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Using Temporary Walls to Live a Stress Free Life With a Roommate
By Marcelo Oleas
If you enjoy living in New York City, you probably don't mind the idea of sharing your living space with roommates. Though it is one of the best ways of affording the incredibly high rent in the city that never sleeps, you better get use to the idea of living with other people. But what about dealing with unwanted noise, late night visitors and the lack of privacy? Before you lose your patience and go insane, look into pressurized walls because they might be the solution you've been waiting for!
When wanting to live in Manhattan, it is not easy to find an apartment that is inexpensive, big enough, in a nice neighborhood, and convenient for your everyday life. When you are lucky enough to find a big space, you might not be able to afford it on your own so sometimes you have to look for roommates to share it with. This might not be a simple task because even living with your friends can get stressful and cause headaches at times?
Pressurized walls offer a great solution to many of these common living problems that most people encounter when sharing their living space. You will find that these temporary walls allow you to sustain your privacy without being forced to work around schedules of who can and can't be in the apartment during certain hours. You will promptly realize that pressurized walls allow you to endure much more from your roommate and his or her tough habits.
One of the greatest features about these temporary walls is that many buildings in NYC permit them and are entirely landlord approved. Of course it is always highly recommended to use a professional company that abides by all the safety regulations which are often taken for granted. No one wants to live in a potentially unsafe home so make sure to do things the correct way. Pressurized walls are real uncomplicated to install without the use of nails, screws, or adhesives. At the same time, they are also easily removed without causing any harm to the existent walls, floors, and ceilings. This will save you the need for pricey repairs and time consuming patch jobs at the end of your lease. It is a minor investment that pays off many times over.
Simply think about the great improvement your home life would have with the wise use of temporary walls. There is no need to spend thousands of dollars on permanent construction that is probably not even allowed by your landlord to begin with. And the use of blankets and other makeshift room dividers was fine in college, but it simply doesn't do justice when you are an adult. The best part is that these pressurized walls are practically identical to real walls. They are extremely sturdy and can be painted and decorated just like any regular wall. Especially for somebody living in a loft, this is an outstanding way of breaking up the open space.
After living with roommates, you could perhaps find out that sometimes there's a lot that ends up being sacrificed. Your roommate might be a beautiful person and you might get along perfectly as friends, but what if he or she enjoys blasting the stereo or TV every morning at six A.M. or every night when you are needing peace and quiet and trying to get your sleep? Or possibly it is the reverse, what if you are the one who likes to blast your music at all hours of the day while your roommate is trying to have a conversation on the telephone? You will not always be lucky to find a person to live with who is perfect and 100% compatible with all your likes and dislikes. This is why the use pressurized walls can be an enormous aid for living a stress free life with a roommate... you can even get them sound proofed for added privacy.
The use of temporary walls can really keep you from going nuts! Another difficult habit that many roommates have is that they will invite people to visit. Just because you get along with your roommate doesn't mean that you will adore their friends or significant others. Having temporary walls in this case comes in real handy to keep contact to a minimal amount when contact is not wanted.
Make use of pressurized walls to create your ideal living environment that you deserve. You will not regret it when you're basking the much required privacy that you have wanted for years!
Please contact http://www.wall2wallny.com for more information regarding the use and installation of pressurized walls in your home.
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5 Tips To Rent in Manhattan, New York
By Taisia Shell
1. Timing is Crucial
The housing market is very competitive, especially for those hard-to-find affordable apartments. Be prepared to make decisions quickly since it is not unusual for units to turnover in a single day. Start your search no earlier than four weeks before your desired move-in date and be flexible by a week or two with your plans. Make apartment hunting your life for two or three weeks - that should be enough time to get familiar with the market and what you are looking for.
2. Focus Your Search According to Your Budget
New York City is an expensive housing market and you will likely be forced to make compromises in your choice. Monthly rents will vary depending on several factors; the most important of which is location, followed by apartment size and then amenities.
Consider Where You Can Afford to Live - Manhattan apartments are in the greatest demand and consequently rents are the highest here compared to other boroughs or nearby suburbs. In most areas of Manhattan, you will have great difficulty finding a studio apartment for less than $1,400-1,500 per month. In contrast, there are areas just outside Manhattan (within a 30-40 minute commute) where you can find a decent studio apartment to rent for $850-1,000 per month.
