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New York is not only the city that never sleeps but also a market where properties and whole suburbs are constantly changing styles and owners, by either deteriorating or becoming modernised and fashionable. Finding an affordable and pleasing home in the most desirable and expensive city in the world comes down to knowing the market, the areas and the types of property on offer.
Manhattan and the Boroughs
Most newcomers dream of a Friends or Sex and the City lifestyle in Manhattan that includes an apartment over viewing Central Park and short strolls to and from glitzy bars. Manhattan is home to the business, cultural and entertainment life of the city, to Wall Street, Broadway, Central Park, numerous museums, shops, restaurants universities and trendy clubs. Yet, beside being the most alluring part of the city, Manhattan is also the most crowded and expensive district.
Take your eyes off Manhattan and you get a huge choice of property and lifestyles in the other four boroughs, as well as more residential space and lower prices. The Bronx is traditionally considered the poorest part of the city but it also boasts historic locations and many green spaces. Queens and Brooklyn have an appeal of their own with multi cultural populations, ethnic businesses and restaurants, numerous museums and outdoor amusements. Staten Island is the district with the strongest countryside feel in the form of parks, ocean views and semi-rural parts. The only disadvantage of this island is that it somewhat cut off from the rest of the city and it takes a while to get elsewhere in New York.
Types of Property and Ownership
Apartments are the most common type of accommodation in New York. Beside the traditional apartment, flats quite common in New York are the loft, the duplex and the triplex. Lofts, which are a local invention, are former industrial buildings repurposed and refurbished into spacious residential properties with huge windows. A duplex is an apartment on two levels, while a triplex apartment sprawls three floors.
The most common types of real estate ownership in the city are cooperative apartments, condominiums (aka condos) and townhouses. Cooperative apartments comprise a big portion of the real estate market in New York. Private companies own cooperative apartment buildings, while tenants own shares in the property. The advantages are that new tenants pay a portion of the property price; the corporation covers all taxes, mortgage payments and maintenance costs, yet tenants can deduct their share from tax bills. The disadvantage is less freedom in subletting or selling your apartment. Furthermore, cooperatives only sell to American citizens who have their assets in the USA.
Condos are less common than cooperatives and that makes them more expensive. Plus you have to pay the full property price, cover your taxes and maintenance costs. Yet, if you would rather own your property, condos and townhouses might be a more suitable choice. Townhouses aka brownstones, are fewer than apartments and represent an upmarket choice. Those who can afford a townhouse often benefit not only from owning their home but also from life in luxurious property, historic settings and leafy suburban atmosphere.
Once you have decided on where and how you want to live, the usual procedure is to go to an agent who will give you information on all properties in an area and will carry out negotiations. It might take you between 2 to 3 months to find and buy a property. Be patient and arrange for accommodation where to stay until you close the deal.