Ta workers who commute from out of nyc (covers upstate ny and nj)

[BreeddekalbL]

I would like to ask for those of you who live outside of nyc and work for the what did you look at in terms of COL (cost of living) and commuting costs.   

 

and if you were me  which would you choose? and for the heck of it i looked at a place in elizabeth nj with cheap rent for a 1/1 where an   monthly pass  $199.00 and the 113 is right around the corner , looked at a 1/1 in Croton Harmon where it would be a little bit of a commute to to the train station and mnr monthly pass is $300

[Via Garibaldi 8]

My uncle works for the , and I have a few buddies that do as well.  My uncle is in New Jersey.  He opted for it because he gets more bang for the buck in comparison to New York, and he has a bus around the corner when he doesn't want to drive in.  Another buddy I know lives in Connecticut and works out of Yonkers Depot.  He always drives in.  Owns a few pieces of property but a lot of Connecticut is MUCH cheaper than parts of NY.  Then another operator out of Yonkers has two residences.  Keeps one in the city and another in Pennsylvania.  When the communting becomes too much, she stays at the place in the city.  There are a lot of personnel with the aforementioned set up and they do it mainly because they get more bang for the buck.  My buddy always asks me why I live in Riverdale because it's expensive and says I could get far more living where he is. I can assure you that is NOT happening...

[BreeddekalbL]

I also forgot to add the extra cost of parking at mnr stations such as croton harmon etc, also vg where does the driver who commutes from pa live in pa?

 

If you were me VG would you choose Elizabeth and the  commute or the croton harmon apartment and the parking and mnr commute? 

 

I also forgot to add is that if the Lincoln  tunnel is screwed up i can take ;NJT: Rail into NYP or take the bus to nwk and jump on the path 

[161 New York]

You have to first ask what will you be doing for the MTA.

 

Would you be a bus operator?  Then, What depot can you pick (this will depend on availability/seniority)? What are your hours like? This won't be known until you finish the qualification period/road tests. If you are in Gun Hill Road Depot, Ulmer Park, Quill, Yukon you might have to adjust commute times considerably.

 

Also as you cited, and from personal experience the Lincoln Tunnel can go from no problems to complete meltdown in minutes, lets say you get on the 115, you are on the bus and get on the NJTP at Exit 13 and ten minutes later a bus in the XBL breaks down - you can't divert from there and most likely you'll be rushing to get to work on time. 

 

If I were you, I would stay as close to the job as possible, especially in your first year and on probation.

 

My suggestion. After your first year, evaluate where are you, depot-wise and what schedule new BO's can pick. Then you can put in some serious thought about where you might want live etc.,

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I also forgot to add the extra cost of parking at mnr stations such as croton harmon etc, also vg where does the driver who commutes from pa live in pa?

 

If you were me VG would you choose Elizabeth and the  commute or the croton harmon apartment and the parking and mnr commute? 

 

I also forgot to add is that if the Lincoln  tunnel is screwed up i can take ;NJT: Rail into NYP or take the bus to nwk and jump on the path 

I personally would go with Croton-on-Hudson and take Metro-North assuming it's in your price range, as the River towns can be quite pricey.  The Lincoln Tunnel is often a mess and NJT's services are some of the LEAST reliable around. I have two co-workers that commute from NJ to one of our offices located in Manhattan... One comes once or twice a week, but does her best to stay at our New Jersey offices as much as possible, and I don't blame her.  My other colleague left our company to work in New Jersey because the commute was too much. He has since returned, but the commute is something that he does not enjoy.  He switches between the commuter bus and commuter train.  I would say Metro-North is far more reliable.

[BreeddekalbL]

You have to first ask what will you be doing for the MTA.

 

Would you be a bus operator?  Then, What depot can you pick (this will depend on availability/seniority)? What are your hours like? This won't be known until you finish the qualification period/road tests. If you are in Gun Hill Road Depot, Ulmer Park, Quill, Yukon you might have to adjust commute times considerably.

