Moving to Manhattan: 4 Things to Know About Your New Neighborhood

Moving to a new area can be quite stressful. Not only because you are leaving everything that is familiar to you. It’s also because moving is a complicated process that requires a lot of planning and organizing. Not only that, every task needs to be divided into a certain time frame around the moving date. So, before hiring Roadway Moving professional movers to help you with your relocation, you will need to do some very important things. And since you are moving to Manhattan, one of those crucial things is finding out everything you can about your neighborhood before the move.

Some people refer to it as the Center of the Universe, The City That Never Sleeps, or the Big Apple, but you’ll soon call it “Home.” Moving from anywhere to a city as big as New York City is daunting. Here are some tips to help your move to Manhattan go smoothly and make it easy to adjust to your new environment.

The importance of online research when moving to Manhattan

Whether you are moving your entire household, your office, or your entire business with the help of commercial movers NYC, there are important things to consider first. One of them is researching your neighborhood before moving. Of course, this is crucial with any moving process. You certainly want to avoid any surprises upon relocation. You need to research everything that might be important to you. Make sure your new neighborhood has it. You certainly don’t want to have to drive for an hour to get to someplace you need to. This is why you should take into consideration these four things to know about your neighborhood before moving there.

The list of 4 things to know about your new neighborhood

• How to find a home in Manhattan – the first thing you need to do before moving to Manhattan is secure a home there. There is no point in moving when you have nowhere to move to.
• The cost of living in New York City, Manhattan – your decision to move hire might largely depend on how much it costs to live in Manhattan. Research the prices and see if your budget is enough for a cozy life here.
• What is there to do in Manhattan – researching how you can spend your free time in your new neighborhood is essential for your life there.
• How to prepare for moving to Manhattan – moving to Manhattan might be a short or long distance for you, so it’s crucial to prepare in the right way for your relocation.

Of course, you can add anything else you think is important for a neighborhood to have. You may add things like safety or a neighborhood or nearby schools if you are moving with a family and have school-age children. Also, you can look into whether there are available places where you can indulge in your favorite hobbies. If you are someone who loves doing sports, you can look for nearby gyms, parks, courts and so on.

Finding a home in the new neighborhood when moving to Manhattan

Manhattan may be an island, but it’s broken up into a plethora of sections. There’s Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, SoHo, Harlem, Greenwich Village, and the list goes on, but each area has a different feel. Different people, different food, different bars, the diversity is endless, and you’ll find your niche. A lot of thought should go into where to live in New York City. It’s a good idea to scope out the area a few weeks before you plan your move so you know what you’re getting into.

Familiarize yourself with the neighborhood, observe the people who live there, and use it as a test run, so you aren’t overwhelmed when you finally move in with the help of Manhattan residential movers. Also, use this time to take a look at prices. The cost of living in Manhattan is probably much higher than what you’re used to, and space comes at a premium, so make sure you know what your money can buy. The sticker shock is a lot, but you’ll find creative ways to manage it if you know what you’re getting into upfront.

Make a home buying budget

The best idea before starting a relocation process is to form a moving budget and a house-buying budget. That is if you are looking to buy a home. It might be wise to consult with your accountant on this. Take a look at your bank account statement together with them. They can help you decide whether it’s a good idea to move to Manhattan or whether you should buy a home or rent one. Furthermore, you will know whether you need to hire small apartment movers or movers specialized in another moving area.

Available real estate in Manhattan

To be completely honest, New York City is one of the most expensive places to live in. For example, for an apartment that is 600 square feet, you can expect to pay up to $2800 for rent. This is why many New Yorkers tend to find roommates or live far away from the city’s center and have to commute more than 45 minutes to work. As for the median house price in New York City, it’s no surprise that it is well beyond the national average. $776,946, to be exact. And in Manhattan specifically, the median home price is $1.4 million. Therefore, you better prepare your budget in advance if you are considering buying property in New York City.

Living costs in Manhattan

Leisure activities, along with everything else, are expensive, but there’s no shortage of entertainment options in Manhattan. If you’re big on food, apps like Seamless connect you with the best delivery, and the number of bodegas (small grocery stores) is enough to keep you satiated. You’ll want to strike a balance between the two, so you don’t blow through all your money or your waistline.

Even though life in Manhattan is expensive, you don’t need to live a luxurious lifestyle upon moving to Manhattan. In theory, you could live in New York City with a salary of $40,000 a year if you are willing to live with roommates. And, of course, you wouldn’t be eating in fancy restaurants quite as often. And a salary of about $70,000 a year could provide you with a more comfortable life, but with a salary of $120,000 and more, you would definitely be able to enjoy life in New York City to the fullest and take every opportunity to explore the city. You will be able to enjoy fancy restaurants, attend the latest shows, and go shopping in some of Manhattan’s most luxurious stores.

