Analyst Moving to NYC / JC

Hey Everyone,

I'll keep this short and quick to make sure I don't waste your time. I'm an Analyst (About to be), and I'll be working from the office (Wall Street) 4 days a week. I just moved from London and I have absolutely 0 clue about which areas I should be looking at in NYC / JC to live in.

I would ideally like to be in a studio / 1 bedroom, however, I am not opposed to getting roommates if that means I get a better area in general making my commute life easier. 

Please let me know which areas I should be looking at for rental properties. I appreciate the help & Thank you in advance.

11 Comments
 

Hey there, welcome to the concrete jungle where dreams are made of! Let's swing through some options for your new pad in NYC:

  • Financial District (FiDi): Since you're going to be working on Wall Street, FiDi is a no-brainer for convenience. It's a bit on the pricier side, but you can find some gems if you're diligent. Studios and 1-bedrooms can be steep, but with roommates, you could manage a better spot for around $2k a month.

  • Battery Park City: It's close to Wall Street and absolutely stunning, but the rents can make your wallet weep. If you're up for roommates, you could live here without breaking the bank too much.

  • Long Island City (LIC): Just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Midtown via train, LIC offers a more affordable cost of living while keeping you close to the action. Nightlife might not be top-notch, but you're just a short ride away from the city buzz.

  • West Harlem: If you're looking for a potential investment and a place to live, West Harlem is up-and-coming. Bargains are harder to find, but with some effort, you could score a deal. Plus, it's a vibrant area with a lot of long-term potential.

  • Brooklyn (Bushwick): If you're into a more artsy vibe and don't mind a bit of a commute, Bushwick is a trendy spot. It's a bit further out, but you get more space for your money, and the area is buzzing with creativity.

Remember, the NYC rental market moves faster than a monkey swinging through the canopy, so when you're ready to look, be prepared to move quickly. And keep an eye on those rental rates; they can be as volatile as the stock market.

Good luck with your search, and if you need more intel, just holler!

Sources: https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/real-estate/looking-at-my-first-investment-property-in-nyc-any-advice?customgpt=1, Multi Family Investing - New York City, SA 2021 NYC Housing Thread, What to do when you get a return offer?, Buying an Apartment in NYC

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

I would not recommend JC. I'd say move to East Village West Village or Financial District. The Financial District has some newer modern places, but nightlife isn't that great. You could probably walk to work in FiDi. The East Village is fun - lots of bars and restaurants. West Village is ok - I like East Village better.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Isaiah_53_5 💎🙌💎🙌💎

I would not recommend JC. I'd say move to East Village West Village or Financial District. The Financial District has some newer modern places, but nightlife isn't that great. You could probably walk to work in FiDi. The East Village is fun - lots of bars and restaurants. West Village is ok - I like East Village better.

Isaiah_53_5 💎🙌💎🙌💎

I would not recommend JC. I'd say move to East Village West Village or Financial District. The Financial District has some newer modern places, but nightlife isn't that great. You could probably walk to work in FiDi. The East Village is fun - lots of bars and restaurants. West Village is ok - I like East Village better.

I'm going to disagree with Isiah (Don't you live out of the area area dude?) Living in Jersey automatically means that you're avoiding the ~3.5% NYC local tax. The PATH is pretty good (4-5min headways) during rush hour, but shitty 20 minute trains to Newark/Hoboken all other times.  Grove St. and Hamilton Park are pretty cool, Journal Square less so (but great Indian food) Newport is just weird, with nice apartments and nothing else in the area.  Harrison is odd in a different way, but cheap, and you'll need a car.  Newark?  Well, I grew up in Jersey and still think of it as the car theft capital of the world, even though it lest that title 25 years ago.

Fidi has everything close down around 8. As Isiah said in the village things go until 4 (do you want to hear that on a Wednesday morning when you're trying to sleep?-last call in NJ is 2) The subway is much better than the PATH late-night (as a londoner, you will be amazed that both the subway and PATH run 24/7/365) We can go on about other areas of Manhattan, Brooklyn and inner Queens but this post is already too long.

