Has your wish always been to live in a big city? The time has come for your wish to come true! It does not matter what your interests or hobbies are – New York City has something for everyone! However, before you come here, there are some things you should pay attention to. Prepare for moving to NYC properly and you will have nothing to worry about! Just by following a few steps before contacting NYC movers, you can make your move a lot easier.
The Big Apple
Known by many names such as “The City that Never Sleeps”, “Gotham” and “The Big Apple”, the city of New York has been one of the biggest and most popular places on the planet. For years many people have been moving here. Some from overseas, some by employing State to State movers, and others from the suburbs. In order to prepare for moving to NYC, there are some basic things you need to know. NYC is one of the world’s largest and most populated cities. That in itself tells you a lot. A desirable place usually has big living expenses, long traffic jams, high accommodation prices, and so much more. But of course, not everything is bad, there are also good sides to this city.
Finding a place to live is of paramount importance
As you already know, New York City is quite populated. Because of this, you should not wait to go there and find an apartment or a house. This is not a really safe way of finding your future place of residence. Yes, it can happen that you find a nice place quite soon. However, a more likely scenario would be not finding a decent place for a long period of time.
As a result, it is probable that you will have to go back from where you have come from. However, in order to stop this from happening, check what you have at your disposal. After you find something that you like, feel free to get in touch with interstate movers Texas. They are going to help you in every way possible! Of course, there is also the option of paying for a hotel until you find accommodation but that’s simply wasting money. So you might be wondering about the necessary steps to take in order to find your dream home. Let’s go over them together.
Find a neighborhood that will fit you
When you prepare to move to NYC, you first need to find your new home. As the city is large it is divided into five areas. Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island are the areas that together make New York City. There are different places that can cater to different tastes. For example, you can find beautiful tapestries, medieval parks, and statues in the Inwood area. This is a place famous among students, artists, performers, and Broadway entertainers. Here you will find affordable rooms and a direct subway lift to Midtown.
Morningside Heights is famous for its academic establishments like the Union Theological Seminary, Manhattan School of Music, Barnard College, and Columbia University. The world’s largest Gothic Cathedral, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, is also one of the attractions this location offers. The grand architecture and a garden next to the river are some of the characteristics of this area.
The Upper East Side depicts the life of extravagance and is the nearest to Central Park and Museum Mile. Packed with over-the-top business, an insane number of masses, and street artists, Times Square is one of the numerous well-known locations in all of New York City, and throughout the globe as well. As a result of that, there are many tourists here all year long. These are just some of the many locations in NYC and you can’t prepare for moving to NYC without picking one of them for your next home before moving from Texas to New York.
Renting prices in NYC
One of the most notorious things about NYC is its ridiculous huge housing prices. Actually, if you look closely you will notice that this big city is actually mostly populated by renters. Of course, this is where the location/neighborhood you picked out shows its actual shape. Different areas will have different prices, of course, this is mostly based on demand and available housing. If you look for example at rent prices for a one-bedroom apartment in NYC you will notice they range from $3,950 (Manhattan) to $1,500 (Staten Island). In this city the location is everything! As for two-bedroom apartments, you can find them from $2,000(further and more secluded areas), all the way over $4,750. And in some cases even more expensive.
How lucky do you need to be in order to find an apartment cheaper than $3,000 per month? Quite lucky actually! As 90% of NYC apartments are priced more than that. Although during the pandemic at one point, the prices had fallen, now they started to rise again. But of course, this also depends on the area you picked. For example, if you wish to live in Manhattan be prepared to cash out some serious money. Although upper Manhattan is the most affordable part of this area it’s still quite expensive compared to let’s say Inwood and Washington Heights. These are the places where the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,733 and $1,850.
