We Pay Under $700/Month To Rent Micro Apartments In NYC | Unlocked
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- čas přidán 31. 03. 2023
- Alaina Randazzo, 25, and J.R. Wills, 27, both live in micro apartments in the same building in midtown Manhattan. Each studio apartment has a lofted bed and is around the size of a parking spot or a walk-in closet. Alaina's windowless unit is 80 square feet and rents for $650/month. J.R.'s unit has a window, is 85 square feet and rents for $687/month.
Unlocked is a home tour series focused on how much people across the globe spend on their housing, what they get for the money and what they had to sacrifice to make it happen.
Follow Alaina on Instagram: / alainarandazzzo
Follow J.R. on Instagram: / johnrichardw
Produced, shot and edited by: Mickey Todiwala
Managing Producer: Beatriz Bajuelos Castillo
Animator: Gene Woo Kim
Additional Footage: Alaina Randazzo
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I think I’d much prefer a micro apartment all to myself, than share an apartment with FOUR strangers!
I mean after a while you just become best freinds
What if you wanna have a partner over?
@@aryangupta6186 unless you don’t… it could easily go the opposite way.
@@shnuggumz true
if a roommate leave without paying rent, then everyone is on the hook for his/her portion. so this type of micro apartment is ideal
I rather live in a micro apartment than share an apartment with 5 or 6 roommates. That many roommates is like having a micro apartment since the only privacy you have is your bedroom. Sharing a bathroom would be required for both which is really unappealing.
I agree I rather live in something like this than living with roommates or in a vehicle.
i would agree except that frequently you can have shared bathrooms in hall, not apartment and not have a kitchen at all really in some. and if you have a lofted area for sleeping you better be under 30 or 35
Wait till you hear about ppl only renting a bed space in NYC. IT'S real!
Same thing I thought. Since I’d be sharing a Bathroom anyway, I’d rather keep the Micro Studio and at least have some form of My own Apartment.
I don't get home boy he had a 500sq for 500 to go paying more for this crap
Ok so for people that are not from nyc, these are not micro studios or apartments. They're SRO (single room occupancy with share bathrooms) dwellings or boarding houses. They're transitional housing designed for people who don't have permanent housing and it's meant to be a safer option for unhoused people than shelters (which are very dangerous and the waiting list is very long for unhoused folks to get into these type of sros). These used to be tenanment buildings with no windows, which caused so many deaths, et al., until building codes and ordinances required windows. Just wanted anyone who's coming here to live to be aware.
Got it. Are all of these stabilized?
A lot better than your average slumlord special still
Unhoused? You mean homeless people, a good chunk of them are drug addicts. But government throwing more money at it will solve homelessness right? Definitely won't inflate the "demand" on the NYC apartment market, causing unaffordable rent prices.
@@Redditor6079 I wish you experience homelessness someday.
Except that girl said she had no window in hers … so that’s not really the facts.
I don’t count it as an apartment if the bathroom is separate and shared on top of it. These are glorified rooms for rent.
No because that is literally what it is. It is a single room that they are living out of, that’s not even the size of the average bedroom. If it works for them, great, but I couldn’t imagine living in a space the size of my dining room just so I could live in New York
stop complaining. wages and salary are high in nyc, so this is a good start in order to save money.
Ya smaller than a bedroom in a shared apartment with a “kitchen” shoved in it
But most of these folks that live in these places are grinding hard all day every day. They’re probably not tripping.
Because so many people overpaid for homes even while loan rates were low, I believe there will be a housing catastrophe because these people are in debt. If housing costs continue to drop and, for whatever reason, they can no longer afford the property and it goes into foreclosure, they have no equity since, even if they try to sell, they will not make any money. I believe that many individuals will experience this, especially given the impending mass layoffs and rapidly rising living expenses.
I advise you to invest in stocks to balance out your real estate, Even the worst recessions offer wonderful buying opportunities in the markets if you're cautious. Volatility can also result in excellent short-term buy and sell opportunities. This is not financial advice, but buy now because cash is definitely not king right now!
