Which NYC Neighborhood Is Right for You? Here’s How to Find Out
How do you find the right NYC neighborhood for you?
If you’ve lived in the city for a while, finding the right neighborhood to buy in will probably be fairly easy – you’ve had some time to become comfortable, and you’ve had time to develop your preferences and must-haves.
But what if you’re new to the city, or you’re considering an area that you don’t know much about?
The variety of neighborhoods to choose from is likely to give you decision paralysis (and probably a migraine to boot)!
I don’t have a crystal ball to give you a definitive answer. But the info below is sure to help you find which NYC neighborhood truly is right for you!
Step #1 – Lifestyle Questions
Your Ideal Block
- What sort of neighborhood feel do you want?
- Tree-lined streets with brownstones and townhouses?
- Very modern, with a strong city feel(i.e. you can see skyscrapers from your apartment)?
- Hip and trendy?
Daily Commute
- What’s your ideal time frame for commuting?
- How near (or far away) do you want to be from your office?
- How far are you willing to walk for transportation?
- Is accessible parking a necessity?
Neighborhood Amenities
- How important is it to you to have certain amenities nearby (gym, grocery store, etc)? Remember – if things that you need often aren’t close, then you’ll have to spend a lot of time and energy going out of your way to get to them.
Parks and Public Spaces
- Is having green space nearby important to you?
- Do you have pets that need to be walked?
Social Aspects
- Would you like to be within walking distance of bars and restaurants?
- Do you prefer to be far removed from an area that has an active nightlife?
Step #2 – Online Research
After taking time to consider the questions above, you’ll want to find some data to help you make the right decisions — it’s time to do some research!
Online Neighborhood Guides
Check out these guides for great overviews of neighborhoods around the city.
Address Specific Information
- https://www.localize.city – Type in an address using this website and you’ll learn a whole host of information including open violations, upcoming nearby new construction, transit changes or upgrades as well as great info about neighborhood amenities.
- https://www.walkscore.com/NY/New_York – This site will give you insights on how “walkable” your neighborhood is – i.e. how far do you have to walk for basic amenities like grocery stores, shops, restaurants and transit. It’s a great tool for comparing neighborhoods to one another.
- https://new.mta.info/ – Need to figure out how long it’ll take you to commute? Just enter your starting point and destination, and MTA’s Trip Planner will give you suggested routes with estimated arrival times.
- https://schools.nyc.gov – The city’s official website for information on city schools
- https://www.nyc.gov – The city’s official site for more information about various neighborhood statistics.
- https://www.epa.gov – If you’re concerned about any environmental issues in a particular area, you can find additional information on this website.
You can also go and check out this post on how you can thoroughly investigate any NYC neighborhood.
Step #3 – Neighborhood Tours
No matter how much research you do online, nothing can substitute for actually going to the places you’re thinking about to get a feel for what they’re really like.
Go to local restaurants and shops. Can you picture what it would be like to go to those places on a regular basis? Ride the train to get a real sense for how long it’ll take you to get to various destinations. Visit the neighborhood during the day, the evening, during the week, and on weekends if you can. Some areas will have a vastly different feel depending on the time of day and even the day of the week.
Got other questions related to figuring out the right neighborhood for you? Feel free to reach out to me — I’m always glad to help!