What is there to do after moving to Manhattan?

Luckily, Manhattan is one of the city’s best spots for leisure time. This part of the city can offer you many opportunities, whether you are an art lover, nature lover, or someone who enjoys shopping and fine dining. Manhattan has it all. So, let’s see what you can do upon relocating to New York City, Manhattan.

Moving to Manhattan is a blessing for art lovers

New York City may as well be described as the cultural capital of the world. There are 83 fantastic museums, including New York’s most famous one, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, popularly known as the MET. The MET holds more than 2 million art pieces. And some of them are more than 5000 years old. It is New York’s most visited museum, with over 6 million visitors each year. However, the Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA, is not far behind. There are also many interesting museums like the American Museum of Natural History, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 9/11 Memorial & Museum, and many others. Furthermore, you can find numerous art galleries scattered all over the city.

For those who enjoy the written word, we recommend visiting the New York Public Library, which is one of the most beautiful libraries in the world and the fourth largest, right after The British Library, Library of Congress (Washington, D.C.), and the Shanghai Library.

Fine dining is unsurpassed

With 69 restaurant that have Michelin stars, there is hardly a better place for fine dining than in New York City. And you will need a huge budget if you want to try them all. However, the best part is that you don’t need to eat in fancy restaurants in order to enjoy the fine and diverse cuisine of New York City and Manhattan. Since there is great cultural diversity in the city, it is the best place to try out all types of cuisine. And you surely would love to try some of the mouth-watering bagels in Manhattan.

There are many green spaces

Although it doesn’t seem that way since New York City is kind of an urban jungle, 22% of the city is dedicated to public parks. And almost every resident of New York is a ten-minute walk away from a beautiful green space. However, the most famous one is Central Park in Manhattan. It is a mesmerizing space that spreads across 850 acres – which is bigger than the country of Monaco. However, New York has over 1,700 parks, and Manhattan has many more beauties. You can visit Inwood Hill Park, The High Lane, or Bryant Park to spend a beautiful afternoon strolling, jogging, having a picnic, or just sitting on the bench reading an interesting book.

The shopping options are marvelous

There is nothing like shopping in Manhattan. If you have money, that is. You can find numerous luxurious boutiques and most prestigious names in the fashion industry. In the Financial District alone, there are more than a 100 single stores. And in malls such as Brookfield Place, you can find sores like Gucci, Botega Veneta, Madewell, Bonobos and others. There truly is a possibility of a luxurious lifestyle like the modern film industry portrays. You can enjoy strolling down the 5th Avenue or Wall Street with your branded shopping bangs, just like they do in the movies.

Experience a vivacious and colorful nightlife upon moving to Manhattan

If you ever heard that New York City never sleeps – it’s because it’s true. Something lively is always going on, and you can always find something to do, even if you work until 9 pm. There are numerous bars, jazz clubs, and romantic restaurants that stay open well into the night. Some of the gorgeous places in Manhattan that people love to visit are Juniper Bar, The Ragtrader & Bo Peep Cocktail and Highball Store, and The Bar Room. They guarantee a perfect night out.

Getting around town

Unless your job requires you to drive a cab, ditch your car and take public transportation. Use the subway, taxis, Uber, or walk like everyone else. Manhattan boasts a top-notch public transportation system that you’ll want to not only become familiar with but a master in using it. Driving is a hassle with all the people, expensive parking, and general headache that comes with city landscapes. If you need your car for the move, consider renting a space where you can park it and use it when necessary, such as on trips out of town.

Preparing for moving to Manhattan

When the time finally comes to pack up your life, you’ll want to pack sparingly. Pare down items you know you’ll wear/use or you’ll find the little space you do move into feels even smaller than you thought. Ideally, you’ll have scoped out your neighborhood, determined if you’re renting and how much the broker’s fee costs, and located the nearest train station. Some thought should also go into when the best time to move to NYC is, as different times of the year can affect the ease and cost of your move.

There’s only so much you can do to prepare for such a big move before jumping headfirst into all Manhattan has to offer. To alleviate any additional stress, look into a local Manhattan moving company.

It’s going to be different, but if you can handle the task without becoming overwhelmed, you’ll be on your feet embarking on new challenges. Get started with a free moving quote today!

