Great video! Can you keep sharing your apartment hunting videos as you look in NYC/NJ (or even if you’re looking exclusively in NYC only). Andrew’s commentary is great, he has such a realistic and sound view of the apartments being offered for the $. Keep it up!
The city council tries to put a limit on how much the rent can go up in some buildings like 2-4% over like 2 years . But when rents are reaching 6K and up 2-4% is still really high . It's an on going battle here .
There are definitely cheaper apartments available. The fact that she wants an elevator and a washer dryer kind of limits her to more expensive newer luxury buildings. In Brooklyn you have a lot of houses and brownstones divided into apartments which obviously don’t have elevators. I live in Williamsburg/ Greenpoint. There are relatively few buildings with elevators. The only ones are brand new luxury buildings which are crazy expensive. You can find decent one bedrooms for around 3000 or so but no elevator or laundry. There are many laundromats around so not a huge problem. The buildings aren’t that tall. So you only have to walk 2 or 3 flights. Downtown Brooklyn is crazy expensive and not even a cool neighborhood.
As a born and raised New Yorker from Manhattan 105th St. moved to NC was the best thing I ever did. Making NY money but live in NC I have 200 acres with two homes on our land. And my mortgage, yes mortgage is $1800 a month. My down payment was $20,000. Again, two homes, 200 acres of woods, I rent the land out to hunters every year from Sept. to April to hunt, $350 per person, for 4 hours and I rent out the second home. And I work in Tech, from home. The insanity with these prices is insane.
This takes real dedication. I’m a born and bred New Yorker and it’s time to bow out for me. I refuse to RENT a luxury shoe box when I can be putting $5,000 a month towards a mortgage for a 4,000sqft home with a backyard! Working from home has been a Godsend. I love New York but it isn’t worth it for me anymore.
I was just discussing this with family. These ppl that wanna pay two mortgages for a closet bc it has a dish washer and a sprayer in the sink can HAVE IT.
Oh… my mortgage in Houston is not even half of that! For a 4bd 2.5 bath home. And Houston is known for having amazing food and nightlife. I genuinely don’t know how people afford to live there, and honestly feel for those people that truly can’t. 5k would easily get you a beautiful home. Hell, for 2k, that’s an amazing apartment in midtown with FREE amenities and washer and dryer in unit- which is standard in most Texas apartments anyways. Crazy people pay that kind of money and have to share a laundry machine. 😭
I knew NYC was expensive but oh my god it's gotten worse since the pandemic! Almost $5k for a one bedroom apartment is absolutely ridiculous. The third apartment's upfront cost are equivalent to half the amount of student loans and for limited amenities is not worth it. I hope you and Andrew find a good apartment that works for your budget and style.
Andrew: Provides a detailed laundry list of everything wrong with the apartment Bukola: "...but it was so spacious 🥺" LOL Thanks for taking us on this journey with you. And sorry i'm #TeamAndrew on that one 😂
I'm totally with Andrew. That last apartment was the worst of them all and $15,000 for an apartment you don't own?! Girl, bye! It's disgusting how much it costs to live in the city now. TFS.
@@jamaicancoder6278 you probably have roommates or it’s already bought by someone else. If you were already living in that place then usually you are fine.
8:50 Andrew's raw unfiltered honest reviews were appropriate to me. Balancing apartment amenities like location, views with expensive costs makes one really have to decide what is most important. The last apt in Jersey City seemed to have the most bang for the buck. Good luck in finding that balance.
Salute to Andrew for keeping it real... and you, Bukola, for keeping it emotionally consistent... despite the prices. I'm a native NY'er and those prices were WTF'ing with my emotions! There are affordable places on quaint blocks that are close to everything you both seem to want... but to each his own! Thanks for the content.
$800 application fee?? This price gouging is truly astounding. Wishing you and your partner all the best in your search - it’s rough out there but there are always gems to be found
8:50 wish Andrew would review every nyc apartment tour on youtube. That was the realist opinion I've heard. I use to want to live in NYC, until everything went crazy expensive post pandemic
Apartment application fees are capped at $20 in NY!! Youshould report that broker that asked for $800 they are scammers. They fixed the law that restricted landlords to $20 to include brokers as well back in 2019.
