Have you landed a coveted position in NYC and need a place to stay ASAP? Is your new company reluctant to pay for your moving expenses? Are you lacking the thousands of dollars often required to setup in a new city? If this is you, you’re not alone: Thousands of people move to New York every year for a new job or opportunity. Although finding furnished short-term housing in NYC on short notice can put a lot of pressure on your mind and pocket, it can be done and in a way that is not as painful as you’d think. Here we highlight the best steps to get you housed in NYC.
Help Yourself Out: Make a Plan
New York is a large city and your location can drastically affect your experience. Make a check list and consider your options: What neighborhood do you want to live in? Where is your new job or short-term project?
How long of a commute can you manage? Where is the closest subway station? How important is your after-work experience in the city? Do you mind having roommates? Once you have a general area in mind, consider your price range and length of stay. Some short-term rentals require a stay of at least 30 days.Type in a Google search and there will be a cornucopia of reliable companies offering short-term rentals all over the city. If price isn’t an option, the process can be quite quick and simple. However, if you are seeking the best bang for your buck, the search can be extremely overwhelming and time consuming. NYC.gov compiled a top ten list of resources to check out when starting your search, but we also have a few recommendations of our own.
Where to Look First
If you’re branching out on your own, Craigslist is still an extremely popular and reliable source for finding a temporary space, especially in the summer when tons of options are available. However, not all of these places may be furnished and there may also be additional utility bills. Be smart, ask lots of questions and visit each site before you pay! Don’t get stuck with a place like these.For a personalized search, try subscribing to the Listing Project, The free weekly email is curated by Stephanie Diamond, a Brooklynite and artist who began the project as a way to share housing and workspace opportunities with her network of friends. Today the list includes over 25,000 subscribers. Diamond personally contacts each property before sending out the list weekly. She even found her own apartment through the project!Have a connection with a realtor? Asking for space in a client’s home can be an affordable option. Clients who take a regular month of vacation may be happy to fill their home while they’re away. This is an especially good option if you’re hunting for something for under 30 days stay.
Tips to Consider for Additional Savings:
- Walk around. If you are fortunate enough to arrive with a few days to search before your job starts, try looking for a building with a rental office on-site. This way, you can avoid a broker’s fee and can negotiate with a landlord on-site.
- Consider size. In Manhattan, a bigger building is often better in regards to price; a building with 15-30 units typically has more affordable pricing than smaller complexes.
- Consider the view. Scrimping on your window gazing experience could save you up to a few hundreds bucks a month.
- Your time frame. Some housing locators require a 30-day minimum stay.
- Corporate housing tends to be cheaper than a long-stay hotel suite, but this isn’t necessarily true if you venture out into the boroughs.
Taking Advantage of Startup Alternatives
The east coast’s tech hub was bound to have some startup projects addressing housing in NYC. As one of the most desired destinations on the planet, prices have skyrocketed in the last 30 years. Hotels are often overbooked, expensive and can feel sterile. Tech entrepreneurs to the rescue! Many companies are changing the housing game by providing alternatives to over-priced rentals. One example is Local Big Wig, a website that lists both corporate housing and extended-stay options.
If you’re only here to pop in and don’t mind some company, Airbnb may be the most successful choice for affordable short term housing in NYC and around the world. The company has recently faced very public legal dispute with New York State as to whether or not the home-rental site violates local hotel laws, but as it stands, it is perfectly legal to rent a space for less than 30 days, so long as the renter is also present. Probably not the best option for those seeking alone time, but if you enjoy company, it’s an affordable option to consider.
Similar startup competitors to Airbnb are exploding across the globe. RoomORama now offers over 60,000 hotel alternatives for staying in the city. They market themselves as a more professionally-managed short-term stay locator than its competitors. Feeling fancy? One Fine Stay is an adorably named company, which began in London. The site highlights luxury short-term space in A-list cities such as New York, Paris and Los Angeles. However beautiful the options, it may not be a top place to look for a price on the lower scale.It’s definitely not a myth. New York is expensive, but for many people, the benefits of living and working in the city outweigh the price tag. While on the search, remember to keep in mind your location, check out a bunch of different options, and be smart! Whether you’re in the city a few nights or a few months, take the time to explore all of your options and find a place perfect for you to call home in New York City. Thinking about staying in New York City for the long haul? Finding a consistent rental is more complicated than short-term housing. Be prepared, and check out our 5 step guide to securing your own place in NYC. For a more comprehensive look into moving to NYC, we recommend our guidebook, New York for Internationals: Relocating, Living, Working now available in PDF.