staying there. My wife really likes the West Village (heaven knows how expensive it is tho') and we often go there at weekends. It's where the two main British food shops are located too.

I'm actually quite shocked that 5k won't cut it! I had visions of a lovely spacious 3 bed overlooking central park!
How much would you expect to pay for an apartment overlooking Hyde Park?
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Old Jun 29th 2011, 9:03 pm
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Default Re: relocation from london to nyc - advice please

Areas in Brooklyn which are popular and nice would be Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, parts of Williamsburg (they have new developments along the river which overlook the city on the otherside). Queens I cant help with I'm afraid.

To give some more ideas on the rent and again only because we have been searching recently:

3 bed in Battery Park City (family friendly area lots of purpose built newer amenities etc) = $7900
2 bed in Financial District on Broadway (opp entrance to Wall Street) = $4700
2 bed pre war building on Upper East Side (Madison and 81st). It was the quirkiest place with the smallest little kitchen and old amenities = $6500
4 bed house with pool in community, sauna, nanny quarter and deck in Edgemont (nr Hastings on Hudson - 35 mins commute in Grand Central) = $3500

$5000 isnt an impossible budget but I promise you, there will be compromise. I felt like a student again when we first started looking here.
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Old Jun 29th 2011, 9:15 pm
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Default Re: relocation from london to nyc - advice please

What's this 'convertible' business on the property sites? Are they taking the piss here and basically turning the living room into a bedroom?
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Old Jun 29th 2011, 9:18 pm
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Default Re: relocation from london to nyc - advice please

And this looks nice, doesn't it?
http://www.nestseekers.com/33930/164...pacious-4-bdrm

4 beds, deck, pool, playground? $4900? Or is something like that too good to be true and they're pulling a fast one?
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Old Jun 29th 2011, 9:21 pm
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Default Re: relocation from london to nyc - advice please

Originally Posted by LillyRobeson
What's this 'convertible' business on the property sites? Are they taking the piss here and basically turning the living room into a bedroom?
See "what is a convertible three" on this site -- forget about the living room, probably more like a coat closet!!!
http://www.citi-habitats.com/faq_rentals.html#q22
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Old Jun 29th 2011, 9:23 pm
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Default Re: relocation from london to nyc - advice please

Originally Posted by LillyRobeson
And this looks nice, doesn't it?
http://www.nestseekers.com/33930/164...pacious-4-bdrm

4 beds, deck, pool, playground? $4900? Or is something like that too good to be true and they're pulling a fast one?
Probably has a lovely view of the airshaft! Or getting a little too far east of the park.
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Old Jun 29th 2011, 9:25 pm
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Default Re: relocation from london to nyc - advice please

Guess estate agents are the same the world over.

At least they don't put fricking pictures of themselves on the ads in england though
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Old Jun 29th 2011, 9:28 pm
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Default Re: relocation from london to nyc - advice please

Originally Posted by LillyRobeson
And this looks nice, doesn't it?
http://www.nestseekers.com/33930/164...pacious-4-bdrm

4 beds, deck, pool, playground? $4900? Or is something like that too good to be true and they're pulling a fast one?
That does sound like a bargain. Might be a little cheaper because it's as far from the two nearest subway stations (96th & Lex and 86th & Lex) as it can be. Possibly it might be affected by noise and dust from the new subway being built on 2nd. Or possibly it has something seriously wrong with it!
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Old Jun 29th 2011, 9:30 pm
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Default Re: relocation from london to nyc - advice please

Originally Posted by LillyRobeson
Guess estate agents are the same the world over.

At least they don't put fricking pictures of themselves on the ads in england though
And pictures of themselves taken twenty years ago, in many cases! Also, note that apt. was 1200 square feet -- you could probably just about get the bed into the two smaller bedrooms.
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Old Jun 29th 2011, 9:36 pm
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Default Re: relocation from london to nyc - advice please

That's why your advice is so helpful as I sit here in London trying to figure out if this is a feasible option or not.

There's only so much you can get from the property sites and it's much better to hear from people who really know what you get for your money.

So thank you all!
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Old Jun 29th 2011, 9:58 pm
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Default Re: relocation from london to nyc - advice please

Yep you'll see lots of ads for Flex 3/Conv 3 etc and they are basically bigger living rooms that can have walls put up to make extra bedrooms.

Out of interest, will you get a chance to look for somewhere when you arrive or do you have to find the place you want to live in before you even set foot in NYC? Having to do it remotely makes things just that much harder. Some companies work with relocation agencies, they can also help source apartments - do you know if your company has such a connection?

Another suggestion would be to sublet somewhere for a few months first, that way you are not committed for a full year (general min lease term) and can spend more time scoping out neighbourhoods etc. You can try sublet.com for that.

Also the broker sites are tricky, they tend to use 'stock' photos and of course over estimate how 'amazing' 'large' and 'unbeatable value' places truly are.
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Old Jun 30th 2011, 12:55 am
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Default Re: relocation from london to nyc - advice please

You've probably already factored it into your budget, but just in case you haven't, living in NYC adds on the city tax on top of the federal/state income taxes.

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Compan...on_Packages_US

Worth a look to see what people have gotten/asked for in their relocation packages.

Worth asking that they pay the EAD cost for the OH though, as it adds up having to renew it and it takes 90 days to get, before he's allowed to work.
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Old Jun 30th 2011, 11:51 am
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Default Re: relocation from london to nyc - advice please

I won't be paying tax!
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Old Jun 30th 2011, 12:01 pm
  #30  
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Default Re: relocation from london to nyc - advice please

Originally Posted by emiwar
Yep you'll see lots of ads for Flex 3/Conv 3 etc and they are basically bigger living rooms that can have walls put up to make extra bedrooms.

Out of interest, will you get a chance to look for somewhere when you arrive or do you have to find the place you want to live in before you even set foot in NYC? Having to do it remotely makes things just that much harder. Some companies work with relocation agencies, they can also help source apartments - do you know if your company has such a connection?

Another suggestion would be to sublet somewhere for a few months first, that way you are not committed for a full year (general min lease term) and can spend more time scoping out neighbourhoods etc. You can try sublet.com for that.

Also the broker sites are tricky, they tend to use 'stock' photos and of course over estimate how 'amazing' 'large' and 'unbeatable value' places truly are.
No id want to come out and sublet for a month until we get sorted. I'm using the property sites as a guide. In any case, I haven yet got the job but made it to the final stages of a long recruitment process (first applied in January!) so fingers crossed even though I'm still not convinced we should do this!

Congrats on your pregnancy BTW! Hope its going well.
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