 

Also as you cited, and from personal experience the Lincoln Tunnel can go from no problems to complete meltdown in minutes, lets say you get on the 115, you are on the bus and get on the NJTP at Exit 13 and ten minutes later a bus in the XBL breaks down - you can't divert from there and most likely you'll be rushing to get to work on time. 

 

If I were you, I would stay as close to the job as possible, especially in your first year and on probation.

 

My suggestion. After your first year, evaluate where are you, depot-wise and what schedule new BO's can pick. Then you can put in some serious thought about where you might want live etc.,

 

Depending on what happens with the counductors test(regarding customer service requirement) i might take it if not i might go for the next TA b/o test. 

 

I also agree with staying close to the job in the first year as i may well stay with a relative and after the first year is when i will look for apartments etc

 

Also when i lived in union i had 2 options sometimes 3  (before the union train station came about)   with the elizabeth apartment i have 3 options for transit into nyc  59 via newark then path,  113n to ny or walking to the station and taking the train to nyp. would it be good to have 3 options. Also i intend on leaving early to get to my ta job early atleast 2 and 1/2 hours early.

 

I personally would go with Croton-on-Hudson and take Metro-North assuming it's in your price range, as the River towns can be quite pricey.  The Lincoln Tunnel is often a mess and NJT's services are some of the LEAST reliable around. I have two co-workers that commute from NJ to one of our offices located in Manhattan... One comes once or twice a week, but does her best to stay at our New Jersey offices as much as possible, and I don't blame her.  My other colleague left our company to work in New Jersey because the commute was too much. He has since returned, but the commute is something that he does not enjoy.  He switches between the commuter bus and commuter train.  I would say Metro-North is far more reliable.

 

I kind of expected you to say croton harmon but the added cost of parking is kind of putting me off to it,  In this case that may well be my first time living independently from my parents and as 161 mentioned in staying close to the job, i would be staying with a relative etc for the first year(though away from my parents) then i would look for apts.   I am one who likes to keep it straight with my money and on the occasion  go and spend it for pleasure etc.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I kind of expected you to say croton harmon but the added cost of parking is kind of putting me off to it,  In this case that may well be my first time living independently from my parents and as 161 mentioned in staying close to the job, i would be staying with a relative etc for the first year(though away from my parents) then i would look for apts.   I am one who likes to keep it straight with my money and on the occasion  go and spend it for pleasure etc.

I have no issues with New Jersey. In fact I go to the Garden State Plaza for shopping quite often and also had friends that lived there, but to live there??? I used to commute via New Jersey daily when I lived on Staten Island via the X17J or the X30.  Sometimes I would take car service to the X17J to get a "quick ride to Midtown" and that quick ride depended heavily on what happened with the Lincoln Tunnel.  It wasn't just commutes to Midtown that were a mess, but trips back to Staten Island as well.  If the Lincoln Tunnel was closed it was a disaster getting back to Staten Island.  The increased congestion with the Tunnel, along with NJT considering even more cuts to transit just doesn't sit well with me, and that's why I chose Croton-on Hudson, as charming as parts of New Jersey are. I especially like towns such as Ridgewood.  Very lovely upscale/affluent neighborhood and easy to get to for business or pleasure when the Lincoln Tunnel cooperates. lol

 