Buying a home in New York
On the other hand, although there are fewer people in NYC that actually own their homes, it’s not like they don’t exist. Among many of the people that prepare for moving to NYC, some decide to purchase a home. If you are one of them, then be aware that saving money is impossible. The average asking price in April 2022 was $995 000, and is said to be the highest recorder price since 2019! But don’t forget that even this is different depending on the area of your interest. For example, the asking price in Manhattan is around$1.5, Brooklyn comes in second at around $995,000, then Staten Island, at $699,400, and Queens at around $625,000.
And the cheapest of them all is the Bronx, with the asking price closest to the national average of $388,000. But even with these quite high prices, the sales in the city are nowhere near slowing down. Homes are even sold faster than the earlier years, staying for about 46 days on average on the market. The big demand of course also influences the prices even more, as well as living costs as well.
If you are moving with your children, find a school for them
In order for you to prepare for moving to NYC properly, you should find a school for your children. It is preferable that you do this while you are still at your old home. This should especially be the case if the school year has not finished yet. On the other hand, if it is over, you can take a look at the best schools in NYC and make a final decision when you relocate. Of course, you should let your children participate. After all, they are the ones who will go there.
New York has the most extensive public school system. Run by the New York City Department of Education, it is furthermore the home to outstanding colleges like Columbia University, Yeshiva University, Barnard College, and more. There are even more other private institutes like The School of Visual Arts, The Juilliard School, and numerous more.
The NYC general school system consumes more money per pupil than any other public education system in the country. Despite the lately publicized problems with the decline of the public school system in New York City, the bulk of New York public education offers many possibilities for students.
When you prepare for moving to NYC, do not forget about the mental aspect
As we have already stated, NYC is quite a crowded city. This is something you should always bear in mind if you would like your life in this city to be stress-free. It means that, if you have some kind of arrangement, you should leave your home much earlier than you are used to. Since the traffic is quite jammed, you are going to need a lot of time to reach your destination on time. This goes even for your moving day. Luckily, if you choose long-distance movers NYC to be your moving partner, they are going to make sure everything runs smoothly since they know the territory.
Prepare for your move by looking for work on time
Many people move to NYC in search of jobs that can take their careers to the next level. Being a giant among cities, it’s only natural that it offers many opportunities. Although we do understand people coming here in search of work, there are still some things you need to know. NYC is an economic giant. In it, there are some of the world’s most famous and well-paid companies. But that doesn’t mean you should employ full packing services and run in it without a plan. The city is expensive and has tough competition when it comes to certain jobs.
In case you have not already secured a job, start looking for something before the move. This is a nice way to prepare for moving to NYC as you will have your basic needs covered. It doesn’t have to be a spectacular job. It’s just a start. Over time you can switch and look for better positions.
- New York is the capital of finance. But tourism, real estate, media, and green enterprises are also significant employers in the metropolis.
- The job demand in New York is difficult to crack; make certain to arrange enough time for your investigation and also think in terms of potential job applications.
Public transportation will be an important factor after moving
When you prepare for moving to NYC you should also learn the basics of public transportation. This is something you can do before or after contacting a moving company. It is only natural that you will look into your surroundings when moving. But when moving to NYC or other cities its size there are many more things you will need to consider. For example, living in a smaller city means you probably used your car for every little trip. Going to work, to friends, stores and so much more. But due to huge crowds, and often traffic jams, New Yorkers have traded in their cars for public transport.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) supervises and operates transport in the region that spreads from New York City through Long Island, southeastern New York State, as well as Connecticut. MetroCards can be utilized on both subways and buses. And in turn, it has made it both convenient and affordable to travel through the city. Trip Planner is MTA New York City Transit’s online transmission service where bus and subway guides are unrestricted. Buses operate on all the main courses. They have wheelchair accessibility that most subways don’t. The Staten Island Ferry is unrestricted and can be used for free.
Tips you will need in order to prepare for moving to NYC
Hotels in New York City are extremely pricey! Just staying in one for a week can cost as much as $1,000, or even more. Find a residence to live in before you relocate to the city. If you want to fit in and understand how the residents live, then you should probably stay out of sites that are filled with information for travelers. What you will need is another type of information. Things like jobs, living expenses, apartment prices, and so on, are the things you should read about. Also, consider exploring the city by yourself. Sure you can start from some famous places, but don’t neglect the local hidden gems.
