In A Really State

The only conundrum bigger than finding New York City love is finding New York City real estate. Whether you're buying, selling or renting, diving into the deep shark tank of real estate is messy and never simple. Instead of match.com, there is craigslist.com, and replacing modern day matchmakers are the smooth talking brokers who will go to great lengths to find you a new walk up...to walk up but also make sure you're best friends with the super before signing the lease. The brokers are all just as charming as your favorite neighborhood dive-bar bartender who knows your unique mixed drink by heart. They will make you forget about the 15% of the annual rent they pocket from you as they convince you that the apartment was reincarnated pre-war just for you. You'll find yourself crushing hard on them just as you crushed on the stranger who caught your eye for fifteen minutes on the downtown F-train.

But just like finding a relationship in the City, finding a new apartment isn't easy and there's no guidebook. The best advice I can give is to ask advice from everyone you know. And also, before you even punch in the C on craigslist.com and do your apartment search, inhale deeply and accept the fact that $700/month rent-stabilized one bedroom-apartments with walk in closets for hundreds of shoes on the upper east side DO NOT EXIST. Also do yourself a favor, and stop watching Will and Grace, Friends, Gossip Girl, and Sex and the City several months before you decide to move to New York. You will arrive with a much clearer head.

Here are a couple articles on the apartment search in the big apple:

Article 1
Article 2
Article 3

Something else to remember when looking at the real estate market- things happen fast...very fast. Most people do carry all of their paperwork and checkbook when looking for apartments, because good apartments don't last...and in most cases neither do the bad ones. I don't know if there are more available apartments in NY, more people looking for apartments or more moving companies...but which ever part is weighted the most, it's a fight every first of the month to get the best deal in the best neighborhood.

But when it comes to what's the most important thing to look for when jumping head first into the market, we all know the answer: location, location, location. And only people living in New York who have seen the real estate jungle first hand know that even through all the grunt, grime, and paperwork and hits to your checking account- no matter where your apartment is in New York, as long as you're in this state, you've found the right spot.