living in NYC Archives | Divine Moving and Storage NYC

Manhattan does sound nice, doesn’t it? The glamour, the lifestyle, the speed of it. Always being surrounded by new people, always something new happening. Manhattan is truly alive and you can never be bored while living in it. But, behind all of that culture and excitement lies something that no Manhattan landlord would like you to know. A reason why more and more people are looking for local movers Manhattan and considering leaving Manhattan. Something that you should definitely know before moving to Manhattan.

Manhattan skyline - take it in before moving to Manhattan. — Moving to Manhattan can be a good idea, you just need to know what you are getting yourself into.

Life in Manhattan

Life in Manhattan is hard to describe. Since there are so many people living in Manhattan there are different lifestyles and different cultures present around every corner. But, to give you a better idea on what to expect once you move your home to Manhattan, we are going to give you a quick rundown of what an average Manhattan lifestyle is like. Keep in mind though that this is only supposed to give you a broad strokes idea on what living in Manhattan is like. How your life will turn out to be is entirely dependent on you.

Expensive

The first thing you will notice after moving to Manhattan is that it is expensive. Many people still live here, and many more want to come. And as always, you cannot escape from the laws of economics. The greater the demand, the greater the cost. By people’s testimonies, you will need around $50.000 a year to live comfortably in Manhattan. Now, for some people that is a lot, and for others that is not much. You should expect this amount of money if you are working in some growing industries like IT or technology.

The mood

Everyone is rushing. Everywhere. All the time. Manhattan is not a slow city. Here you will be on the clock from the moment you get up in the morning. You will, most likely, have a strict schedule and you will have to keep up with it to the bone. Even though there is plenty of work in Manhattan, there is also plenty of people trying to make Manhattan their new home.

So, you should expect competition to be fierce. You will meet friends and acquaintances just like you would in any other place. But, the main difference will be that here everyone is very career oriented. You do not move to Manhattan unless you want to make it big time.

Broadway — There are many different cultures present in Manhattan, and you should try to find the one that suits you.

Average NYC resident in Manhattan

What is your average Manhattan resident like? Simple. He is in a hurry, career oriented and has no time for your bull. Just like any other NYC resident, just crank up the non-tolerance scale to 11. The size of Manhattan and the rush have made the people very cold towards each other. Everyone is minding their own business and they hate it if you try to meddle in theirs. They will be brash and loud. They know what they want and they want it yesterday! Don’t get us wrong, though. These are just some generalizations. There are good, hardworking quiet people living in Manhattan. But, you will meet your fair share of the people we have described and you best learn how to deal with them now.

Is Manhattan for you?

This is the question you really need to ask yourself. Many people see Manhattan in the movies or in TV shows and think that Manhattan is just the city for them. They are tired of living in small towns where they cannot make big bucks and live a fabulous lifestyle. Well, what you need to do, if you want to make a mature decision about moving to Manhattan, is to carefully consider if you are the type of person that will thrive in Manhattan.

What are you like

Manhattan is a city for extroverts. There is no way around this. If you are an introvert that likes being with familiar people in safe environments where nothing unusual happens, Manhattan is not for you. To live in Manhattan you need to be aware of your surroundings and have a thick skin. Mind you, some people like this. They are reading this and thinking “Hell, yeah! Give me some of that crowd and chaos!“. But, if you are an introvert who would like to try out living in a bigger city, skip Manhattan. Go to a smaller city that is still big and try your luck there.

People standing in public transport. — While you live in Manhattan, you will be surrounded by people. There is no way of getting around this after moving to Manhattan.

Have you ever lived in a big city

It should come with no surprise that the people who grew up in smaller cities often think about moving to Manhattan. They think that they are missing out on adventures, parties and good times. Trust us, that is not Manhattan. Well, technically it is, but only for a small percentage of people. Most of the people living in Manhattan are so overworked and tired that the little free time they have, they use on getting some rest. And even if they go out, they go to a local bar or club that you can find in any other city. Exclusive clubs are expensive and hard to get in, so you don’t expect that you can visit them the moment you arrive in Manhattan.

Moving to Manhattan

If after all of this Manhattan sounds like a place for your, great. But, before you go, here are some tips for moving to Manhattan to help you along.

Start preparing on time – When is the right time? The moment you decide that you are moving to Manhattan. Start your planning and packing right away. There will be plenty of other things that you need to take care of along the way.
Look for expert Manhattan movers – professionals are best suited to move you to Manhattan. The reason is simple. Traffic. They know all the ins and outs of driving in Manhattan and are your best bet to get there in record time.
Keep your head straight – People tend to let Manhattan get to them once they move there. Don’t let that happen to you. Keep your feet on the ground and know that you can always move out of Manhattan.