The only difference between Asset Management and Investment Research is assets. I generally see somebody I know on TV on Bloomberg/CNBC etc. once or twice a week. This sounds cool, until I remind myself that I see somebody I know on ESPN five days a week.
 

Whatever1984

Isaiah_53_5 💎🙌💎🙌💎

I would not recommend JC. I'd say move to East Village West Village or Financial District. The Financial District has some newer modern places, but nightlife isn't that great. You could probably walk to work in FiDi. The East Village is fun - lots of bars and restaurants. West Village is ok - I like East Village better.

Isaiah_53_5 💎🙌💎🙌💎

I would not recommend JC. I'd say move to East Village West Village or Financial District. The Financial District has some newer modern places, but nightlife isn't that great. You could probably walk to work in FiDi. The East Village is fun - lots of bars and restaurants. West Village is ok - I like East Village better.

I'm going to disagree with Isiah (Don't you live out of the area area dude?) Living in Jersey automatically means that you're avoiding the ~3.5% NYC local tax. The PATH is pretty good (4-5min headways) during rush hour, but shitty 20 minute trains to Newark/Hoboken all other times.  Grove St. and Hamilton Park are pretty cool, Journal Square less so (but great Indian food) Newport is just weird, with nice apartments and nothing else in the area.  Harrison is odd in a different way, but cheap, and you'll need a car.  Newark?  Well, I grew up in Jersey and still think of it as the car theft capital of the world, even though it lest that title 25 years ago.

Fidi has everything close down around 8. As Isiah said in the village things go until 4 (do you want to hear that on a Wednesday morning when you're trying to sleep?-last call in NJ is 2) The subway is much better than the PATH late-night (as a londoner, you will be amazed that both the subway and PATH run 24/7/365) We can go on about other areas of Manhattan, Brooklyn and inner Queens but this post is already too long.

You would disagree - you love Jersey. 

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Whatever1984

Isaiah_53_5 💎🙌💎🙌💎

I would not recommend JC. I'd say move to East Village West Village or Financial District. The Financial District has some newer modern places, but nightlife isn't that great. You could probably walk to work in FiDi. The East Village is fun - lots of bars and restaurants. West Village is ok - I like East Village better.

Isaiah_53_5 💎🙌💎🙌💎

I would not recommend JC. I'd say move to East Village West Village or Financial District. The Financial District has some newer modern places, but nightlife isn't that great. You could probably walk to work in FiDi. The East Village is fun - lots of bars and restaurants. West Village is ok - I like East Village better.

I'm going to disagree with Isiah (Don't you live out of the area area dude?) Living in Jersey automatically means that you're avoiding the ~3.5% NYC local tax. The PATH is pretty good (4-5min headways) during rush hour, but shitty 20 minute trains to Newark/Hoboken all other times.  Grove St. and Hamilton Park are pretty cool, Journal Square less so (but great Indian food) Newport is just weird, with nice apartments and nothing else in the area.  Harrison is odd in a different way, but cheap, and you'll need a car.  Newark?  Well, I grew up in Jersey and still think of it as the car theft capital of the world, even though it lest that title 25 years ago.

Fidi has everything close down around 8. As Isiah said in the village things go until 4 (do you want to hear that on a Wednesday morning when you're trying to sleep?-last call in NJ is 2) The subway is much better than the PATH late-night (as a londoner, you will be amazed that both the subway and PATH run 24/7/365) We can go on about other areas of Manhattan, Brooklyn and inner Queens but this post is already too long.

No girl wants to do the walk of shame across two states. If you're going to pick up chicks, it is optimal to live in lower Manhattan.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

michael.waysport

If you’re balling, go for West Village. If you want value, Jersey City or LIC. If you hate yourself, try FiDi.

If you're real cheap and working downtown go Harrison (NJ) You can get a nice apartment with nothing nearby for $2500/mo 20 min from the GS building

The only difference between Asset Management and Investment Research is assets. I generally see somebody I know on TV on Bloomberg/CNBC etc. once or twice a week. This sounds cool, until I remind myself that I see somebody I know on ESPN five days a week.
 

Aliquid occaecati quo est quod. Vero nesciunt non natus nam optio dignissimos. Enim fugit culpa ea harum.

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