You're correct! With the help of an investment coach, I was able to diversify my 450K portfolio across markets and produce slightly more than $830K in net profit from high dividend yield equities, ETFs, and bonds.
@@emilydeep good luck 👍
And you were right dear
@dolanjordan Her name is Sharon Ann Meny can't divulge much. Most likely, the internet should have her basic info, you can research if you like.
I have much more gratitude for my apartment after watching this.
Me too
1:23 this shot goes hard tho might screenshot later
If you have an apartment rn your doing pretty well
Location. If you have the world at footsteps? I don’t know? If I was single? In Manhattan? Decent enough job. No need for a car? It would be of interest to me.
The apartments in the video are just a less squalid version of what Hong Kong have.
The broker's fee should be illegal.
We don't have them in Australia, the landlord is responsible for fees
Brokers fees are a scam.
That was the most egregious
Ya, ridiculous, i had to look that up. Apparently, 8.5 - 15% of one years rent, or 1- 2 months rent, is typical.
Hence, the high end at $1500 on these.
Having the window makes a world of difference.
The other one is like a coffin
Yea, the difference of dying in a fire or not.
Is this why crime is so high in NY? Go to jail and you get a bigger space, free gym and food!
😂
😂😂😂😂
.... & get abused by other inmates in the jail . A tiny apartment like this guy's is any day a much better option
🤣🤣🤣
Dont know about NYC, but upstate NY has a "catch and release" no bail deal so criminals get to roam free while waiting for their next trial before their next next trial.
I have rented in NYC before, I gotta say, this kind of mini apartment must be very very hard to find in NYC especially in Manhattan.
it's not! There are still efficiencies on 23rd and 9th ave. They aren't bad, but not big at all
@@LinguaNigra really?? i only stayed for a year, i would really prefer this kind of cozy tiny apartment. i was living in a two bedroom shared apartment for even more rent and it was in queens. This is so much better with privacy and private kitchen and i love Manhattan!!
@@LinguaNigra do you know by any chance how to find them? I would honestly love to live in a micro studio
@@LinguaNigra 362 W 23rd, I went and looked at it and immediately left, wasn't for me, but some may love it.
@@Astralkiller47 yup, that's it! I have way too much stuff for that. You can also find similar spaces on the upper west side that are a bit nicer, but still a shared bathroom
A big benefit to having a small space like this is you have to be intentional with the stuff you bring in. Most people tend to buy crap just to fill up their living space, so a small spot means you only have what truly brings you value and save money in the process.
yeah, also.. the big benefit of being killed by a murderer, is that you dont have to worry about food anymore.
great logic there! totally not a rat sized unhuman shoebox!
*_Or_* you could have some room to stretch out and just _exercise _*_self-control._*
i'm not against tiny spaces at all.. I live in a small house myself. However, I would go crazy in an apartment that size.. people shouldn't have to live in a space that small
I agree. Conversely, I’ve heard from people who have lived this way that they actually spend the majority of their time at work, or out and about, so the apartment is mostly a place to sleep. Makes more sense when viewed that way.
I think they just spend more of their time out of the house.
The only thing I am against is such small spaces having to cost so much, the rent prices in the video can easily get you a luxurious 3 bedroomed house in my country.
@@enditakamweneshe6428 They can earn more and hopefully save money . For someone starting out young should not be too much of an issue.
Different strokes for different folks. I know I couldn't do it but every time I've gotta deep clean my house I definitely wish my space was a bit smaller! Lol
The barista really looks like your average Starbucks staff. 😂
he is cute.
Ouch!..😅
uncanny valley between a man and a woman
Yeah coked out and complains he can’t get a office job cause it doesn’t work with ostentatious lifestyle.
Living in a tiny apartment would be no problem but my cut off would be the shared bathroom. It doesn't take a lot of square feet to have a decently functioning bathroom but I understand that pretty much all of these "micro apartments" were never planned from the bare dirt up to be what they are.
