Tips & Tricks for Moving to New York City

I’ve been here in the Big Apple almost 3 weeks now. To say I have learned some things is an understatement. And believe me when I say my neighbors have been spilling all the tea! Apartment hunting in + moving to NYC is a whole different animal—one for which I was not completely prepared. I wanted to share some tips and tricks with all of you from the perspective of what I did and what I wish I had known. Keep reading to discover how to make your move to NYC a bit more seamless.

Save your coins. Y’all. Moving to the city is very expensive. For comparison, I paid a $200 deposit and an application fee to apply for my apartment in Atlanta. NYC wanted first and last month’s rent (typically higher than most other cities). They also “could not wait” for me to start the lease June 1^st and insisted I move in May 27^th and pay them for 3 days in May. Ridiculous. Then there are moving costs, AC unit costs, MTA monthly pass cost, broker’s fee (most don’t have one right now because of covid), guarantor’s fee (if you need to certify employment and wages) and a few other things I’m sure I’m forgetting. I highly recommend Roadway Moving as a moving company. They are efficient, helpful, and NYC-based. Save up as much as you can.

Use the Street Easy App. This is the app I used to search out apartments. The app allows you to place filters on your search so you can narrow down selections by neighborhood, price, number of rooms, and amenities. From this app, you can contact brokers directly and schedule your appointments to see apartments of interest.

Prepare to come to the city to see apartments. Speaking of brokers, they are the ones to show you the properties; not the actual building owners. I was not aware I would be dealing with a middle man. Most NYC brokers will not take you seriously unless you are actually IN the city to see apartments. The NYC rental market moves pretty quickly. Apartments are here today, gone tomorrow. Many brokers won’t even schedule with you in advance. They request you let them know 1-2 days before you want to see the apartment so you can set something up. And then there are others that ghost and you have to keep following up to schedule a viewing. Use the Street Easy app to be strategic about what you would like to see. Plan your trip and schedule appointments 1-2 days before you land in NYC.

Download the Open Igloo app. Y’all, please do this. Here, you can read up on your buildings (and landlords!!!) of interest. This app contains information about open violations, litigation history, bedbug history, and even number of evictions. Brokers will try to sell the unit as a great option for you. Do your own research and find out what you are really dealing with.

Talk to the current tenants. Y’all. Please do this. Again, the broker’s job is to sell the apartment. The neighbors usually don’t care about that and will tell you the truth. Ask them how they like living in the building. Ask their thoughts on the level of neighborhood safety. Ask how the garbage is managed and if the building has pest control issues. Most importantly, ask about the responsiveness of the landlord. After your apartment viewing, knock on a few doors and get the real deal. And if you can, stop by the neighborhood at night (with a friend) to check out the level of safety.

Discover the previous price of the apartment. Ask the current tenants. Ask the broker. Look it up for yourself. If your apartment is renovated, the landlord can only charge you a 20% increase in comparison to the pre-renovation rate. Be sure you have the accurate number so you can ensure you aren’t paying more than you should. Also ask if the rent is controlled (cannot change) or stabilized (can only increase by a very small percentage each year). These kind of apartments are ideal as they will keep you from paying more than an arm and a leg.

Hire an exterminator before you move in. There are so many people and just so much trash on this little island. Before you move any of your things in, make sure all pipes and openings are closed. I used tape and steel wool. Then hire an exterminator to make sure the apartment is completely sealed and to set out poison. I highly recommend Positive Pest Control. They have a 90-day warranty and specialize particularly in NYC pest control. They told me as long as your apartment is completely sealed, it doesn’t matter what is going on in the rest of the building. You should be good.

Get your moving boxes for free. Call Target, Walmart, Publix, etc. early in the morning and ask if they can set medium and large shipment boxes to the side for you. No need to spend money on something you are going to recycle.

Use space-saving mechanisms and smart storage solutions. If you are moving from another city—especially one in the South—you are likely used to more space. Below, I’ve linked some items that really have helped me make the most of my limited cabinetry and storage:

I really hope this helps, y’all! NYC is an exciting city and can be a great place to live! But it takes planning and preparation. If you’re new, welcome! And if you’re thinking about the move, you can do Anything and I hope your dreams come true here!

xx,

Photos by Dadou Studios

Preset by Tina Smith