How to Find an Apartment to Join in Brooklyn?

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  • #617957
    small one
    Participant

    I’m a single girl moving to the NYC area in a few months, and I want to join an apartment with other frum girls. I want to move to Brooklyn ideally. I’ve asked people I know but haven’t had success finding a place.

    Anyone have any suggestions for how to find an apartment of single girls? (Or better yet, know of such an apartment that will have an opening by the end of October?)

    #1184252
    kapusta
    Participant

    I think I’ve seen ads in the classifieds section to that effect. You can also try to spread the word in a college or certain shiurim where single girls would gravitate toward, or you might want to find the apartment and then find roomates to join you. Luach.com may have some ideas but keep in mind that its the internet…

    Wishing you much Hatzlacha in finding the right place.

    #1184253
    Joseph
    Participant

    kapusta, what’s the risk regarding luach being on the internet?

    #1184254
    small one
    Participant

    Yeah, someone suggested Luach to me but I’m not sure what crowd frequents that site. I feel like maybe all types are on there and I don’t know how to be sure that the people there are ones I’d be comfortable living with and sharing a kitchen with.

    Kapusta, I just looked at the classifieds and didn’t see anything. But I will b”n check back, thanks! Also, was your concern about Luach the same as mine?

    #1184255
    kapusta
    Participant

    I hadn’t thought of it in that way, but it’s certainly a good point. I was thinking more of a safety perspective considering that it’s internet. I wonder if a real estate agent might have some ideas as well… There is also the YwN classifieds, if you decide to go that route.

    #1184256
    Abba_S
    Participant

    I would be very hesitant to move in with someone I know nothing about. I am not sure where in Brooklyn you want to live but in Midwood I know of at least two cases that people killed their roommates in the frum community. A small basement apartment cost about $800.00, and is secure. If you find a friend she can share the rent. That is the way I would go.

    #1184257
    Joseph
    Participant

    I know of at least two cases that people killed their roommates in the frum community.

    What years were these? Students?

    #1184258
    Abba_S
    Participant

    One was a male senior citizen who lived around Ave J and Ocean and needed help with the rent. The other was a female who rented a basement on Ave N around E. 13th, was middle aged, and was murdered by her boy friend. Both cases were in the papers, Daily News & the Post within the last ten years. Both cases it turned out the defendant had mental problems that was not readily apparent.

    #1184259
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Abba_S

    Chances are that the small basement apartment for $800 is illegal. Students should not e helping landlords to break the law. Unlikely to have a Certificate the apartment will not have its own legal mail and may have substandard and/or dangerous construction done by unlicensed contractors and never inspected by the city.

    I remember my middle child moving to Brooklyn and showing me prospective basement apartments as possibilities. As soon as I asked to see the Certificate of Occupancy the landlords ended the conversation.

    and why you consider a basement apartment whose windows are at street level secure is questionable…..

    #1184260
    small one
    Participant

    Wow . . . Abba, that is really scary and worrying. I have asked people I know but haven’t found anything, and a stranger might be my only option.

    #1184261
    small one
    Participant

    But I am less worried because I would only be living with females.

    #1184262
    Abba_S
    Participant

    CT Lawyer

    The vast majority of basement apartments in NYC are illegal and do not have a Certificate of Occupancy for them. You may find a legal studio for $1,400 per month anything less is just a come on by the broker to get customers to sign up with him. I am not a lawyer but there will be problems if the apartment is rent stabilized ( below market rental )and the tenant on the lease moves out temporarily (3-6 months)such as to a rehabilitation facility. The landlord is going to try to evict as he will claim it’s an illegal sublet this is so he can raise the rent for the new tenant.

    Rent is very high in NYC. A lot of Hasidim are moving to Jersey City which is a lot cheaper and offers easy access to NYC via the tunnel or PATH their mass transit system.