The NYC downtown cityscape, with the Empire State Building, representing renting vs buying in NYC.

Ah, New York! There’s really no city quite like it, is there? No place on Earth has quite the same dynamic, vivid lifestyle. Really – who doesn’t want to live here? This is truly the city of opportunity, in every way imaginable. But if you’re going to make it in the Big Apple – you should start wondering where you’re going to live. And this issue takes you to one of the most hotly debated topics – renting vs buying in NYC. How should you form your stance when it comes to your new NYC home? Don’t worry – we’ve got a few tips for you right here!

Why buy a home?

So, if you plan on moving to New York – you should figure out how you’re going to live there. For starters; is renting the best idea? Now, let’s be realistic here – if you’re a broke college student, this dilemma isn’t something that you really need to solve right now. In the beginning, almost everyone rents their New York home. But if you’ve been here a while, or you’ve got money you can invest in real estate; should you do it? Renting vs buying in NYC is a big question for a reason – is home-ownership really worth it? This is something you need to answer before calling for local movers NYC.

There’s a reason why people are willing to invest a lot of money into owning their homes; especially in New York! After all, think about it – home-ownership is an essential part of the American Dream. Work and study hard, and prosperity is just around the corner; which only truly manifests itself once you’ve got a home to your name. Let’s face it – few people actually view renting an apartment as an end goal in their New York careers. Instead, most try to envision a future where they’ll be paying a mortgage instead of monthly rent.

A stylized apartment living room, with a gray couch and black chairs on a white carpet. — Having your own apartment is great – but does it make financial sense?

Buying means a bigger net worth

Okay, sure – on an emotional level, we all know what we think of renting vs buying in NYC. Really, there are no two ways about it – we would all like to purchase a home of our own. But the question is – is this a good idea, financially? If you’ve got the means, should you actually invest money in real estate in New York City?

Well, in a lot of ways – yes. Remember – while even just a down payment for a New York home may set you back quite a lot; you’ll actually be increasing your net worth. If you’re unsure – your net worth is the sum of every kind of financial asset you own, minus all of your current liabilities. So why is this number important? For example, a higher net worth means you’ll be able to borrow more money at lower rates. Plus, instead of paying rent for an apartment you’ll never own – each month you’ll be paying a mortgage on something you truly own.

A street view of a downtown area with glass skyscrapers. — While buying your own place is expensive – it’ll also increase your net worth!

Renting vs buying in NYC – the other side of the coin

By now you must be wondering – so far, it seems that buying is a much better option than renting; so is the dilemma of renting vs buying in NYC even real? Well, as you’re about to see – it’s painfully real. Because while home-ownership may have its boons; there are really good arguments for renting as well. These are all kinds of things to remember when moving, but also before deciding for any living arrangement – so pay close attention.

Your money is tied up

While investing in real estate may seem like the only logical option if you have the money – you’ll find that not all people do that. Which makes the question of renting vs buying in NYC all the more difficult. For example, you can see many people with top salaries living in great rented apartments instead of buying their own; so why is that?

Well, to put it simply – buying your own home ties up your money in a big way. First of all, a mortgage payment is a lot less flexible than rent; and it’s something constantly hanging over your head. Plus, it’s not just the mortgage – there are all kinds of other secondary costs people don’t always think about. For starters, you’ll have additional maintenance costs the entire time you own that home. And all of the money you invest in your down payment and maintenance could be better invested elsewhere. While real estate is a more secure investment – it’s also less liquid. And the returns you may get on the stock market can be both bigger and quicker – so this is a legitimate dilemma.

A living room area in an apartment with white couches and an exposed brick wall. — Investing in real estate is secure – but your money is also more tied up.

You’re forced into a bigger commitment

Sure, owning a home is nice – but it’s also both expensive, and a constant chore. Because if you think of renting vs buying in NYC, and you end up buying; it’ll be awhile before you get a return on that investment. Realistically, you’ll have to live in that home for at least five to six years before you reasonably make your money back. And it’s not just about the money – if you’re someone who’s unsure whether they’ll have to move for work, this may be a bigger commitment than you can manage.

And if you’re thinking about subletting as a way of maximizing profit – that’s not a bad idea. But if you’re living in a co-op, you’ll have a board to answer to. Also, you’ll see that there are more rules about subletting than you can imagine – and they’re pretty strict. So before you buy your own home – think about all of this long and hard!