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at begin to change” - 🤯
Sharing a bathroom with strangers 💀🤢
Most roommates & college campuses already do this. And I’m sure each person in your childhood home didn’t have there own individual bathrooms unless you grew up in a ridiculously sized mansion with 33 bathrooms & 33 bedrooms
@@Dhi_Bee yeah because strangers used your childhood home...
Never lived in a college dorm?
I guess if you think about it its no different then sharing a bathroom when your out and about... it would take some getting used to as far as home still not ideal
When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at begin to change. ❤❤❤❤❤
Wait, she said "I have a window this time"...did she not have an egress window in the studio? I didn't see one. That's a fire trap, it's super illegal to rent that even as a bedroom for rent. & sharing a bathroom with a neighbor? Not at any price. Nope.
I agree her room must have been illegal. However, three of the apartments I've rented had no secondary egress yet passed housing inspections with flying colors. One was a modern, purpose-built 'housing for the elderly and disabled' building in Rhode Island. The others are two old buildings in L.A, including my current microflat downtown. The housing inspector made a giant deal of needing my door to slam closed when it's opened just 6 inches and let go.
I was thinking the same. Without a window and two ways to exit, that can't be a dwelling unit
My manz really trusted that window.
Cute space. Share bathroom would freak me out
These seem like SROs (single room occupancy) units, not micro-apartments. Proper micro-apartments have a functional kitchen and full bathroom. These are just dorm rooms where you have to use a shared bathroom and cooking facilities.
Agreed. My microflat in L.A. ($704 rent with all utilities) is 220 square feet with kitchenette and private bathroom.
Well, it was in-between. They weren't sharing their cooking facilities, but bathroom, yes.
this is going the direction of Hong Kong's shoebox apartments.
shoebox apartments?
Truth
The current situation is disheartening as people are forced to accept living in cramped quarters due to the prevailing housing crisis. It highlights the societal trend of adjusting to financial difficulties instead of addressing the root cause of the problem, such as the exorbitant prices of housing, in which the banking system also plays a significant role.
But also the local government with land values, property taxes and zoning restrictions.
Ironically I’d LIVE COMFORTABLY in an apartment like that being that since childhood I like to spent 95% of my time in my room. I’d also happily live in a tiny house the size of a room or small living room too. Sign me up!
Yes love this outlook
Why do people enjoy prison...
If you were so busy that you spent almost every waking hour, then I can understand this. You just want a place to lay your head.
But, in any other situation, this is so bad.
In Dubai at 650 dollar you can have big studio flat with all facilities 😅
It’s absolutely INSANE that people choose to live like this
Honestly it's better than living on the street , not saying I lived on street. I lived in something similar but not this small . 😮
@@firefly8471 anything with a roof is better than living on the street. I agree. However I still don’t think this should be idolized. It’s cool to look at or decorate as a hobby, but to purposely live that way is kinda crazy
@Reezy884 yea it would be a last resort for me
Biden voters
@Iburn247 what a stupid comment. Yes everyone lived in their own house when Trump was president. Wait wasn't his dad a slumlord?
I really feel sorry for the kitty. 😢I hope this guy takes his cat outside to park every week
agreed, that's not enough space for a cat :(
We’re not that far away from cages like in Hong Kong. Crazy! You wouldn’t believe how much it’s costing me to buy a tiny studio in Brooklyn. Thank goodness it’s in an amenities rich building or I’d go crazy.
stfu,those Chinese people live like animals in a literal cage,these are just micro apartments but you still have everything you'd have in an apartment just in a smaller package😅
I was just coming here to say this. This reminded me so much of the Hong Kong housing situation
When I first moved to NYC in 2008, I lived in a small studio for $450 per month in Williamsburg. It was super tiny, but I spent most of my time out and about Brooklyn.
That's the only reason these can work is that the city is at your fingertips. However, I imagine COVID lockdown was rough if you had a small space like this.
How did u find that though? I am struggling to find where to apply?
