How to Save Money on a NYC Apartment

So depending on your budget there is one feature that can make the difference in finding the budget-friendly apartment you want in New York City.

Drumroll.

Laundry!

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of apartments in NYC with laundry in unit, in building, and we rent them everyday.

BUT!

If you have a tight budget, and you want to live in popular areas such as the East Village, Lower East Side, Greenwich Village, the West Village and so forth, the best way to get the space you need is is to compromise on laundry.

We are talking 2 bedrooms under 4K, 1 bedrooms under 3K, and studios under 2500.

We see it time and time again. People say laundry is a must.

What happens is the apartments you see are usually the poorest values because you have eliminated the majority of housing in your budget. The older walk up buildings, constructed before laundry rooms were common are the places to focus on if you need an inexpensive apartment and space is your priority.

Also if you are moving to a neighborhood where most buildings do NOT have laundry, you will find a great number of laundry services, probably steps from your door. Laundromats, dry cleaners, wash and fold services.

I currently have a listing for a beautiful one bedroom with a public laundromat in the same building. I often have people who insisted on seeing only places with laundry, realize how many options there are near by.

So please, if your agent says you are missing out on some good values by only seeing buildings with laundry, listen. The breaking point between less expensive and more expensive apartments in the “trendy” neighborhoods is almost always laundry .

This guideline doesn’t apply in some areas with only large buildings. FiDi, Midtown West west of 10th Ave, some portions of Chelsea, stretches of Harlem you need laundry . Obviously as you move into higher price points, it is not an issue. But keep an open mind when it comes to laundry– you might just find one of those NYC miracle deals!