Finding an apartment in NYC for first job??

I'm starting work in NYC in late June after graduating from college. When should I start looking for apartments?

Also, where do you recommend I live? I'll be working in the Financial District, right by the World Trade Center site. I don't want to spend more than $1200 a month...the cheaper the better because I have to pay off my student loans, but nowhere too sketchy or unsafe. And I'd like to keep transportation time to around 30 minutes or less.

Thanks for your help! =)

Finding an apartment in NYC for first job??

You'd enjoy living in the East Village/Alphabet City in Manhattan. It's cool, funky area with lots of young people and cheap happy hours. With what you want to spend, you might be able to get a good sized studio or a moderate sized 1BR.

Park Slope and Prospect Heights are also cool areas in downtown Brooklyn. All of these neighborhood would place you within 30 mins of your job by subway and a really short cab ride home for late nights in the office.

When I started out with my first job I was also working in lower Manhattan and I had 2 roommates in Prospect Heights. It was great because this gave us a lot more square footage than any of us could have had on our own. We split basic expenses and responsibilities and would let each other know about things going on in the area. Park Slope was only 2 blocks away and there was ALWAYS something going on there. The Botanic Gradens. Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Museum %26amp; Prospect Park were just as close by with free concerts and performances every week. The people in the neighborhood were very young. And most importantly we saved money!! You may be ABLE to afford $1200, but you don't HAVE TO. Especially if you have loans %26amp; enjoy socializing.

You don't have to be best friends with your roommates, tho' it could happen. You just have to comfortable %26amp; respectful of one another. Background checks are common.

When choosing an apartment or a roommate, go with your instincts if you are uncomfortable about something.

Check Craigslist.com %26amp; walk through the neighborhoods to get to know them and look at flyers on the lamposts, walls and stores (a favorite means of finding roomates in Park Slope). Look at several places before you make a decision. Paying a fee is rare and unnecessary. Spend your money on credit checks (usually @ $45 each).

Good luck.

Finding an apartment in NYC for first job??

Riverdale, in the Bronx, is a nice, suburban-like area that has a subway line into New York City. You could also look at Brooklyn.

Finding an apartment in NYC for first job??

Brooklyn is closer to the Wall ST. area you will be working at, Riverdale and the Bronx is a long commute. Brooklyn neighborhoods such as Prospect Heights, Carroll Gardens, Cobel Hill and Fort Greene are safe and have attractive brownstone architecture. They also have many young people hanging out in nice bars and restaurants. If you look around you will find something you can afford, although you could consider a roommate situation, many people do.

Finding an apartment in NYC for first job??

Jersey City (easy PATH train commute to downtown)

Brooklyn -- Fort Greene, Prospect Heights, South Park Slope

To stay under $1200 in a safe, close-in area you will probably need to live with roommates.

It's good to start researching neighborhoods and making a budget early, and perhaps you could start making plans with prospective roommates, but you won't be able to actually make rental arrangements until about a month before you plan to move in.