False. That doesn’t apply to condo or coop buildings buildings. But for normal buildings that have a mix of affordable, stabilized and maket rate units it’s capped at $20z
Wow, downtown NY & JC is so expensive. No way. For me, I'd choose #1 (it's the cheapest, rent stabilized & amenities included). It's an apartment, not a home investment, so I wouldn't pay the most. Good luck!
When it comes to NYC it’s a well known fact that you need to reset your expectations and decide what’s most non-negotiable e.g. mass transit in terms of distance and options. I say, make sure you’re comfortable and start thinking about purchasing a condo, co-op or buying a stand-alone home 🤷🏻♀️
unfortunately no. the market regulates itself. people that can pay that much rent, could potentially also buy and get a loan for that. if buying would be so much more reasonable, everyone would buy and the prices go up. so no, buying is not much better unless you want to live in nyc forever
I grew up in Brooklyn and I did not realize its soooooo expensive now. I am speechless. I just have to enjoy my visits and come back home. Thanks for sharing with us.
The first and last ones looked great to me. The 15k one is just ridiculous lol. Ultimately you two will have to choose a place you BOTH love! Also, I enjoyed hearing Andrew's take. Good luck!
Me and My finance just moved into the Communipaw area of JC and got a great deal on a 2-floor, 4br 3 bath with backyard and parking, loving the area so far. 👌🏾 Paying only 3k.
The Jersey City apartment was the best. I feel so blessed that my 2 bedroom unit is only $3,150. The apartment is 720sq ft. I have a 320 sq ft east facing terrace and I can the Rockaways to the right and Manhattan to the left. Amenities in my building are 2 outdoor spaces, gym, laundry room with 20 washes and 20 dryers, residents lounge, package room, 24hr security, parking garage. AND the building is rent controlled so I only got a 5% increase when I renewed my lease.
Even watching as a Londoner (familiar with extortionate rent) the expense for how little you receive is ABSURD. Poor New Yorkers. This must be an unprecedented situation.
I only know NYC as a tourist but I'm shocked Bukola!! Those prices are insane for what you get. I live in Montréal and while it's getting very expensive it's nothing to compare with NYC prices. I would suggest that you stayed in Jersey City, your current apartment is lovely and well located with public transportation.
Speaking as someone who lives in Indy, those rent prices are shocking! I love New York and would live there if it wasn't so expensive. That said, I'd pick #2.
I live in Indy as well, my mortgage is $650 per month for 1500 square feet on 1/2 acre. I would never pay that much. I recall paying $875 for a 600 SQ ft luxury apartment on the Northside thinking that was outrageous. I'd rather save that money for retirement and trips
Having lived in New York, DC, and now London (just recently went through apartment hunting myself) the market globally is insane BUT the prices in NY for what you are getting are beyond crazy. I think you could find better options if you possibly expand your property profile/location have you tried Inwood, Manhattan or brownstones in Brooklyn (Bedstuy area)? Those were my old stomping grounds and you might be able to get more bang for your buck
I 100% AGREE WITH HIM ON THE 3RD APARTMENT - NO WAY I CANT BELIVE THEY CAN EVEN CHARGE PPL THAT MUCH MONEY TO MOVE IN OMG THE FIRST APARTMENT AND THE NJ APARTMENT IS MY TOP TWO - LOVE THEM - WISH YOU TWO THE BEST AND GOOD LUCK 🙂
Wow I had no idea paying an extra amenities fee was so common in NYC. Here in Toronto all the amenities are included in your rent, even a swimming pool or a gym if your condo has one.
Crazy! I’m in Toronto and they are pushing to have NYC prices but it’s failing as most people 25-45 are locked out of the housing market and most dt condo units (built for purchase) are actually acting as rentals. I loved the first place and I would’ve signed that lease on the spot! But I’m kind of spontaneous lol. Regarding the third location, I’m totally with Andrew, I wasn’t there but based on the cost it felt like price gouging for what was being offered. I loved this realistic apartment hunting video, I hope you show us more options from Jersey, it’s not as sexy as NYC but you might get more out the dollar.
@@MB-bl2hj LOL my friends and I look at Texas and want to move there - we see the big beautiful houses lol. If you can save up for the large down payment it's doable. I just don't think it's worth it as the standard of living is high and wages are low.