Commuting from Croton-on-Hudson (The Metro-North Croton Harmon station serves the town of Croton-on-Hudson) you may want to just drive down to Riverdale and look for free parking nearby at one of our two stations (Riverdale and Spuyten Duyvil).  That's precisely what our IT guy does.  He used to live in Riverdale and moved upstate.  He drives to Riverdale and jumps on the Metro-North from there. You would be into the city in under an hour.  Croton-on-Hudson like other Rivertowns such as Dobbs Ferry, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington, etc. are all quite affluent so you will enjoy a lifestyle that IMO is much better than that of areas of New Jersey, and the commute factors into that lifestyle considerably.  While I don't live in Westchester, I live a skip and a hop away from the Westhchester border, right across from the Palisades and enjoy the same lifestyle as the Rivertowns in Westchester, and I can tell you that I don't miss the long commutes that I endured while living on Staten Island.  The escape from the hustle and bustle of the city back to a quiet suburban area is something very special, especially when that commute is just 22 minutes via Metro-North to Grand Central.  What is nice about the Rivertowns is the great views of the Palisades and the Hudson River, the wonderful restaurants and the charm that each place has.  Croton-on-Hudson and Irvington are two of the most affluent towns in Westchester with median household incomes in the $100,000 - 200,000, but they aren't as snobby about as say folks in Scarsdale.  More down-to-earth types.

[nycpips]

have you considered Pennsylvania? I went there last week to check out some houses. You get your best bang for buck there. 

 

It will take me 45 minutes each way driving from Charleston Depot ( SI ) to Bucks County/ Northampton PA. That is not bad at all. 

 

I can't wait to get out of here, bad enough I have to work here - definitely don't want to live here anymore. 

 

But definitely finish your probation first. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

have you considered Pennsylvania? I went there last week to check out some houses. You get your best bang for buck there. 

 

It will take me 45 minutes each way driving from Charleston Depot ( SI ) to Bucks County/ Northampton PA. That is not bad at all. 

 

I can't wait to get out of here, bad enough I have to work here - definitely don't want to live here anymore. 

 

But definitely finish your probation first. 

My boss has a residence in Bucks County and they stay there on weekends and at their apartment on the Upper East Side during the week. I think that set up makes sense, but driving to and from Pennsylvania every day?? I also know of someone that drives from the Poconos to New York every day... Really insane amount of time in terms of commuting... I do know that Bucks County has some very nice affluent parts, so at least it's worth it to commute when you don't have to deal with any riff-raff.

[BreeddekalbL]

have you considered Pennsylvania? I went there last week to check out some houses. You get your best bang for buck there. 

 

It will take me 45 minutes each way driving from Charleston Depot ( SI ) to Bucks County/ Northampton PA. That is not bad at all. 

 

I can't wait to get out of here, bad enough I have to work here - definitely don't want to live here anymore. 

 

But definitely finish your probation first. 

 

jesus NO  the commuting costs would be killer

[Via Garibaldi 8]

jesus NO  the commuting costs would be killer

lol... Dirt cheap rent though... It's either one or the other... High transportation costs or higher rent.

[LexAveExp5]

I don't know if this was mentioned but you get a free commuter pass on MNRR if you are a member of TWU Local 100

[BreeddekalbL]

I don't know if this was mentioned but you get a free commuter pass on MNRR if you are a member of TWU Local 100

 

I thought they were working on a universal pass from what i heard?

lol... Dirt cheap rent though... It's either one or the other... High transportation costs or higher rent.

 

the elizabeth apartment is very cheap and i guess you can say i have the experince of making the trips into nyc from the past

[Via Garibaldi 8]

The elizabeth apartment is very cheap and i guess you can say i have the experince of making the trips into nyc from the past

Yeah but Elizabeth is not exactly that great of a town, especially in comparison to Croton-on-Hudson.

[BreeddekalbL]

Yeah but Elizabeth is not exactly that great of a town, especially in comparison to Croton-on-Hudson.

 

i see what you are saying but im familiarwith the area and where i would choose it's on north broad near where the next 2 blocks over i would be in hillside.   i also looked into plainfield near the train station where all the ny bound buses meet 113 114 etc there i have multiple options 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

i see what you are saying but im familiarwith the area and where i would choose it's on north broad near where the next 2 blocks over i would be in hillside.   i also looked into plainfield near the train station where all the ny bound buses meet 113 114 etc there i have multiple options 

Even so though, how would you work around the Lincoln Tunnel situation?

