Um... I'm roommate hunting again. *headdesk*

[rusty_halo]

So, um, I decided to stay in Manhattan.


When I originally decided to move to Brooklyn, it was with a roommate. The benefits were:

* Cheaper rent -- I was looking at sharing a place for between $1600-$1800, which is a huge rent reduction compared to what I pay now. That would allow me to save up for a few years and eventually buy something in Manhattan.

* More space -- Everything's bigger in Brooklyn, especially if we got a two bedroom and actually had a living room!

* A cool roommate -- After all these years of crazy strangers, I was looking forward to living with someone that I knew I'd get along with.

* The drawback, of course, is that I wouldn't be in Manhattan, which is my favorite place in the world.



But now that the roommate changed his mind:

* The rent wouldn't be cheaper. I've been looking at studios and one-bedrooms in areas of Brooklyn that I'd like, and the rent is basically the same as what I pay now, if not a little more.

* I wouldn't have more space. For a single person in my price range, I'd basically be looking at studios or tiny one-bedrooms.

* I would still be giving up Manhattan, which I really don't want to do.

* The benefit would be not having deal with a roommate. It's tempting; I'd love to live by myself.


But comparing everything, the choice is basically: live in Manhattan and deal with a roommate, or live in Brooklyn without having to deal with a roommate. The price and space issues would be the same. And I'd have to deal with the stress of moving, the stress of trying to figure out a new neighborhood, the fact that I spend most of my time in Manhattan and would have to commute... it's just not worth it. I'd rather be in Manhattan with a roommate than be in Brooklyn by myself.


I thought about other things:
* I could live in Brooklyn with a stranger. That would give me the benefit of space and cheaper rent, but dammit, if I'm going to have to live with a stranger then I'd rather just be in Manhattan.

* I could look for another place in Manhattan that's cheaper than this one, to live in with a stranger. Maybe something a bit more roommate-friendly, with actual doors. Chances are, I will try for this when my lease is up next year.


So, in the meantime, I need a roommate. For my current place. Know anyone who's looking?
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/roo/327534770.html



I don't know if this is the right choice. But I do know that I feel a HUGE sense of relief, knowing that I don't have to move to Brooklyn BY MYSELF this summer. I truly wish it had worked out to move to Brooklyn with the roommate that I got along with, but given how that's not going to happen, I think staying here is probably the best move for now.

Comments

[bubonicplague.livejournal.com]

Whoa, holy shit. I am still trying to get past $1600 to $1800 per month. I mean, I know NY is expensive, but holy fuck. (Chicago's Southside is about $500 a month for a huge place, if you don't mind living outside of downtown.)

[raskazzptitsa.livejournal.com]

Man, part of me is so hoping you're looking for a roommate again in a year/year and a half or so, when I'm graduating and looking for digs. Also, I am so with you on this:

I'm vegan (strict vegetarian). You don't have to be, but I'd prefer a roommate who doesn't make steak every night or anything like that. Take-out is fine, but I'd prefer you don't cook meat in the apartment too often. (The smell bothers me.)

I'm veg (11 years...not vegan but seriously considering going vegan after I graduate and have time to learn how to cook properly so I can go vegan without vitamin deficiencies), and this semester I had a roommate who pan-seared herself a 20oz steak twice a day for two months straight...I wanted to die, really. And, of couse, all the smoke came directly into my room. And then she'd leave bits of meat on the stove and in the sink...ugh. So yeah, I feel you there, here's hoping you snag a veggie roommate.

We really should grab dinner sometime this summer. There are so many cool vegan restaurants I always want to try but can't convince my friends to come with.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

I remember you posting about that roommate... yikes!

Let me know when you end up roommate hunting--it would really rock to live with a similar-minded roommate.

Yeah, let's get dinner. Do you have any restaurants in particular you've been looking to try?

[10zlaine.livejournal.com]

Well. Okay. You are an ass for whining about moving by yourself, you know you would have help. I offered to drive down there and help you, even, and you have friends down there who would also help.

I think you are doing this so you don't have to deal with the what would have beens, because you don't want change if it won't be the change you wanted. You HATE roommates, and have been absolutely MISERABLE about the shit you have been through with them. The stresses of moving and figuring out a new neighborhood are MINUTE and very temporary compared to the ongoing stress of new roommates all the time and hiding your cats. A tiny one bedroom implies a living room, and that is more space than you have now. You are basically living in a studio right now.

IMO, your relief is coming not from this being the right decision, but a decision which is basically keeping you from having to make a choice and do something different and face change, a change different from what you dreamt of...but, okay, if you really want to sign that lease for two more years and go through perpetual roommate hell and face more lock changes and maintenance situations, etc, good luck. Have you actually gone to look at any apartments...

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

I originally decided to move to Brooklyn with a roommate. Doing so meant that I'd save a significant amount of money every month, money which would go right into my HSBC Direct savings account so that I could come back to Manhattan and buy a place within the next ten years.

However, now that the roommate has pulled out, that situation is moot. I wouldn't be saving any money, AND I wouldn't be getting any more space--at least, not in the areas of Brooklyn where I'd be comfortable living (the ones that are near Manhattan and near a train station). Basically I'd be going to Brooklyn WITHOUT that built-in return path to Manhattan (the money I'd be saving).

So the only reason to move to Brooklyn would be to not have a roommate. The trade-off IS NOT WORTH IT without the fact that I'd also be saving money. It just isn't. The only reason to move to Brooklyn would be to prove to OTHER PEOPLE that I was serious all along. Well, I was serious WHEN IT WAS WITH A ROOMMATE I TRUSTED. I know that and I don't need to prove it to anyone else--when I say I'm going to do something, I keep my word. HOWEVER, I never did serious research into moving to Brooklyn ALONE until the roommate pulled out. The more research I did, the more I realized that I WOULDN'T BE SAVING ANY MONEY. And it's not worth it, to go to Brooklyn without the hope of getting myself back to Manhattan within a reasonable period of time.

I'm not renewing my lease for two years; I'm renewing it for one year. I'll re-evaluate next year--maybe between then and now I'll meet a potential roommate who I actually get along with. Or maybe I'll move next year to a cheaper place in Manhattan, to share with strangers. Who knows. But I'm not going to force myself to go through with a move to Brooklyn that I'm not comfortable with.

[10zlaine.livejournal.com]

I thought you wanted to save money to get your own place. If you have to live with a roommate who you don't know, why not do it there where you can save money? You might actually find the roommate pool widens if you are in a more affordable place. Not only that, but I thought you said that all your friends were in Brooklyn, so it wouldn't be a bad place to go.