NYC Apartment Hunting: The Epic Journey to Finding Home in the Concrete Jungle

Hey there, beautiful souls! It’s Flor here, coming at you from my brand new apartment in NYC. That’s right—after weeks of searching, countless viewings, and enough stress to power Manhattan’s grid, we’ve finally found our home sweet home in the city that never sleeps!

I know so many of you have been following along on this wild ride through my YouTube series, and today I want to dive deeper into what this journey has really been like. Because let’s be real: apartment hunting in New York City is not for the faint of heart. It’s a full-contact sport that requires strategy, quick decision-making, and the emotional resilience of a therapy dog.

So grab your favorite beverage, get comfy, and let me spill all the tea about what it really takes to land an apartment in NYC in 2025. Whether you’re planning your own move or just enjoy witnessing the beautiful chaos that is New York real estate, this one’s for you!

The Journey So Far…

For those who are new here (hi! welcome!), let me catch you up on what’s been happening. My partner and I recently moved back to the United States after living abroad in Germany. We shipped all our furniture across the ocean and needed to find the perfect place to call home in NYC.

Here’s what we were looking for:

• A spacious one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartment
• Pet-friendly (because our fur baby is non-negotiable!)
• Dishwasher (because who has time to hand wash everything?)
• Bright space with big windows and lots of natural light
• At least laundry in the building (a girl can dream!)

Our wish list also included:

• In-unit laundry (the ultimate NYC luxury)
• A doorman and elevator
• Budget between $3,500-$4,500 (with some flexibility for the right place)

Simple enough, right? Wrong. So very wrong.

Episode 4: The Continuation of Our Search

If you’ve been following along with episodes 1-3, you know we started our search in New Jersey and Jersey City before pivoting to look within Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. If you haven’t watched episode 4 yet, here it is:

Let me walk you through the emotional rollercoaster that was the continuation of our apartment hunt…

Back to Our Roots: Long Island City

We first decided to check out our old neighborhood, Long Island City in Queens. We previously lived there and loved it, so it seemed like a natural place to restart our search. We contacted the management company of our former building to see what they had available.

Unfortunately, pickings were slim. They only had one one-bedroom apartment to show us. While it had some great features—modern bathroom, decent kitchen, and amazing views of One World Trade Center—the living space was just too cramped for our needs, especially considering we both work from home now. With our furniture already on its way from Germany (including a substantial L-shaped sofa), we needed something with more square footage.

I left feeling discouraged but tried to stay positive. This was just the beginning of our renewed search, after all.

Brooklyn Bound: Prospect Park Adjacent

Next, we ventured into Brooklyn to check out a building with two available units. Both apartments were in a smaller building (about 6-7 stories) that had just been vacated by previous tenants.

The first unit was a two-bed, one-bath that would have given us the dedicated office space we needed. The second was a one-bed, one-bath that was slightly more compact but still workable.

The building itself had some nice amenities, including a communal living/dining area in the basement and a gorgeous rooftop with views of Prospect Park and Manhattan in the distance. Not too shabby!

These apartments checked all our boxes in theory—they were within budget and met our non-negotiable requirements. But something just didn’t feel right. Maybe it was the area, maybe it was the units themselves, but my gut was saying «not this one.» And when you’re making a decision this big, I’ve learned to trust that inner voice.

The Brooklyn Dream That Almost Was

A few days later, we found ourselves in what I now refer to as «the desperate phase.» You know—that point where you’ve seen so many disappointing options that you start wondering if your requirements are completely unreasonable or if you’re just doomed to homelessness.

Then, like a mirage in the desert, we found it: a beautiful three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in Brooklyn, steps from the Brooklyn Museum and Prospect Park. This wasn’t a cookie-cutter luxury building; it was a classic Brooklyn apartment with character and charm, but completely renovated with modern amenities.

The place was stunning. A guest bedroom with its own private bathroom (hello, Airbnb potential!), a spacious living and dining area, a gorgeous kitchen with brand new appliances, and—wait for it—in-unit washer and dryer! Plus, there was enough space for a dedicated office with plenty of natural light for filming.

We were ready to sign then and there. This felt like the one.

But then came the plot twist. The realtor emailed to let us know that despite the listed price (which was within our budget), they were «accepting offers»—NYC real estate code for «prepare for a bidding war.» While I understand this is how the market works here, we weren’t willing to pay more than the asking price. We felt the apartment was worth exactly what they were asking, and for any higher amount, we could potentially find something even better suited to our needs.

It was a hard decision, but we walked away. And let me tell you, turning down what seemed like the perfect apartment took STRENGTH.

Queens: Take Two

The search continued in Long Island City again, but in a different area than where we used to live. We checked out a brand new building where we’d be the first tenants.

The first apartment had a small balcony (our first viewing with outdoor space!), in-unit washer/dryer, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms. It had great closet space, which is always a premium in NYC. The building was small but offered some amenities like a gym and outdoor patio.

Then we saw another unit with an enormous outdoor terrace with views of the Empire State Building! Talk about luxury! This two-bed, two-bath also featured private bathrooms for each bedroom, in-unit laundry, and beautiful finishes.

But there was a catch: the living room had a strange configuration that wouldn’t accommodate our L-shaped sofa. And while the outdoor space was amazing, we had to be practical—how many months would we actually use it given New York’s weather? Was it worth compromising on our indoor living space for a terrace we’d only enjoy part of the year?

Once again, we walked away. At this point, I was beginning to wonder if we’d ever find «the one.»

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Just when it seemed hopeless, we had three more buildings lined up: one in Long Island City, one in Brooklyn near Prospect Park, and one in Midtown Manhattan near Columbus Circle.

And guess what? ONE OF THEM WORKED! We found our apartment!

The building checked all our boxes—great location, excellent transportation options, shops nearby, and amenities that were complimentary for the first year. The unit itself had the space, light, and layout we needed, and it was pet-friendly. All those little details that hadn’t quite worked in previous apartments finally aligned.

We submitted our application, and after a few days of the usual New York City rental stress, we got approved! And that’s where I’m writing from right now—our new home!

Lessons Learned From NYC Apartment Hunting

Now that I’ve survived this process, here are some takeaways for anyone embarking on their own NYC apartment hunt:

1. Know your non-negotiables: Having a clear list of must-haves saved us from settling for something that would have made us unhappy long-term.
2. Be flexible on location: We started in New Jersey and ended up somewhere completely different. Being open to various neighborhoods expanded our options.
3. Act fast, but don’t panic: The NYC rental market moves at lightning speed, but that doesn’t mean you should sign for something that doesn’t feel right.
4. Factor in your existing furniture: We knew our furniture was coming from Germany, so we had to find a place that would accommodate our pieces.
5. Consider all seasons: That gorgeous outdoor space might seem worth the extra money in May, but will you feel the same way in January?
6. Trust your gut: Sometimes an apartment checks all the boxes on paper but still doesn’t feel right. That’s okay!
7. Don’t get emotionally attached too quickly: I learned this the hard way with that Brooklyn three-bedroom. The NYC market is unpredictable, and «accepting offers» can change everything.

What’s Next?

I promise I’ll be sharing a full apartment tour soon! You’ll see much more of our new place in upcoming videos and blogs. In the meantime, follow me on Instagram @lo_padera for sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes looks at how we’re settling in.

I’m so grateful to all of you who followed along on this apartment hunting journey. Your comments, messages, and support kept me going through the stress and uncertainty. Now I want to hear from you: Which apartment from all the ones we looked at would you have chosen? Was there one that stood out as your favorite?

Until next time,

Flor xoxo

P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the notification bell so you don’t miss the apartment tour when it drops!