Parking in the city is not just pricey but excessively difficult. The subway system is an efficient method of transport. It can take you everywhere within the city boundaries. The location you choose to live in will affect your lifestyle. So pick wisely. Don’t try to pick places out of your means, as it can backfire! NYC is already expensive enough!
Prepare for moving to NYC by saving money for your living costs
Moving is expensive. And when you prepare for moving to NYC there are a couple of things to consider. First a moving budget. This is for the costs of the move, all of the services, materials and so on. Of course, you should make sure to read reviews and employ good movers, as well as good services. The second thing you will need to prepare is a budget for your living expenses. You should have at least two to three months minimum upfront. This way you are ready for any unexpected circumstances.
Living in NYC is costly. Even the smallest apartments have huge prices, and the food and transport add up to it. Not to mention other items and things you will need. Going in without a penny means that you are risking! Imagine something happens like losing a job, or a need to move into another apartment. If you didn’t have a budget saved beforehand this would be a disaster.
Moving to NYC with the help of professional movers
Moving to New York City can be hard. The moving company that you employ should have prior experience in performing relocations in the city. Expenses should be brought into consideration only when looking at quotes. Executing some examination on your part prior to leasing a moving company is required. There are some things that any moving company should have. Among them are some documents, insurance, and a good reputation. Of course, don’t pick just any company that offers all of that. The best course of action is to contact at least three different ones. Ask for quotes (they are usually free) and compare them. At the same time do the same about the services you are interested in.
Review the license, insurance, and BBB paperwork of the moving company. One more thing that you should do, is to go online and look for the reviews. Here you will see what their prior clients have to say about them, their experience, and their rating. Ask for contacts from the moving advisors and ask if extra insurance is obtainable for your high-end commodities. A parking permit, elevator reservation, and insurance are the three measures for any moving company to work smoothly in New York City. Find out if all of them are taken care of by the company prior to hiring them.
Watch out for scams
Scams are everywhere. Especially now that everything is easily accessible. But of course, even though they exist doesn’t make them unavoidable. There are actually some easy steps you can go around them. For example, the best companies are usually the ones with years of experience. Old companies are usually family-owned businesses and they have been making a name for themselves for quite some time. Although some new companies are also good watch out for ones that change their name frequently. Moving companies that are in this field for some time now also have more services to offer. More red flags are:
- Not taking credit cards and demanding fees be paid by direct deposit or cash
- Asking for large deposits prior to the move during off-season times
- Not recorded within the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- Presents instant quotes rather than arranging for an onsite assessment to give a precise estimate
- Don’t deliver a copy of the “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move,” brochure movers are instructed to hand over by Federal laws
- Having too many unresolved client criticisms or no reviews at all
- Instruct clients to sign blank contracts or paperwork prior to the move
Of course, mishaps can happen even to the best moving companies. So some things that are genuine mistakes that can happen and are not considered scams are:
- Negligible damage to furnishings, devices, and other items is overall quite common in most moves
- Insignificant losses and having items vanish during the move
- Delivery waits of a few days—you might even be able to get some recompense for a delivery date, but this typically doesn’t constitute a scam
- Some cost changes (less than a 10% increase) might appear; these are usually the effect of inaccurate estimates and quotes
In conclusion
Relocating to a city as large as NYC is certainly not easy. There are many things you should be aware of when moving here. Like we already said, in order to prepare for moving to NYC, our best advice is to make a list and a budget. Never expect NYC to be cheap. As even its cheaper areas are quite expensive. Decide on your budget, and based on that make a housing decision. Once you have that down, look for a job! And not just any job. Look for something that will help you pay for your apartment, as well as other living expenses that are also not cheap here. If you can’t find anything as soon or prior to the move, then we hope you listen to us and had some savings on the side!
