Moving to a major metropolitan city like New York City is challenging, to say the least. Even though the thought of living in the Big Apple is exciting, moving to the city that never sleeps can be overwhelming.
From finding an apartment to finding a job, here are a few things to consider before making the move:
Do Some On-Ground Research
It can be tough to decide where to move while researching various New York neighborhoods. Each one has its own unique charm. Although researching neighborhoods online can jump-start the process, the best way to get a real feel for a community is by exploring it in person. New York is all about exploration, so don’t sit in front of a screen all day. Get out there and wander around each neighborhood to see which one suits you best.
Beware of Broker Fees
After finding a neighborhood, the next step is to find an apartment which can be more complicated than finding the right neighborhood. There are a few aspects that must be addressed. To start, almost every seller pays a broker fee of at least six percent. In some cases, the broker fee is split in half between the buyer’s and seller’s brokers. This isn’t always the case though because sometimes the buyer doesn’t have a broker.
Keep in mind that anyone who rents an apartment in New York pays broker fees. To make matters worse, they are far from cheap.
Don’t Believe Every Description
While researching apartments, everything must be taken with a grain of salt. Not all apartments are as the descriptions make them out to be, especially in New York. Granted, this isn’t always the case, but it’s essential to know that this does happen. For example, if the description says the apartment is “cozy,” this might mean that it’s too small for the average person to live in comfortably. Another example is if the description points out that the apartment is “unique.” This may be another way of saying it has a bad layout.
New York may be a place of wonders, but when it comes to apartment hunting, it can be a difficult place to start. Just make sure you arm yourself with knowledge, know your price point, and go into your search with a skeptical eye. Anything is possible in the city of New York.