[BreeddekalbL]

Even so though, how would you work around the Lincoln Tunnel situation?

 

the 59 to newark from elizabeth or plainfield  and then jump on path i already mentioned that earlier in the multi quote with you and 161 unless you must have missed it.

[SubwayGuy]

At some point, you have to value your sanity.

 

Yes you may save on rent, but you will add to your commuting costs. To paraphrase what someone else said "damned if you do, damned if you don't"

 

With that said, always try to live closer if you can afford it.

-It will be easier to get into work during snowstorms or other major bad weather. You will not risk being carried AWOL or having to burn personal days if you get stuck and can't make it in, since that's now infinitely less likely.

-If you live very far away, you will definitely need a vehicle as primary or alternate transportation, and probably need a second vehicle too. The mileage adds up, and you need a way of getting in if for some reason you can't get your primary vehicle to start, or it goes in the shop for any extended time (ie more than a few hours). A rental or Zipcar would be extremely expensive since you would get dinged for the mileage you're putting on it too.

 

Plus, your sanity:

-If you have a long commute, and your commuting costs approximate the increase in living costs you'd have if you lived closer (seriously gas adds up a lot when you do it 5 days a week), you're not really saving as much as you think. You are also costing yourself hours of personal time and rest that you are spending commuting. This is time that, should you like, you could possibly work overtime, make an extra trip, etc. which would boost your paycheck but is no longer a real option to you because of your commute. There is opportunity cost in your commute because it limits your earning potential at work. Same goes for relying on a railroad for service home. PM people: If you have to catch the same last train home every night, you can never stay and work. Plus that day the railroad is bad and blows up leading to an unwanted late clear, you'll either be sitting around in Penn Station/Grand Central for hours waiting for a train, or you'll be forced to splurge for a hotel room.

 

Especially if you are considering renting in PA, CT, upstate, etc. - there are many affordable neighborhoods (on TA pay) in NYC that are safe and generally improving. Most of the neighborhoods in South Brooklyn (Sunset Park, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay) are a good bet. You've also got some affordability in Queens in Bayside, Little Neck, Middle Village, Sunnyside, Kew Gardens, and even some places in Forest Hills. Bronx you've got Middletown over by the 6 line. All of these neighborhoods are safe, stable, and improving, but with not a ton of new expensive luxury development so if you look hard enough you can find a decent rent. Stay out of "trendy" areas like Bushwick, Williamsburg, Park Slope, LI City, Astoria, anywhere in Manhattan except possibly Inwood, and Riverdale...unless you WANT to splurge to live in one of those places.

 

If you are buying, then by all means look at LI, CT, NJ, Staten Island, and upstate. It may not be "quite" as cheap as PA, but over the life of your mortgage the difference in your commuting costs will probably add up to pretty close to the price difference.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

At some point, you have to value your sanity.

 

Yes you may save on rent, but you will add to your commuting costs. To paraphrase what someone else said "damned if you do, damned if you don't"

 

With that said, always try to live closer if you can afford it.

-It will be easier to get into work during snowstorms or other major bad weather. You will not risk being carried AWOL or having to burn personal days if you get stuck and can't make it in, since that's now infinitely less likely.

-If you live very far away, you will definitely need a vehicle as primary or alternate transportation, and probably need a second vehicle too. The mileage adds up, and you need a way of getting in if for some reason you can't get your primary vehicle to start, or it goes in the shop for any extended time (ie more than a few hours). A rental or Zipcar would be extremely expensive since you would get dinged for the mileage you're putting on it too.

