An abode in the Big Apple

Hunting for an apartment in New York City is no fun as any seasoned City-dweller will tell you. The chances of finding a good apartment without a broker are the same as the chances of an illiterate finding a good book. Anyway, it’s an ordeal everyone has to go by (decisions-decisions) and I wasn’t to be spared either.

First of all, New York City is divided into a number of neighborhoods some of which sound really dangerous (‘Hell’s Kitchen’ anyone? How about the ‘meatpacking district?’). Deciding which neighborhood works for you is step one. Sure you could select the Village (the Greenwich Village) as your preferred neighborhood, but be prepared to see an apartment where you can barely fit your a** in and expect the realtor to say, “what a great apartment”. Or you could select one that is miles away from a subway station but has everything that you need.

The fun part in going apartment hunting is of course the broker. I’ve met all sorts of brokers. Dorky ones are easier to find. They will fumble with the keys and won’t know the avenues and the streets much less the apartments themselves. Another type of broker is the one who praises each and every apartment you see and tries to give that bewildered “I can’t believe someone can’t take this apartment” look. (On further poking, he confesses he is an actor who couldn’t get lucky on Broadway). Of course they are a very dangerous breed and it’s easy to fall prey to them. I was lucky I got out of the clutches of one…

But on a rainy day you can be lucky enough to see a good apartment which you like. Close to subway, spacious, and all that you need… and you are all set to be a real New Yorker!