    When I was looking to by a house many of the houses substandard electrical structural problems even though they had certificate of Occupancy every couple of years they catch the building inspectors accepting bribes. The first thing is make sure the smoke detector works and know the escape exits, making sure that you always have a clear path to exit the building. You will be surprised how many times i have found things there and you may even be able to squeeze through but in your haste you may knock it over and trip.The few seconds it take to get up maybe the difference between life and death.

    #1184263
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Abba_S…

    so if you are agreeing with me that the vast majority of NYC basement apartments are illegal why did you suggest the OP find and occupy one?

    #1184264
    kapusta
    Participant

    Small one, I’m not sure if this is your thing, but I did notice two ads (I think in Yated) for dorm counselors. One specifically mentioned shifts that would allow for full time employment.

    #1184265
    Abba_S
    Participant

    Kapusta Dorm councilors usually are up for part of the night and have to deal with both clients and management. This would also apply to jobs such as Res Hab. Management doesn’t want employees living on premises as they will be sleeping the job so I don’t think it is realy an option . But she can always ask.

    #1184266
    small one
    Participant

    No, that definitely wouldn’t be good for me as I’ll be working full-time in a job with long hours.

    Thank you for the suggestions. Still looking. Let me know if you have any more ideas!

    #1184267
    Abba_S
    Participant

    You need to know which neighborhood you want to live in, how is parking, mass transit and shopping. What type of shuls. Basically will you fit in. Try to get invitation to go there for shabbos so that you can get a feel for it make friends and network from there.

    #1184268
    small one
    Participant

    Hmm, well, I don’t think I really care. I don’t think I’m going to be super active in the community; I’ll be in the city working most of the time. Parking doesn’t matter because I don’t have a car. If there isn’t a good shul for me near where I live, I can just walk a little further to find one. Do you think I am wrong about that?

    I live pretty far away from New York so visiting to look around isn’t really so doable.

    #1184269
    Abba_S
    Participant

    I assume that you will be working in Manhattan and you will need to be near the subway. This leaves with the following choices Williamsburg, Crown Heights or Boro Park. Williamsburg while closer to Manhattan it is mainly Satmar Hasidim. Even they are moving out because there aren’t enough apartment for them. Crown Height is mainly Chabad so if there is a Chabad House near you, you can reach out to the rabbi or his wife and they can ask around. You need to network. Which means calling a friend asking and if they don’t know ask them if they know some who does know eventually you will find someone who does know someone looking for a roommate but it takes work.

    #1184270
    small one
    Participant

    Yes, I will be working in Manhattan. But why don’t you think Flatbush is a choice?

    #1184271
    Abba_S
    Participant

    Flatbush is possible if you can find roommates near the B,D or F lines. The advantage of Crown Heights is a Chabad Rabbi in your town maybe able to help you as most Jews in Crown Heights are Lubavitch. He can ask around for you. You need to find someone who knows the female roommate scene. And in Flatbush it’s a mixture of various different types, so people don’t know what going on blocks away unless it makes the news.

    #1184272
    Sparkly
    Member

    Luach usually works.

    #1184273
    kapusta
    Participant

    If you know any shadchanim personally, maybe you can run it past them and ask if they can think of anyone offhand (moving or looking for a new roommate). A better idea would be to find community based yahoo/google groups and see if anyone has any ideas. I know none of these are great options though.

    It’s really a shame that there no network of single girls to run this past. Maybe someone else knows something that I don’t…?

    #1184274
    small one
    Participant

    Kapusta, there actually is a Google Group for single girls in Flatbush where people post about apartments and roommates, which someone added me to after I’d been asking around. But I don’t think it’s publicly searchable, so the only way I got on was through someone who was on it.

    In the end, I found my apartment and roommate through a Brooklyn girl who was randomly visiting my little out of town city. Basically, I just kept persistently asking anyone who might know.

    Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

    #1184275
    kapusta
    Participant

    That’s great! And that’s good to know about the group, even if it isn’t too accessible to the general public. Thanks for the update!

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