How to prepare for moving to Manhattan

If you are planning a move, the first tip any professional would give you is to plan your actions. That is, it would be best if you made a moving checklist. By listing all the tasks that need to be done in the moving process, you will not only save time but will also ensure that you don’t forget to do something important. For example, you can open a folder on your computer to keep everything moving-related in one place. Put all the information, addresses, documents, pictures, ideas, and other details in there. You will see how that can be very handy during the moving process. Your list may include tasks like:

• Hiring a moving company – one of the most important tasks when moving to Manhattan
• Preparing your belongings for the move – this means decluttering, throwing away, and sorting the belongings you are taking with you to your new home
• Getting moving supplies – it’s best to stick to the essentials when preparing the moving supplies
• Packing for the move – the final step of preparing for the move, make sure you do it properly and that you don’t leave anything behind

Hiring a professional moving company

If you decide to move to New York City, Manhattan, it’s best that you start looking for a moving company as soon as possible. Since your relocation is a long-distance one, you might want to consider hiring local movers Manhattan that are specialized in this kind of relocation. Residential movers with experience in long-distance relocation can surely help you better than the ones who are not. There are also experts in commercial relocation, interstate relocation, small apartment relocation and others. So make sure to picks the ones that suit your need. They will do the job best.

However, when searching for one of the residential moving companies, don’t just hire the first one you come across. This is a task you need to approach carefully. Your entire moving experience will depend on what moving company you choose. Therefore, you should consider getting moving estimates from at least three residential moving companies. That way, you will be sure to make the right decision and not be a victim of fraud. When you get them, make sure you compare the prices of each moving service between the companies. However, if moving estimates turn out to be too high or too low, it’s a sign to get suspicious. Don’t overlook this task, since it can save you the trouble of being a victim of fraud.

Make sure you avoid fraudulent moving companies

One of the best ways to ensure that you avoid anyone who is trying to trick you and steal your money is to read the reviews. Today, there are numerous websites where people can leave reviews and share their experiences. You just need to make sure you don’t forget to read them. Reviews can be a lifesaver. Because, if a moving company does bad business, someone is surely going to expose them on the internet. And nothing can tell you more about a company than their satisfied or unsatisfied customers. You will need to pick out potential moving companies and search for reviews about them. Make sure you read a couple of them because before making your judgment. However, don’t take them too literally. Use them more as a reference and judge by yourself.

Additional moving services

Nowadays, besides the basic services of loading, transporting, and unloading your possessions, many moving companies offer additional services. Those services often include packing – where professionals come and pack everything up for you; storage – which protects your belongings until you can come and pick them up; or white glove moving NYC services, where professionals take care of every moving-related task, and you don’t have to lift a finger. Now, that is moving like a VIP. Of course, the service can be a bit pricy since it’s an all-inclusive luxury service. However, it’s worth every penny if it means that you don’t have to do any tedious and demanding moving tasks. And not only that, additional services can help you find out whether a moving company is legit and you are not dealing with fraudulent movers.

Getting your belongings prepared for moving to Manhattan

Before packing up your things for the move, you need to decide which ones you are going to take with you. You may have a lot of stuff in your home that you might even forget about. That’s why it’s essential to declutter your home before the move. One of the best ways to do so is to donate the things you don’t need. Charities like the Red Cross will be happy to take things such as old clothes. Or maybe, you can host a garage sale and sell your old things. That way, you can both declutter and make some extra cash.

Getting moving supplies and packing

After you have selected the things you are going to take with you, it’s time to pack. But before the movers come to take you to your new home, you need to prepare everything. If you decided not to hire that moving company’s additional services like packing or storage, it means that you will have to take care of this yourself. The first step would be to get moving supplies. It’s best to stick to the essential supplies when it comes to this.

• Cardboard boxes – you will need as many as you can get for moving from Memphis to San Jose
• Bubble wrap – would be the best to use with fragile belongings
• Packing paper – will protect any item from small damages

However, remember that different items need different packaging. So, if you have fragile and valuable things, it’s best you take extra care with packing them. Or maybe put them in climate controlled storage NYC where professionals will be extra careful with them.

You can find all of these things for a small price online. But you don’t need to buy everything. Think outside the box when looking for boxes. You can ask your local supermarket if they have some to spare. And other essentials like duct tape, markers, and scissors, you can always find somewhere around the house. And last but not least, make sure to label every box and put FRAGILE so your movers will know they need to handle those boxes with extra care.

Moving to Manhattan – final words

Hopefully, after reading this article about moving to Manhattan, you will get a clearer picture of what’s it like to live there. Remember, the most important thing when moving somewhere is to research your future neighborhood. So, we hope that you followed our guidelines and researched the cost of living in Manhattan, available real estate, fun things to do in Manhattan, and finally, how to prepare to relocate there. And if you decide to make Manhattan your future home, we wish you happy house hunting and a pleasant moving experience.