Greetings New Yorkers - Any helpful advice for moving to Manhattan?

[Pooka Fey]

I'm hoping someone can steer me in the right direction for an upcoming move to NYC. I'm moving back to the USA early next year after over 3 years in France. I went to the Manhattan School of Music about 20 years ago, so I know (kind of) what to expect, no doubt lots has changed too. Not me though, I haven't changed a bit - I'm still the same slender young college babe....uh,er,mmm...ah crap :spank:

Can anyone recommend a good apartment rental agency / agent? I've done Craigslist and it's just overwhelming. Searching for an apartment in NYC is tough, (even tougher from this side of the Atlantic) and I'd appreciate any bones you all could throw me. I have to go to bed now so I can't mind my thread, but I sincerely appreciate any good info.
Gotta love those Internets. Thanks New Yorkers. :yourock:

(edited for clarity)

[GodlessBiker]

1. Manhattan is a big place. Do you have any idea where in Manhattan?

Upper East? West? Village? Chelsea? Meat Packing (my favorite)? downtown?

[Pooka Fey]

2. Upper West Side

I knew the UWS, so I'm looking between 96th and 125th street, hopefully not too far from Central Park.

[GodlessBiker]

3. If you google upper west side apartmetn rentals, you do come up with a number of hits.

It's tough without being there. Can you take a few days off, stay at a hotel, and devote all your time to look for a place to live?

[Pooka Fey]

4. Yes, I think I'll need to plan on that.

I guess there's no way for me to get out of a hands-on apartment search. It was such a nightmare when I was a college student in the '80's and I made every dumb mistake in the book. Long story short, I have my New York horror stories just like a lot of people.

Mine involve a building where the guy 2 floors above me with 10 dogs enjoyed coating the interior of the elevator with dog shit. We're talking floor, 4 walls, & a ceiling caked with crap. I lived on the 8th floor. Then there was the broken heating system every weekend during the winter. I think the owner was trying to kill off all the elderly residents so he could sell their apartments as co-ops.

So why do I want to move back to New York? I think there might be jobs there, and my home state of California is completely screwed. We Californians are like America's plague of locusts. We just spread out and devour territory; don't we? We took Oregon; then Arizona. We're like the goddamn Africanized bees. One year we're in Argentina. Next thing you hear we're in Brazil, then Northern Mexico. We're coming and we're bringing our yogurt, granola and Birkinstocks with us.

I gotta go to bed. Thanks GodlessBiker for helping out. :hug:

[BrklynLiberal]

5. If I were you..I would stay in France.. LOLOL

really....:hide:

[Pooka Fey]

6. LOL I know, but staying here is not an available option.

My 'green card' is going to expire and I'm not interested in staying illegally. Know any good apartment rental agents in Manhattan? :evilgrin:

(edited for clarity)

[BrklynLiberal]

8. Sorry to hear that. I live in Brooklyn...

I have a friend who lives in Chelsea. I will ask her if she knows any agents...

[Pooka Fey]

10. Thanks BrklynLiberal. n/t

[Locus Ceruleus]

7. Suggestion

If you want someone to help you, take a look at Weichert Realtors: http://www.weichertmazzeo.com/BrokerWebsite3/Weichert/search_rental_.asp (I made a special trip to find a place when I moved to New York. I've since met several people who used an agency. Personally, I'd not do it again without an agent.) Best of luck!

[Pooka Fey]

9. Thank you for the link and the good advice.

:hi: and Welcome to DU!

[clear eye]

11. The sorts of people that used to live in the UWS are these days

living across the bridge in Brooklyn. Much better value for your rent $s. Years of removing rent protections and other pro-landlord biases have made Manhattan prohibitive.