Determine What Size Apartment Fits Your Budget and What Amenities You Can Do Without - Squeezing into a smaller apartment than your ideal and a willingness to accept some commonly perceived flaws such as lack of view or natural light, street noise, etc., may save you some money. In addition, rents will vary with the type of building in which the apartment is located such as, whether or not the building has a doorman or an elevator.
Decide If You Are Willing To Share An Apartment - You can sometimes cut costs by sharing a large one bedroom, where you can build a wall in the living room to create a second bedroom for your roommate (management allowing, of course).
3. Methods of Searching - Fee v. No Fee Rentals
If you can afford to pay a broker's fee, searching with a broker is highly recommended for convenience and is the most common way of finding an apartment. Brokers often have access to good rental options, can guide you in your search, and make the paperwork easy for you.
Brokers charge a commission for their services. In Manhattan, expect to pay between 12-18% of the year's rent, typically 15% of the year's rent as a commission. That means if your rent is $1,000 a month, the broker's fee works out to $1,000 x 12 x 15%, or $1,800. Fees outside of Manhattan are usually less, ranging from one month's rent to 12% of the year's rent. The fee is payable only at the time of lease signing.
The larger Real Estate firms have Web sites where you can search their listings in advance of contacting them. You can also check their most updated listings in the classified ads in The Village Voice, The New York Times.
4. Financial Requirements and What to Bring on Your Apartment Search
In order to rent an apartment, you will be asked to complete an application form by your prospective landlord. You may also be required to pay between $50-$200 for credit reports and / or application fees. Landlords are mainly concerned with you and / or your guarantor having steady income and good credit.
Financial Requirements - Most landlords require that the prospective tenant have an income equal to 40-45 times the monthly rent in annual salary (combined income is used for roommates). You and your roommate will need to have all of your income verification paperwork readily available upon application for an apartment.
If you are a full time student or do not meet all the financial requirements, most landlords will require a lease co-signer or guarantor. A guarantor is an individual, typically a family member, who preferably lives in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut. Guarantors are asked to disclose detailed financial information and have a credit report run on them as part of the approval process. The guarantor's income needs to be at least 75 times the monthly rent and they will also need to submit the paperwork listed below.
Funds - When the landlord approves your apartment application, be prepared to pay the first month's rent and the security deposit upon lease signing. Most landlords require that these funds be paid in the form of separate certified checks or money orders. Landlords will not accept personal checks or credit cards. An additional certified check or money order will be required at the time of lease signing to pay the broker's fee.
Necessary Documents - Bring the following items with you when you start looking for apartments:
* Letter from your current employer stating your salary or from CPA if freelance or business owner
* First two pages of last year's tax return
* Most recent bank statement(s), bank account numbers and credit card numbers
* Most recent pay stub(s), names, addresses and phone numbers of previous landlords
* Names, addresses and phone numbers of personal and business references
* Photo I.D. such as driver's license or passport
5. Lease Signing
Leases are important for clarification of the responsibilities of the landlord and tenant. If you don't have a lease, the landlord could ask you to leave or raise your rent on short notice. In addition, factors such as when your rent is due, if pets are allowed and who is responsible for maintenance need to be clear. The type of lease you will be asked to sign can vary with the type of apartment and building in which it is located. Any changes to the standard lease are usually included in a separate lease rider. Leases are for one or two years and generally begin on the 1stth or the 15 of the month.
Typically, the apartment will be located in a rental building that is owned by a landlord and all of the apartments are available for lease. These buildings may be protected by rent regulations. A rent regulated apartment is subject to limits on the amount that owners can raise the rent for vacant apartments and renewals of existing leases. A tenant in a rent regulated apartment has the right to renew the lease indefinitely and the right to sublease the apartment with the landlord's permission. For more information about rent regulated apartments, visit the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR). Non regulated apartments are known as market rate. They are easier to find and more expensive than rent regulated apartments.
Taisia Shell is a licensed real estate broker in Manhattan with 27 agents brokerage firm. If you would like to find more about real estate in New York visit her website http://www.anshell.com
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