 

Plus, your sanity:

-If you have a long commute, and your commuting costs approximate the increase in living costs you'd have if you lived closer (seriously gas adds up a lot when you do it 5 days a week), you're not really saving as much as you think. You are also costing yourself hours of personal time and rest that you are spending commuting. This is time that, should you like, you could possibly work overtime, make an extra trip, etc. which would boost your paycheck but is no longer a real option to you because of your commute. There is opportunity cost in your commute because it limits your earning potential at work. Same goes for relying on a railroad for service home. PM people: If you have to catch the same last train home every night, you can never stay and work. Plus that day the railroad is bad and blows up leading to an unwanted late clear, you'll either be sitting around in Penn Station/Grand Central for hours waiting for a train, or you'll be forced to splurge for a hotel room.

 

Especially if you are considering renting in PA, CT, upstate, etc. - there are many affordable neighborhoods (on TA pay) in NYC that are safe and generally improving. Most of the neighborhoods in South Brooklyn (Sunset Park, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay) are a good bet. You've also got some affordability in Queens in Bayside, Little Neck, Middle Village, Sunnyside, Kew Gardens, and even some places in Forest Hills. Bronx you've got Middletown over by the 6 line. All of these neighborhoods are safe, stable, and improving, but with not a ton of new expensive luxury development so if you look hard enough you can find a decent rent. Stay out of "trendy" areas like Bushwick, Williamsburg, Park Slope, LI City, Astoria, anywhere in Manhattan except possibly Inwood, and Riverdale...unless you WANT to splurge to live in one of those places.

 

If you are buying, then by all means look at LI, CT, NJ, Staten Island, and upstate. It may not be "quite" as cheap as PA, but over the life of your mortgage the difference in your commuting costs will probably add up to pretty close to the price difference.

And there's a reason Riverdale is slightly cheaper (for now) than most of Manhattan and that's because it's very isolated and suburban, but don't bank of that remaining... More luxury buildings coming as I write this and lots of Manhattanites moving in (young families, folks retiring, etc.).  You really need to give yourself an hour at a minimum if using public transit unless you're in a part of Riverdale that's very close to a Metro-North station or you can get out and drive and those parts tend to be the most expensive (approaching Manhattan prices when you add in the commuting costs).  The other thing that gets really fun up here is when it snows. The high elevations here (some of the highest in NYC) mean snow accumulations similar to Westchester, so folks that live here generally are the types that can take off and call in or work from here.  He won't have that luxury.  There have been a few times when I've had to do that because there was no service. 

 

Bensonhurst is cheap... Dyker less so and it's most suburban and isolated, and all of South Brooklyn can be a schlepp commuting wise.  Bay Ridge may be a nice option though parking is a nightmare (if he can afford it).  Becoming quite pricey as well considering how far out it is.

[LexAveExp5]

I thought they were working on a universal pass from what i heard?

No, it's separate from our transit pass. Only those who live outside the 5 boroughs have a choice of either the LIRR pass or the MNRR pass

[BreeddekalbL]

At some point, you have to value your sanity.

 

Yes you may save on rent, but you will add to your commuting costs. To paraphrase what someone else said "damned if you do, damned if you don't"

 

With that said, always try to live closer if you can afford it.

-It will be easier to get into work during snowstorms or other major bad weather. You will not risk being carried AWOL or having to burn personal days if you get stuck and can't make it in, since that's now infinitely less likely.

-If you live very far away, you will definitely need a vehicle as primary or alternate transportation, and probably need a second vehicle too. The mileage adds up, and you need a way of getting in if for some reason you can't get your primary vehicle to start, or it goes in the shop for any extended time (ie more than a few hours). A rental or Zipcar would be extremely expensive since you would get dinged for the mileage you're putting on it too.

 

Plus, your sanity:

-If you have a long commute, and your commuting costs approximate the increase in living costs you'd have if you lived closer (seriously gas adds up a lot when you do it 5 days a week), you're not really saving as much as you think. You are also costing yourself hours of personal time and rest that you are spending commuting. This is time that, should you like, you could possibly work overtime, make an extra trip, etc. which would boost your paycheck but is no longer a real option to you because of your commute. There is opportunity cost in your commute because it limits your earning potential at work. Same goes for relying on a railroad for service home. PM people: If you have to catch the same last train home every night, you can never stay and work. Plus that day the railroad is bad and blows up leading to an unwanted late clear, you'll either be sitting around in Penn Station/Grand Central for hours waiting for a train, or you'll be forced to splurge for a hotel room.

