<p>I will be attending Parsons this fall and I'm not going to live in the dorms. I would definitely prefer to have a roomate or two. </p>
<p>Is there a website where I can contact other Parsons students to live with?</p>
<p>Where would you reccomend I live? I want to be a close distance to Parsons, but also don't want to be paying out of my rear in rent?</p>
<p>Thank You,</p>
<p>Thomas</p>
<p>As you’ll no doubt guess, there is no place near Parsons where you won’t be paying a lot of money for space. The good news is that rents are down a bit, so you won’t be paying quite as much or you might get one more bedroom than you would’ve a year ago. Generally prices in Brooklyn or Queens (or way uptown) are the closest to “cheap” or “reasonable”, but that also depends on which area you choose; if you’re persistent though, you can still get some deals downtown in Manhattan. Maybe give us an idea of what you’re hoping to pay, what distance is acceptable (getting the train or on foot) and we can make some suggestions?</p>
<p>I’m looking to pay under 1000 a month. Just as along a good subway line and a reasonable commute I’ll be fine in Brooklyn. Of course, I would prefer Manhattan, but its not just the rents that are more the food and everything will be more too. I’ve been looking into Astoria and that seems like it could be a good fit. Where in Brooklyn would you say is good?</p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p>Tom</p>
<p>Under $1000 with roommate(s) is definitely doable, though it could be somewhat challenging in Manhattan (at least downtown).</p>
<p>I know a few people who live in Astoria and like it; I’d say it’s one of the best bang for your buck commutes, because the rent prices don’t seem totally in line with the distance/time to the city (they seem undervalued).</p>
<p>People love to trash Williamsburg, but if you can find an actual vacancy, it’s a pretty comfortable neighborhood to live in. Don’t buy the brokerspeak about “East Williamsburg”, because there’s no such thing - what they’re talking about is Bushwick, which can be ok too, but it’s not Williamsburg. I think it’s less an issue of “as safe as Williamsburg” these days and more an issue of “we want to charge the same rent as Williamsburg”. The Graham L stop is a vague boundary to consider - the prices go down, but so does everything else. One plus is that you’d already be on the train when half of Brooklyn tries to board at Bedford Ave. As always, it’s just a matter of finding a balance you’re comfortable with. </p>
<p>Elsewhere in Brooklyn is tough (decision-wise). Brooklyn Heights is beautiful, but often pricey. Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill and Prospect Heights are all pretty comfortable areas with a zillion options for size/budget. Park Slope is also comfortable and good for the train, but can be way overpriced. And again you have to beware of the “South Slope” trick… check a map, because it usually means the next neighborhood south. There are some ridiculously cheap places farther out in Brooklyn, but you’ll be hating life if you try to come home at 3am or on the weekend. For that matter, getting across the river late-night/weekends during the past few years always seems to be an ordeal.</p>
<p>If you’re nearby or it’s at all within your budget, I’d highly recommend coming to the city for a few days before you move or make any decisions. Make a list of areas to visit, go walk around, visit some apartments (looking’s free) and see how each neighborhood feels. I did it about a month before I moved and landed an apartment the first day I was here (which may never happen again in the history of New York, but hey). Another option is to get a month or two sublet/roommate situation and then just use that as a place from which to find a “real” apartment.</p>
<p>Alright, good luck.</p>
<p>PS: things are slightly cheaper in Brooklyn, but it’s nothing major and I wouldn’t make it a deciding factor.</p>