@@Kay-gk9eb That same apartment would probably be $1000 or more now. Williamsburg still had some deals then but it's gotten a lot more expensive. Cheapest deals usually listed on Craig's List but least trustworthy. I think getting units like in this video, and when you don't qualify for cheaper housing due to low or no income, is pure luck or if you live in NYC, checking every few days but it could take months or longer. Even though they look tough to live in, many would to avoid roommates and live in Manhattan. The guy's one in particular seems like it's not that bad, the woman's one though not having any windows may be tough.
@@the_letter_b a studio will run you easily $2k in Williamsburg now
NYC ought to be ashamed, charging people even that much to live in a box, bunch of crooks!!!
How so? Land is very limited in Manhattan.
I could never but to each their own.
People live like rats and actually think this okay 😂 love keeping people like this
Isnt it so crazy? 😅😂
Looks comfy honestly.
Obviously will only work for people who are single, have no kids and aren't too materialistic, but it looks like a very simple type of lifestyle.
I agree!!
How much more space does one person need to live? This guy's house serves the purpose perfectly for one person. And that window makes the place worthwhile
yea and who don't ever work from home and don't cook or eat at home regularly. And who enjoy having a dirty shared bathroom
No kids?? Pft, typical millennial! Kids are small, they can sleep on that couch!
@@tyc1Z.Z1 If you enjoy really cooking, it's not much of a kitchen. Also, notice the mattress is in a loft straight on the floor, so not an ideal sleeping situation for a lot of people. The "living room" is doable, but is barely big enough to do yoga or an aerobics routine at home. You'd definitely need a gym membership.
This girl has featured her apartment on so many CZcams videos!! It's like she is might be the only person renting something like that?
I was thinking the same. Or I eventhink if this is just her job to get views. She might live in a bigger place
I also saw this guy's apartment on another channel
I think it shows that getting these affordable units (not really full apartments due to sharing shower and toilet) in Manhattan are not that common and she and the other guy are among the few interested in sharing about it. If you try to find ones like this, there's few if any, you have to luck out or find the buildings with them and contact the person or company handling the units and ask to be on a waiting list. The guy's unit had a window, which made it more livable, hers didn't so I imagine it eventually got to her and she moved out, which she showed towards the end. Even that new room is a good deal with the location and amount of space. She probably spent a lot of time looking at least for the 2nd one or is just very lucky.
The dealbreaker, *Sharing the bathroom with your neighbors*
I’m paying $2300 a month for a 1 bedroom apartment in Chino CA. 50 miles from LA. This isn’t a bad deal haha
Lol what? People have been hoodwinked into thinking that this is normal.
You’re getting ripped off dude I have a new construction 3 bedroom 2 bath house in Texas with a mortgage of 1200
That's expensive for Chino! Sounds like Bay Area rent
Nice and all. All good and all. But this is getting ridiculous. But hey, y’all are super happy and that is all that matters for your own life. Truly not worth it. We keep paying this, they will continue charging us this (for less space) etc
They have to be happy. If they get a chance they are definitely moving to a bigger one. As you said if people are going to pay even for this and they would keep charging exorbitant rent.
It’s actually super helpful apartments like these exist in manhattan
I probably wouldn’t go back to tiny home living but when my partner and I were in NYC (Queens) we were living in a 350 sqft attic paying $1,000 rent. It was a huge money saver and helped me get my first $100k invested.
Having to constantly clean the place is what I don’t want to go back to haha.
$700 for that?!
😂😂😂😂😩
Reminds me of college dorms. Once you get used to it, it sees normal
His seemed more doable than hers to me. He had a window and the kitchen was small, but functional. Also, his loft seemed less cramped. I think I could do it, but I really would prefer my own bathroom and a little more kitchen room. I live in a 1000 square foot house. It's not a giant house, but provides that room to breathe.
New York's apparments videos are my passion.
I lived in SF for over a decade and turned down an opportunity to live in nyc. I moved back to México and love my life in cdmx, I'm so happy I never moved to NYC.