 

Especially if you are considering renting in PA, CT, upstate, etc. - there are many affordable neighborhoods (on TA pay) in NYC that are safe and generally improving. Most of the neighborhoods in South Brooklyn (Sunset Park, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay) are a good bet. You've also got some affordability in Queens in Bayside, Little Neck, Middle Village, Sunnyside, Kew Gardens, and even some places in Forest Hills. Bronx you've got Middletown over by the 6 line. All of these neighborhoods are safe, stable, and improving, but with not a ton of new expensive luxury development so if you look hard enough you can find a decent rent. Stay out of "trendy" areas like Bushwick, Williamsburg, Park Slope, LI City, Astoria, anywhere in Manhattan except possibly Inwood, and Riverdale...unless you WANT to splurge to live in one of those places.

 

If you are buying, then by all means look at LI, CT, NJ, Staten Island, and upstate. It may not be "quite" as cheap as PA, but over the life of your mortgage the difference in your commuting costs will probably add up to pretty close to the price difference.

 

I'll admit i value my sanity but i used to live in the area (union) with regards to elizabeth and plainfield  and made those trips in hundreds of times.The area would add about an extra 20 min to my  from when i lived in union  (it's not like i live in 139 territory where i have another relative down there in Howell cause that commute would be brutal!)   

 

I agree with trying to stay close to the job  if the job gets to busy where i would clear late and would miss the last bus or train i have 2 maybe 3 relatives to crash with, same with the snow storm aspect where i would stay if they dare to have a massive shut down again . Also i don't intend on relying on the RR and the RR would not be my first option anyways for travel and what not. 

 

 

Especially if you are considering renting in PA, CT, upstate, etc. - there are many affordable neighborhoods (on TA pay) in NYC that are safe and generally improving. Most of the neighborhoods in South Brooklyn (Sunset Park, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay) are a good bet. You've also got some affordability in Queens in Bayside, Little Neck, Middle Village, Sunnyside, Kew Gardens, and even some places in Forest Hills. Bronx you've got Middletown over by the 6 line. All of these neighborhoods are safe, stable, and improving, but with not a ton of new expensive luxury development so if you look hard enough you can find a decent rent. Stay out of "trendy" areas like Bushwick, Williamsburg, Park Slope, LI City, Astoria, anywhere in Manhattan except possibly Inwood, and Riverdale...unless you WANT to splurge to live in one of those places.

 

If you are buying, then by all means look at LI, CT, NJ, Staten Island, and upstate. It may not be "quite" as cheap as PA, but over the life of your mortgage the difference in your commuting costs will probably add up to pretty close to the price difference.

 

I know my old neighborhood at Dekalb and Wyckoff has changed and also i also know the owners of my old apartment house and it's rent stabilized  and i intend on staying out of the trendy areas i already said i don't want to splurge i only splurge when it's special.  PA would be too far for my tastes 

 

And there's a reason Riverdale is slightly cheaper (for now) than most of Manhattan and that's because it's very isolated and suburban, but don't bank of that remaining... More luxury buildings coming as I write this and lots of Manhattanites moving in (young families, folks retiring, etc.).  You really need to give yourself an hour at a minimum if using public transit unless you're in a part of Riverdale that's very close to a Metro-North station or you can get out and drive and those parts tend to be the most expensive (approaching Manhattan prices when you add in the commuting costs).  The other thing that gets really fun up here is when it snows. The high elevations here (some of the highest in NYC) mean snow accumulations similar to Westchester, so folks that live here generally are the types that can take off and call in or work from here.  He won't have that luxury.  There have been a few times when I've had to do that because there was no service. 