The first apartment in Brooklyn was my favorite because it checked off every single box that you had. Not to mention, it would bring you back to New York. Otherwise, I would have chosen the last apartment in Jersey City had it not been for the price.
I would go deeper into Brooklyn like maybe around the museum. Huge pre war buildings. Not so much fancy amenities but definitely space and better prices. Prospect park and the botanical gardens are at your disposal too. I wouldn’t worry about the laundry. Just send it out
Rent now is absolutely insane. I'm also a SWE at Google but I've delayed leaving my childhood home in Manhattan simply because while I would love to live on my own, the current market makes this a financially reckless decision. I empathize with the transplants and other folks who move here who don't have the fortune of having a prior home with equity to lean back on. If I wasn't living with my parents I might have moved out of the city. I love my home but I also would not be able to stress about rent like this day in and day out.
I would advise against renting a private condo in a building because any repairs needed must be completed by the condo owner, not the building maintenance. I learned that the hard way living in what was a nice apartment in Chelsea in the 90's. Until our heat stopped working and the lights went out. The wiring was shoddy and we had no electricity for 3 weeks, had to use candles and one fell on me and my clothes caught on fire. Luckily me roommate threw a blanket on me before I was burned, but we had to vacate as a result. We didn't know it was a condo when we signed the lease, so the it wasn't too hard to invalidate it, but the amount of trouble it caused us was not worth the hassle.
Yeah… NY has never held that appeal for me.. too many people, noises.. great for a day trip and having fun but to live.. that is a nope for me.. with this review .. you guys have definitely scared me off.. my mortgage here in the DC area is half these rent prices. 😂😂😂 but that is my opinion. I wish you guys lots of luck in apartment shopping 👍🏾👍🏾
wow at 5k rent, if you want to follow the 30% (rent-to-income ratio) rule, you'll need to clear about 300k+ a year in income. Crazy! Nice video though :)
Love these. Have you considered Hoboken, Union City/Weehawken? I live in the area & paying $2500 for a 880 sq ft 1bd with full amenities, views of midtown, & very accessible to the city.
@@Bukola1 I live on the UWS, the C train schedule next to where I live is at least 15 minutes on the weekend, when it is running (there is a major signal revitalization project that will go on until 2025). I am strongly thinking of leaving Manhattan to go to a NJ city in the area. I guess the tradeoff is PATH on the weekend, and the lack of action compared with Manhattan.
Damn. And I thought it was bad in Toronto. The average cost for a one bedroom downtown is around $2400 a month. I moved into my current downtown unit during the pandemic when prices were low so I’m paying $1600 a month. My landlord served me with an N12 form, indicating that they want the unit back so I have to move out. In all likelihood, they don’t need the unit, but they need a legitimate excuse to kick me out, so they can raise rent to be competitive with current prices. So, here I am, back on the market looking for a new place to live where prices have never been so high! Thankfully, I’m in a career where I feel like I can keep up. Toronto salaries are much lower than New york salaries, so in a way we are at par.
It’s the same in Dublin city but like Dublin is not as popular as New York so I don’t get why it cost 3000€ not even $ for a 1 bedroom apartment. I’m def gonna try to move to toronto or an American city😭😭
You said something like "Jersey City is pretty much the same price as Brooklyn." That's exactly why I live in Brooklyn. I'm from Long Island and wanted to move closer to the city but not in the city bc of the prices so I was looking at Jersey City originally. Once I saw that Brooklyn practically had the same prices, I figured I might as well stay in the same state. Another thing, broker's fees kill me. Not the broker asking for the rent price. I know that's common (my broker's fee was more than the rent actually) but when the rent is over $4000, you'd think they wouldn't need to ask for that much as well 😭
If you're reading this comment and you're apartment hunting in NYC - GOOD LUCK! I hope we all get something good. :) It's tough out there! (great video Bukola)
I’m gunna have to agree with Andrew on that one….it is totally an overglorified den lol thats not worth the ROI of $15k upfront. But what I’m hearing is you like extra space so I think you just have to really sit down and figure out what are the must haves vs nice to haves. Because you won’t get everything you want NYC unless you’re willing to shell out serious money. Good luck on the hunt though! Every influencer I’m following right now who lives in NY has expressed the same frustration. Its not easy so sounds like you’ll probably have to compromise
Not a freaking chance. I own a 4 bed 2.5 bath single family home with a finished basement, attached 2 car garage, and a big fenced in yard with a shed and a big deck. My mortgage PITI is $1,440 a month. My electric is about $100, water is $30, and trash is $24 a month. And I bought this house in Feb 2022 after home prices went up. Prices in NYC, Cali, etc. are obscene and must correct themselves.
