Right now, I'm downtown near Seaport. I generally like the area but I'm in a pretty small studio paying $2,700 a month. My lease ends in December so I'm not in a rush right now but just considering options.
My girlfriend and I are looking to get a 1 bedroom together. Our budget would be $5,000. She really likes the UES. I really like being around Greenwich Village. We both work in Midtown. On Streeteasy we're finding plenty of 1 bedrooms but they're all pretty small and old.
For fun I filtered for Williamsburg, Dumbo, Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill. What you can get for $5k there is pretty nuts. Modern buildings with amenities, big kitchen islands, in unit laundry, etc.
I never spend time in Brooklyn though, but the idea is tempting since the apartments are so nice. Would that be a mistake? I have no clue what Brooklyn neighborhoods are like and need to be in the office 4 days a week.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some considerations for moving to Brooklyn:
Pros of Moving to Brooklyn:
Cost of Living:
Apartment Quality:
Cons of Moving to Brooklyn:
Commute:
Neighborhood Familiarity:
Additional Considerations:
Delivery Food and Restaurants:
Quality of Life:
Conclusion:
Moving to Brooklyn could be a great option if you value a larger, more modern living space with amenities. However, consider the potential trade-offs in terms of commute time and familiarity with the neighborhood. It might be worth spending some weekends exploring Brooklyn to see if it aligns with your lifestyle and preferences.
For more detailed discussions and personal experiences, you can check out the following threads on WSO: - https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/would-you-move…</a">Would you move to a 'tier-2' city? - https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/1st-year-analy…</a">1st year analysts: stupid to move into NYC right now? - https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/why-would-anyo…</a">Why would anyone willingly choose to live in NYC / SF / CHI?
These threads provide insights from other professionals who have faced similar decisions.
Sources: 1st year analysts: stupid to move into NYC right now?, Would you move to a 'tier-2' city?, Why would anyone willingly choose to live in NYC / SF / CHI?, Why You Should Leave NYC After Your Analyst Stint, Why would anyone willingly choose to live in NYC / SF / CHI?
I'm going to say it would be a mistake, but not for the reason you expect.
Living in Brooklyn you'll have to travel the length of Manhattan from the battery to midtown to get to work. (Unless you're in Billyburg, then it's the L and an xfer somewhere on 14th)
Have you considered LIC or Astoria? LIC is insanely convenient, and about 5 minutes to midtown on any of a half dozen different lines. It's almost all new construction, and it doesn't seem like the neighborhood has a 'soul' though. (living near the seaport, you probably know the feeling) Astoria's just a couple minutes further on the N/W, and has a vibrant neighborhood scene, with some of the best food options outside Manhattan. In LIC the buildings are particularly large, and you'll probably get even more shared amenities like big gyms than the Brooklyn buildings. In Astoria most buildings are smaller, so while you'll get great apartment amenities the shared ones may be lacking. The small size means that you're more likely to know your neighbors and less likely to feel cut off from the neighborhood though. In either case your dollar will likely go a lot further than Brooklyn. There's a decent chance you'd even be able to get a second bedroom for your $5k.
If you live in Dumbo (or anywhere near the York street station), you could take the F train to midtown in 20 minutes. It goes nowhere near the battery. Although not as fun as Manhattan, Brooklyn is still a cool place where fun, young people live. Can’t really say the same about LIC.
On the weekends, dumbo location is way better than LIC because all of the fun spots in Manhattan are more accessible by train/uber/bike. You could bike to west village in 12-15 minutes. Being in LIC will isolate you more socially in exchange for a 10 minute shorter work commute.
As a black person it always surprises me when people say Manhattan is more fun that Brooklyn.
In my experience and many others from my demographic, it’s Brooklyn and it’s not even remotely close
It sort of depends where you work in midtown. Not having to change trains is a huge plus (or I think it is). If your train line goes straight to your office, then I don't see much issue.
The issue with Brooklyn is that despite the subway maps, you can be very far from a subway stop in a way which frankly doesn't really exist in most of Manhattan. The other thing is, where are your friends? The other lovely thing about Manhattan is that it's easy to get everywhere; the city is designed so that everything feeds into downtown Manhattan (by which I mean south of the Park). If you live in Dumbo and your social life is going to be on the Upper East Side, or in Williamsburg, that's a tough one.
Not really if you got a plan
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