 

Bensonhurst is cheap... Dyker less so and it's most suburban and isolated, and all of South Brooklyn can be a schlepp commuting wise.  Bay Ridge may be a nice option though parking is a nightmare (if he can afford it).  Becoming quite pricey as well considering how far out it is.

 

Regarding my commute i intend on giving  myself extra time of at least 3 hours and i already said my options regarding the snow above.   and i hear bay ridge is getting invaded by these frauds who will run out real nyer's? 

 

and my minimum rent cap would be at least 850 so thats why i included NJ since i said that would be my first time really on my own 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Regarding my commute i intend on giving  myself extra time of at least 3 hours and i already said my options regarding the snow above.   and i hear bay ridge is getting invaded by these frauds who will run out real nyer's? 

 

and my minimum rent cap would be at least 850 so thats why i included NJ since i said that would be my first time really on my own 

Wait a minute.... $850 for rent??!??? You can forget about finding any place for yourself in NYC that is nice at that price.  In Central Riverdale where I'm at, there are 1 bedrooms going for $1,800 - 2,500, and even studios are $1,250 - 1,350 at a minimum. In order to live alone in NYC (in just some of the decent areas of the outerboroughs), you really need at least $50,000 - $60,000, and that's assuming you have no major expenses outside of rent, food, car, etc.  If you want to be in really nice areas, $70,000 - 80,000 is more likely.

 

You could find something deep into Staten Island for $975 - 1,000 if you're lucky, perhaps down in Tottenville or other surrounding areas, but you'll deal with a long commute.  You should consider getting a roomate if your salary is really going to be low (below $40,000).  Perhaps New Jersey may be best.  I don't even see how you could afford anything in Croton-on-Hudson, as that area is quite affluent.

 

What is happening in NYC, even outside of Manhattan is that rents have been quickly moving up, and even crappy areas are seeing rents go up.

[BreeddekalbL]

Wait a minute.... $850 for rent??!??? You can forget about finding any place for yourself in NYC that is nice at that price.  In Central Riverdale where I'm at, there are 1 bedrooms going for $1,800 - 2,500, and even studios are $1,250 - 1,350 at a minimum. In order to live alone in NYC (in just some of the decent areas of the outerboroughs), you really need at least $50,000 - $60,000, and that's assuming you have no major expenses outside of rent, food, car, etc.  If you want to be in really nice areas, $70,000 - 80,000 is more likely.

 

You could find something deep into Staten Island for $975 - 1,000 if you're lucky, perhaps down in Tottenville or other surrounding areas, but you'll deal with a long commute.  You should consider getting a roomate if your salary is really going to be low (below $40,000).  Perhaps New Jersey may be best.  I don't even see how you could afford anything in Croton-on-Hudson, as that area is quite affluent.

 

What is happening in NYC, even outside of Manhattan is that rents have been quickly moving up, and even crappy areas are seeing rents go up.

 

there was a complex there that had $850 a few months ago either i saw wrong or it might be a trap. since i know the people who own my old apartment and it's rent stabilized i'll see how much rent went up from the last time i lived there but its in the trendy neighborhood mentioned earlier ...  And i agree about nj i can choose between elizabeth and plainfield since i lived in a town in between those 2 before.

[SubwayGuy]

And there's a reason Riverdale is slightly cheaper (for now) than most of Manhattan and that's because it's very isolated and suburban, but don't bank of that remaining... More luxury buildings coming as I write this and lots of Manhattanites moving in (young families, folks retiring, etc.).  You really need to give yourself an hour at a minimum if using public transit unless you're in a part of Riverdale that's very close to a Metro-North station or you can get out and drive and those parts tend to be the most expensive (approaching Manhattan prices when you add in the commuting costs).  The other thing that gets really fun up here is when it snows. The high elevations here (some of the highest in NYC) mean snow accumulations similar to Westchester, so folks that live here generally are the types that can take off and call in or work from here.  He won't have that luxury.  There have been a few times when I've had to do that because there was no service. 

