Be prepared to live in a much smaller space than you're used to. This is a city where some apartments have bathtubs in the kitchen! Space is at a premium in New York, and as such you'll be paying considerably more rent for considerably less space, particularly if you want to live in Manhattan. It is likely that you won't be able to fit all of your things in your new apartment. On the flip side, a move to New York City is a great excuse to go through all of your belongings and donate, sell, or give away things you don't really need.
If you don't have a place lined up already, try and schedule at least one full week, or even two, for apartment hunting, particularly if you're brand new to the area. You'll want a chance to explore the different neighborhoods and see several different apartments before committing to a one-year lease.
Generally speaking, Manhattan south of 23rd Street is the "trendier" part of town, with tons of bars, clubs, restaurants, and shopping. If you like to live in the happening part of town, that's it. Midtown has a more commercial feel, and while Uptown has some beautiful residential areas, it's too far from downtown for some tastes.
Make sure to also consider the length of your commute to work. Unless you're living in Staten Island, you'll most likely be taking the subway to work. Having a longer commute on one subway line is usually easier than having to take shorter trips on two different subway lines. New York also has an extensive bus service, but during rush hours it's usually faster to take the subway.
Do you value space over commuting time? Then be sure to check out the outer boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. Brooklyn has a lot of lively, fun neighborhoods, including hip Williamsburg, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights, and Carroll Gardens.
The scene in Queens is much more low key, but it offers great ethnic restaurants and even more space for your money. Jackson Heights is accessible by several subway lines, while Long Island City is just across the east river fro Midtown.
You could also look across the Hudson river at the neighborhoods of Hoboken or Jersey City in New Jersey. These pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods are a quick commute to Manhattan via the PATH train--Hoboken is only 7 minutes away.
Viewing as many apartments as possible and getting to know the feel of the neighborhoods will help you make an informed decision. Also, it's advisable to visit a neighborhood you're interested at night, particularly in Brooklyn and Queens, to make sure you'd feel safe coming home after hours.
Thanks to the recession, apartment rents have not only dipped, but are often negotiable. These days, you should always try to negotiate with the landlord.
New York is unique to many other cities in that many apartments are shown only through brokers, who charge a broker's fee for showing you the apartment and arranging the lease paperwork. This fee can be as high as 15% of the annual rent. But, in these recessionary times, landlords are often paying the broker's fee, or the brokers are lowering their fees considerably. If your broker is charging a fee, try to negotiate it lower, or look elsewhere--there are a lot of "no-fee" apartments available, either through brokers or direct from the landlord. Craigslist is a great resource for both fee and no-fee apartments, but always be wary of con artists--never give your personal or credit card information to anyone over email, and remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
To negotiate successfully, check the pulse of the rental market. If vacancy rates are very low, it becomes more difficult to negotiate, as there will likely be several different people vying for one apartment. Also, the most popular time to move is during the summer, so landlords and brokers might be less willing to negotiate during these months.
If you know the neighborhood you're interested in and you're interested in living in a doorman building, then it might pay to go to each of the doorman buildings in the area and ask if there are any apartments for rent. If there are, you might be able to rent it directly from the management company rather than go through a broker.
You can also opt to rent a room in apartment. Browse Craigslist to find people who are looking for roommates. Sublet.com has listings as well, but far fewer than Craigslist.
Finally, many universities in New York, such as NYU or Columbia, have an off-campus housing department that lists apartments and roommate openings. These online lists are accessible only to students of the university, so if you know someone who goes to school in NYC, ask them to check for you.