Only when you start living in NYC will you realize how big it is. From the Bronx to Brooklyn, you can experience many diverse neighborhoods. All of them are special in their own way, and each of them has their style and vibe. And while it can be interesting for a young, single person to move to NYC and explore it, having a family tends to change things. In order to have peace of mind and raise your kids in a normal environment, you need to know which are the NYC neighborhoods for families. But first, you need to be familiar with what makes solely suitable for a family.

With a bird's-eye view of New York like this one, finding NYC neighborhoods for families will be easy. — Finding NYC neighborhoods for families is something that you need to do carefully.

What makes a neighborhood suited for a family

“All happy families look alike, while the unhappy ones are unhappy in their own way.” While Tolstoy was quite right when writing this, he failed to mention that the crucial part if what makes a family happy and functioning is the environment. No family can thrive if they are in a wrong neighborhood. Therefore, just as happy families share numerous similarities, all family oriented neighborhoods are similar. Here is how to find one so you can move there with your family.

Safety

This is, arguably, the most important aspect that all NYC neighborhoods for families must have. And just like finding full-service movers, you need to know how to look. If your family is not safe you cannot function properly. You need to know that if your child goes out on the street that nothing will happen to it. It is true that no one can foresee the future and that a bolt of lightning can strike at any time. But, that doesn’t mean that you should be reckless. When you look for an NYC neighborhood for you to raise your kids in, you need to look at safety first and then look at other things. The safer a neighborhood is the more relaxed you will be.

Keeping your kids safe should be your number one priority.

Education

Next thing that you need to take into consideration is education. Proper work ethic and education are the best predictors in life success. Therefore, you need to make sure that your child gets the best education possible. Beside safety, there is nothing that is more important than this. Look into which schools are close and consider visiting them. Check out their staff and try to figure out how they teach their kids. If you think that their curriculum is to free and political, stay away. Schools are there to educate our kids about facts, not political ideologies. That is something many schools seem to have forgotten. Therefore, it is your job as a parent to keep in mind.

Other families

Another thing that will have a great impact on your child are its peers. Friends that you child makes during its development will greatly influence how it turns out. Therefore, you need to make sure that your kid is surrounded by good, intelligent people that will help it grow into a capable, honest individual. But, how do you find such people? Simple. Go to NYC neighborhoods where there are a lot of highly educated people. There you will be able to meet them and, which is more important, you will be able to organize play dates. During which your child will be able to meet competent peers that will influence them in positive ways. The more you consider the environment in which your child grows up in as a vital part of its development, the better you will be able to raise them.

Two little girls crossing a wooden bridge in a park. — Kids thrive when they have other kids to play with.

Some of the best NYC neighborhoods for families

Now that you know what makes an NYC neighborhood suited for a family, its time to give you our list of top NYC neighborhoods for families. Keep in mind though that we are solely basing this on numbers and facts. Much more then that is needed to make a valid judgment about something as important as finding a place to live in. What we recommend is that you check out these neighborhoods first before you move there. By doing so you will have a much better idea of what you are getting yourself into than any online guide could tell you.

Spuyten Duyvil

When it comes to top NYC neighborhoods for families, Spuyten Duyvil is a good place to start. Here you will find good schools, nice neighbors, and a safe environment. It is located in Bronx City and it currently has around 10.000 residents living in it.

Murray Hill

Murray Hill has a bit of a different feel to it. Here you can come if you want to have a more family lifestyle, but still want to remain close to the outgoing, young professionals. Most out of 28.000 people in Murray Hill rent their homes. This doesn’t mean that you have to, but it will be a bit harder to find a place to purchase at a reasonable price. But, if you do, you will be able to enjoy a safe environment that has a distinctly urban feel to it. Plus, you will share it with many young, liberal, educated professionals.

Prospect Heights

On the other hand, you have Prospect Heights. Here you can find a comparably calmer lifestyle. Keyword being comparable, as you are still living in NYC. And as such, you shouldn’t expect to live in a quiet neighborhood, no matter how timid it’s residents are. Here you will find good schools, safe streets, and a healthy environment. Numerous young families have moved here over the years, so you should have little trouble with finding a playdate.

Battery Park City

Finally, we come to Battery Park City. Battery Park City is often cited as one of the best NYC neighborhoods for families. And for a good reason. Here you will find awesome schools, great extra curriculum programs, safe streets, and helpful neighbors. People of Battery Park City really like their neighborhood and commit time into making it as good as it can be. Therefore you can easily expect that your child will grow up properly if you decide that Battery Park City is the right place for you.

Things you should know before moving to Manhattan