 

Bensonhurst is cheap... Dyker less so and it's most suburban and isolated, and all of South Brooklyn can be a schlepp commuting wise.  Bay Ridge may be a nice option though parking is a nightmare (if he can afford it).  Becoming quite pricey as well considering how far out it is.

 

Agreed on all of that.

 

I left Bay Ridge out due to price and parking, and that area is becoming "trendy" as well particularly around the 86th St. area. The other thing about Bay Ridge is if you live there and plan on commuting to work via train, the R is not the best way to do it because of the unpredictability of the service on the overnights since they are constantly doing work on 4th Avenue and it limits the service. Also the extra transfer from the N to the R shuttle during hours the R is not running full length adds a significant amount of time to any commute. If I lived there, I definitely would not want to deal with the R shuttle...AT ALL. So that means driving, and that means dealing with parking. IMO you'd do better elsewhere in Brooklyn, plus other areas are easier to get to Stillwell where there's more jobs anyway. Because of the way RTO terminals are districted, for example, lots of people who live in Bay Ridge can't reasonably pick to work there since they can't get 5 days. So it becomes 2-3 days at Bay Ridge, and the rest of the week far away in Queens.

 

[SubwayGuy]

I'll admit i value my sanity but i used to live in the area (union) with regards to elizabeth and plainfield  and made those trips in hundreds of times.The area would add about an extra 20 min to my  from when i lived in union  (it's not like i live in 139 territory where i have another relative down there in Howell cause that commute would be brutal!)   

 

I agree with trying to stay close to the job  if the job gets to busy where i would clear late and would miss the last bus or train i have 2 maybe 3 relatives to crash with, same with the snow storm aspect where i would stay if they dare to have a massive shut down again . Also i don't intend on relying on the RR and the RR would not be my first option anyways for travel and what not. 

 

 

I know my old neighborhood at Dekalb and Wyckoff has changed and also i also know the owners of my old apartment house and it's rent stabilized  and i intend on staying out of the trendy areas i already said i don't want to splurge i only splurge when it's special.  PA would be too far for my tastes 

 

 

Regarding my commute i intend on giving  myself extra time of at least 3 hours and i already said my options regarding the snow above.   and i hear bay ridge is getting invaded by these frauds who will run out real nyer's? 

 

and my minimum rent cap would be at least 850 so thats why i included NJ since i said that would be my first time really on my own 

 

Don't overestimate your ability to deal with a heavy commute. This job is time consuming and many days you will go home from work tired. It's easy to underestimate that. You will have days you work 11, 12, even sometimes close to 14 hours. You will have a 12 hour day on the heels of an 11 hour day where you only had 10 hours and 1 minute between jobs. It has happened to us all at some point, it will happen to you at some point. In fact, it used to be worse. Just remember that lots of TA people have gotten in car accidents coming home from work, and people have had incidents at work leading to suspensions and even losing their jobs due to their commute leaving them fatigued. Just full disclosure.

 

When you're new, I still do highly recommend living somewhere that you can get to a subway in case there's 3 feet of snow on the ground, it can and will happen again someday and you can't always count on buses to be running...and TA will not care one bit if the service that isn't running due to weather isn't theirs...so in other words, those days you would definitely have to drive.

 

But you can't drive all the time - If you have to habitually drive into work every day, for example, you will get burned when you are told to report to, say, 145 St. in Manhattan on the B line to be on the board, and pick up a job that finishes 12 hours later at Coney Island Yard. Now you have to add an hour plus train ride back to 145 St. to get your car onto your existing commute.

 

The flexibility to either drive or not drive depending on where you're assigned that day, or what kind of assignment you have, is great, and IMO you can really only get that in the 5 boroughs. Some people never live in the city when they work here, just be prepared for it to be worse than you think right now if that's the choice you make. If you're OK with that, then rock on.