@@blackceasar2005 I live not far outside Louisville KY. It was built in 1999 and very well maintained. If I had bought it in 2020, I could have got it for about $190k.
I'm with Andrew. That "bedroom" is a closet. It might be spacious but that could get claustrophobic real quick with zero windows. And the living room doesn't even have a view. Your view is the next building!
Not all landlords are making "crazy" increases as you put it, to make huge profits. Between taxes, operating costs, and other expenses, it's not easy running and owning a property. Most landlords aren't huge conglomerates, most landlords have 1 or 2 properties, and these "protections" that you'd like to be put on landlords to stop them increasing rents, is only going to hurt the smaller landlords...who are already dealing with alot.
Check with the first building if they have a rent stabilized 2-bedroom. I'm totally with you on needing space considering you are working from home plus you have all the YT equipment too. The dark apt facing other buildings should be a hard pass. This place is to live and work so it should feel as pleasant as possible.
Wow an $800 application fee is criminal!! We had to move May '22 and ended up further out in Brooklyn than we wanted (20min on L to Union Sq) but $3.2K for a 3BR. It felt so expensive at the time, but looking at prices now, think we got a deal! NOT MOVING FOR A WHILE.
NYC is expensive but we also make more money here. However not everyone lives in Manhattan or downtown Bk, the most expensive parts. 🤷🏽♀️ I’ve lived in every borough besides SI. At one point I lived in Chelsea with a yard and that was about 2700 but that was 10 yrs ago. Now I’m in Astoria and we have a 3 bedroom with a yard for 3200… I would have preferred to be in Bk but now we have kids so having a large yard is a nice plus.
As an ex-New Yorker, I miss the city but no way I would pay that much for rent just to live there. You have to think about saving money as you get older, and NYC makes that impossible. Let alone if you want to have a family.
I remember seeing a spot in schernerhorn in 2018 and thought 3300 was absurd! And now ..🤯… I’m in Texas now, own a home 3 bds, 3 baths 2800sq ft with a huge yard and only pay $1700!!!! Sure you don’t have the NY excitement but you afford to fly there at any time.
9:34 ~ Andrew isn’t from NY, is he? Nobody from NYC has ever characterized a building from 2007 as old. In NYC, a 2007 bldg is generally considered to be a new construction!!!
i had to pause the video at 8:28 cause HAHAHAHAHAHAHA at paying almost $16k+ in up front fees for an apartment with subpar lighting, shared laundry for the WHOLE building, and subpar amenities. HAHAHAHAHAHA. they done lost their ever living mind.
I think you should let go of being one stop away from the city and look a little further out so you can get a 2 BR with more amenities. That last one in Brooklyn was absolutely ridiculous. If you're not commuting a few minutes more on the train will save you lots of money.
As a realtor in NY, I can attest that if you leave Manhattan and move to the outer boroughs you can get a lot more bang for your buck. If anyone's moving here, I'm available to help!
@@SuperDivaDoctor Very true, there's many places to move but there's something infectious about the energy in New York. You can feel it, it's an energy you can't find anywhere else.
Keep looking for that dream apartment.. it's as tough as a college graduate trying to get a job in NYC.. I remember a time back when renting a room in NYC was $100 to $150 a week haha😅 gone are those days
With the way that NYC is expensive overall, I would avoid even considering downtown areas and luxury apartment buildings, but that seems to be what you are looking for. Those kinds of prices are sadly expected there, especially given that a lot of those buildings are new, and the shopping and entertainment areas are new, newly renovated, or torn down and rebuilt. Maybe an apartment in a townhouse or brownstone would suit best.
I thought you were getting a place in New Jersey. In the previous video you made about apartments in Jersey, those were way better than this box sized New York apartment. Living in NYC is not worth it. $5000 per month is crazy!
Broker’s fee? $15,785 to move in? That’s insane. I’ve always wanted to move to NY, but that makes me appreciate my Philadelphia townhome with some pharmaceutical workers negotiating deals all night around the block.😀