I immediately went to StreetEasy to see if I could find one. There’s none available in Any borough. Only one apartment for $1,000 out of all the boroughs. That was the cheapest I could find.
Yeah, they lucked out or spent a lot of time hunting and waiting patiently. Video doesn't tell the odds of finding units and at those prices in Manhattan. As for those who think, "who would want to live in spaces like this?" Many on a budget would be okay with the unit the guy had due to the location and price. Her unit may be tougher for many due to having no window, which is bad in terms of having a sense of the time of day but also due to potential overheating in the summer. Could be brutal trying to get through hot summer nights in there. Indoor AC units still need to connect to outside.
Wait....you guys share bathrooms with total strangers?
poor cat living in a tiny box 🐱
So cruel on the cat
Better then alot cats stuck in cage at some adoption center
I left a big metro area to an inner America mid size city for a much bigger and better life, the big metros are overrated.
Klaus Schwab- You will own nothing and be happy
😂
NYC is just a giant dumpster fire
This is Gonna b so Cool🔥🔥🔥👍n Happy Saturday😀….
These are not “micro apartments”. These are glorified SRO’s (single room occupancy). Back in the day there used to be a ton of these SRO hotels all around the city that were pretty seedy.
650$/month to live live in the same amount of space like in a prison cell. Just move the toilet into the apartment and make the bed a bunk bed and there you go - federal prison cell. Im sorry but this really shouldnt be something to aspire to, build better afordable living and infrastructure! Its like someone mentioned in comments about hong kong cages - this is the NYC version of that. Feel bad for people that have to live like this
I DON’T GET IT… if you can’t afford to live in NYC, you also can’t afford the nyc lifestyle so why live here?? If I had to live like this I would move out of NY! It’s not even worth it if I’m being honest.
There's lot of opportunity in NYC, depending on what field you're working in. Also, the city has a lot to offer!
This isn’t financial freedom this is a sad reality.
With Corps buying up land and living spaces; people will no longer own their own home.
Legislation needs to be passed against corps that do this.
Regarding this video, I fear for our youth. This may be prime real estate locations but it’s coming to a city near you.
It’s not an apartment. You’re renting a room. In a half way house style facility.
I love the short documentry
Man with all the progress human civilization has made affordable and respectable housing still remains a tough nut to crack. It's almost unimaginable to buy a home in any metro cities in India and rents are rising rapidly here too. It really really sucks to pay a fortune on the rent🤕🤢
I don't know about India, but here in the USA local municipalities and private citizens fight the development of new housing every step of the way.
The same people who scream about the high cost of rent in my area are also the first people to decry a developer coming in to build 300 new apartment units because "it will change the character of the town".
There is no legitimate reason why housing needs to be so expensive. We as a people are really good at building housing but the unspoken truth is that everyone wants to pull up the ladder behind them after they get their housing situation established.
bruh i just cant imagine living in those spaces NYC is nice but sooooooooo overrated . much respect for the ppl that can live like that.
@5:06 I’m too old & too introverted to live like that. 🤦🏽♀️
Lol the most replayed part of the video. Good job guys
With tis in mind, one could convert a storage business, into mini apartments, and make a fortune.
No one should be living like that. That’s crazy
Why? People in NY don’t stay home.
It wasn’t too bad tbh
I agree, it's like living in a sardine can. And they're okay with it but, you need room to stretch your feet at least have your own bathroom
It isn't all that crazy in japan or Hong Kong.
Great video ❤
Renting an apartment can be really stressful especially getting bank statements and paystubs I had to pay a vendor online lol
Minus the mice and the bugs that she has mentioned in other videos as well as this one, I like her space.
Does it still count as an apartment if there's no bathroom in it?
No
@@ladolcevida4427 Must be an illegal rental then
Omg I'm claustrophobic just looking at this 😮
So this is a StreetEasy ad
you’re not saving you just aren’t spending it on rent
My "rent-controlled shoebox" in L.A. is 220 square feet with private bathroom.
