Find a Good Place to Live in New York City Fast: What You Need to Know

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New York City. So many sounds, movies, and pictures come into your mind while thinking about it. For some, it’s a dream city where they find their purpose. For others, it’s a scary place with daunting competition.

Yet, even during another world crisis, new listings come in every year and people are still going for it and moving or settling down in the Big Apple. You can do it too with the help of our knowledge.

After reading this article, you can become much closer to your perfect NYC house and narrow your list down to particular factors that will influence your buy and help you make the right choice quickly and easily.

Considering All Factors Before Making a Purchase

If you want to find a home in NYC fast, here’s a pro tip for you at the beginning. It’s much better to already know:

  • The type of dwelling you want to buy (more on that later)
  • The borough you want to live in
  • A budget range estimate (“I can spend from X to Y without wondering where to get a meal from the other day”)

These easy filters alone will help you not lose it when you go through the listings. This applies both to buying a house and renting one. While the competition for real estate is quite high in NYC, those listings are still full enough to make your eyes widen.

Types of housing NYC offers

Here are the main NYC housing types:

  • Condo – condominium complexes offer you to buy an apartment and a share in common utilities in the house. You’re free to sublet or sell the property later on, but the price is bigger, compared to co-ops.
  • Co-op – cooperatives take up 75% of Manhattan and cost less than, say, condos. This is because you become a shareholder of the whole complex instead of owning an apartment.
  • Single-family house – a classic house where you own the whole property (or the whole swelling in a townhouse complex). You don’t have to interact with neighbors and decide on common utilities. However, the prices rise considerably from here on.
  • Multifamily house – a complex one person buys and, optionally, occupies one appt. The rest can be rented out to handle the mortgage better. However, you’re the landlord and have to make decisions about the whole house.

Choosing an NYC location to live in

Your New York experience is directly connected to the location you’re going to live in. We don’t even mean the so-called “dangerous” and “safe” neighborhoods. We mean the vibe, the routine, the people you’ll be around all the time.

First of all, choose whether you want to live:

  • Surrounded by businesspeople working and entertaining themselves, discussing stocks and stuff
  • In a neighborhood where families live – always warm, cozy, and welcoming
  • Where the hipsters live – free, liberal, non-standard, that may push you out of your comfort zone

etc.

We may have exaggerated a little in descriptions, but the main point is to find what resonates with the goals you have in the Big Apple. However, be prepared to divide the list into the things you want to have 100% and those you may say “No” to because the pricing is going to become the main deciding factor.

Budget considerations before buying a place in New York

Along with the actual price of the house, you have to consider:

  • Commute – how far from work will you be living? Do you plan on buying a car? If you have one, think about gas, insurance, and parking costs. If not and you don’t want one, think about the time you’re willing to spend commuting and subway, train, or bus costs.
  • Amenity costs – whether you have a laundromat in the building or you’ll have to go to another place and potentially spend more; whether you pay a monthly fee and what it is, etc.
  • Commissions – realtors, brokers, insurance, all that jazz. Even a small 10% commission from a $500,000 house is a hefty amount of money.

Where to Look for a Place to Live in NYC

You can find a realtor and stick to their recommendations. A local specialist knows the best housing choices according to your preferences and can find options quickly. However, you have to remember about the commission you’re going to add to the final price of the dwelling.

It doesn’t hurt to research the topic a little yourself. You can use services like Ofirio, which uses artificial intelligence to look for the best match. Insert a city, address, Zip, or an MLS number of the needed property, and get a list of housings you can filter, sort, and see on the map.

As a bonus, whenever necessary, you can ask the platform’s real estate experts for advice on the property you like.

Conclusion

Buying or renting an apartment or a house in New York is tricky and challenging. However, if you’re armed with the knowledge of market conditions and places to look for housing, you’re not a step but a leap ahead.

It’s also important to have clear preferences and be able to consider several options. Imagine your perfect life according to your budget – the location, the neighbors, the atmosphere, the distance to work, etc. This will help you narrow down the list and be confident when you see thousands of options in listings.

Turning to a realtor for help is another good idea, but consider browsing through an AI-powered listing like Ofirio first. It will help you understand what kind of house you want to buy and get rent estimates in case you’re not ready to invest.

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