2.5 times the size of either room shown here.
The dude’s comment ,”I choose to live in positivity “.👍
Its definitely a tokyo way of living. That kitchen reminds me of Japan.
When you live in a place like nyc you dont live in your apartment. You sleep. You live in the city. Its a very different lifestyle.
But ughbthe vocal frying in this video makes me love closed captioning
I absolutely love informative videos like this showcasing NYC.. Keep it CNBC! 👏👍
How is this not a space hazard? How does this not violate zoning codes?
Obsessed with these micro aparments! We would totally live here
Yes, rent controlled apartments are really cheap, quelle surprise!
reminds me of some of the Japanese housing I've seen. Makes sense cause they're on islands over there, which means limited space.
Thats the american dream lmao
To each is own! I'll stick to the suburbs and have a real house!
I'm so thankful that people choose to live like this. If it wasn't for them, everyone would be living close to my ranch! 🤣
I work from home permanently. I wish I could do this & save a ton of money but I'd really go nuutsss being in a small space 24/7!!!
Just moved into my first one bedroom apartment. It’s definitely been an experience.
These are single occupancy rooms not micro studios. As a NYer, I couldn’t share a communal bathroom but hey, to each their own.
I like the guy’s space more. The layout is better and sharing the restroom with one other person is not bad. I grew up with 5 siblings so, that’s nothing.
Reminds me of the cage apartments in Hong Kong
I was interested until I realized that there was no private bathroom 😮
am i the only one who loves his original Starbucks logo mug???
In South Africa where I live , for $700 it’s a 2 bedroom house or apartment.
Maybe get remote jobs and move to Africa you’ll be living a luxurious life,have lots of space and enjoy your life.
This is so tiny and sad to see that people live in tiny little boxes 😢.
It’s just “kids” trying to live their dream at a doable price for the city. It’s temporary. You sacrifice space inside for everything else at your fingertips…right outside those doors.
You really can’t compare random towns in a different state or Country, to NYC. Regardless of preference, it’s two, totally different things.
@@deline8ed619 and New york isn't some random place in a random country? Get over yourself. 🙄
Such a fun time living there- the new apartment video will be up on my CZcams channel this weekend! Stay tuned for that :)
How can I hop on your lease 🥹
@@ouihui did a CZcams video on this :)
Love your studded jacket! If you don’t mind me asking, where did you get it?
@@jestenia590 akira!
@@alainarandazzo Thank you!
these guys hit the lottery with that price!
Thoughts & Prayers
Love him and his words very positive
Whats the requirements to get this type of housing? How can i get into micro housing? And how can i find one?
they need to GET MARRIED and buy a house !!!
She waited until the very end to mention "bugs"! Ps. I've seen a video of a lawyer who lived in one of these super tiny places on the Upper East Side. She was saving a ton of cash.
I could see someone doing it for a while to create a serious savings to buy something more permanent.
Aw! Mandy is so cute!
This looks like a really cool music video😂
This thing will quickly increase to $1000 after this video.
I wish I would pay 1300 for a bedroom and shared space 🤨
😂😂
It’s like ppl will do anything to live in New York. I don’t get it.🥴I’m in a Detroit suburb…$1438 for 800-900 square feet and I’m not packed in here with 4 other people‼️It’s ALL MINE‼️
@@NikNik0123 right tho. I'm in Indiana 870sft 2bdrm $1182.
I still think that's too high
@@briggsneal1016 🤯wow‼️ Is that an apt or mortgage⁉️ That sounds like a steal‼️
Broker's fee? Do prospective tenants actually have to pay their realtors in NY? Here in Toronto the realtors are paid solely by the landlord.
Yeap :/
That is so depressing... It would make my claustrophobia skyrocket. You can pay the same price for a much bigger appartment in other cities. I like my privacy but having to choose between this and living with roomates, i would choose roomates.
I foresee that this is how most of us will be living in the future as the population grows. People are already living like this in Japan,China and big cities like New York.