Utilities for Manhattan or live in America

Subject utilities - one of the most painful in our country. Reading disgruntled comments about how everything in Russia is bad, they say, that can compare with Europe or America, the author could not intervene and did not share a personal experience of living "out there." Everything written here - my personal experience or my friends or acquaintances, ie exclusively home subjective look at the structure of the household in the "capital of the world".





Types of housing in Manhattan.
In many kinds of Manhattan housing, but for their own convenience, I divide them into four large groups:
New luxury high-rises.
Prewar maloetazhki.
"Rich" townhouses.
Social housing («Project»).

1. New luxury high-rises.
This is a very popular form of nedvizhki on the island. According to my personal feelings, in these homes live a good third of the population. Houses are large, very comfortable (30-40 floors) residential complexes with butlers, easy access and beautiful lawns on the perimeter. These houses are carefully serviceability, look neat and outside, and inside. Very often in homes are extras parking, gyms and pools.
All visitors to pass through the "Swiss" control, so safety is at a high level.
If you come to someone for a visit, "Dorma" is always contact with the owner and will clarify whether you start up.
Doormen are on duty 24 hours a day to help with heavy bags and suitcases, call a taxi, and watered the bushes, lawns stregut, security monitoring - in general, support the perfect order in the house.
Often people wonder - what would happen if a 40-storey building will break down the elevator? Typically, in such houses several elevators and even if one breaks, the remaining work. Although there was a case where our friends in the house all the elevators stopped working and they had to climb on foot to the 35th floor. Again, I heard about this only once.
The cost of accommodation (hereinafter referred to cite the example of the cost of monthly rent single apartment) - from $ 2,500 to $ 15,000 per month. And above.
A typical luxury high-rise building height of 50 storeys, built by Donald Trump in a prestigious area of ​​Manhattan.



 - At the beginning of a career may be higher rental income (so young and in a bunch of strays in the TV series "Friends»).
 - In mid-career, rent can be up to 50% of income per family member, or even higher.
 - In the prime of a career can be a third of rental income per family member.
Figures for my feelings and the stories of Aboriginal friends. Next, there is the family income increases, but there, again, are the children and the need to expand the area of ​​acc-no. A common practice - before the birth of children to go away from the center to remove the larger areas. Often - a suburb.
Typical Dorma (Butler) - an impressive middle-aged man in uniform, busy catching a taxi for family tenants.



2. Pre-war maloetazhki
Old houses built 80-100 years ago. Akin to Tomsk "stump", these homes - architectural face of the city. They are often decorated with stucco and equipped with external fire escapes - a characteristic feature of the local architecture.
Apartments in such houses are almost always small, close entrances (two men could hardly disagree on the stairs), no elevator.
Thin walls, creaking floorboards, antique doors and windows, but, hell, the local flavor.
Price ranges from $ 1100 (Harlem) to $ 3500 per month.
A typical pre-war "economy" -zhilё.



The beautiful old house has survived the onslaught of new buildings.



3. "Rich" townhouses
Accommodations for the most wealthy inhabitants of the island. Most townhouses are inherited, as a rule, are in excellent condition, are of particular architectural value - massive high staircase railing with cast, huge windows, high ceilings, moldings.
In these houses live mostly executives, celebrities, world-filling, the heirs of wealthy families.
Honestly - I do not know about the monthly rent, but the market price of such section may be 5, 8, 12, 20 or more million dollars. And also to buy a house, you have to participate in the auction and pay the amount over the fair market value.



Jersey can be removed for a thousand. And to go to the center Manhettana quite possibly be the same amount of time as the other end of the island, and sometimes faster. But with the transport situation is still not ideal, and the parking even dream it is not necessary, so Manhattan significantly more expensive.
In other cities did not live, but I know that the ratio of income and rent much it is reasonable, that is, a family of two people can shoot or a normal apartment in the normal area of ​​the city or a large house in the suburbs.
In New York, people often rent apartments pool their savings, foreign students after uni and continue to live together, because salaries of graduates (35-50 thousand dollars a year) does not allow removing a separate apartment.
To shoot for 2500, you need to get ten thousand a month on clean hands. For all studies, rent should not exceed a quarter of the income. Given that taxes are not weak in America, you have to get to 13-15 thousand per month, and this salary has experienced a qualified specialist.
Well, in general, leasing is a serious question, often heard in the streets and in stores as a nation groans and laments on the subject.
YET AGAIN. The city lived 750 thousand dollar millionaires. Therefore, N-tion of the population, these questions did not bother :)
Typical buildings in the elite district of the Upper East Side of Manhattan.



4. Social housing ("Project")
The least safe areas are famous for an abundance of Project - social houses in which the apartments are subsidized by the state and rented to people who have low income. As a rule, these houses look like ordinary kashtachnye flats - brick high-rise buildings, nothing remarkable. The difference is that okolodomovaya territory, as a rule, very accurate - close-cropped lawns, benches, children's playgrounds.
However, very often going around the Project is not the most pleasant public - young people from low-income families, speaking our language, gopota.

Charms
Yes, in America, as a rule, cleaner and neater, almost everywhere. In the hallways, in the streets, and the like. The exception is, perhaps, only poor areas, and that, as a rule, there is only dirt from the fact that there is an active trash. Even in the poor areas of paved streets and sidewalks, and lawns trimmed.
Convenience. In Manhattan, there is almost everything. If you live in the middle of the island (Midtown), literally step by step you will have access to one-hundred-Five hundred stores all profiles, cinemas, museums, libraries and consulates all over the world, clubs, all kinds of services from food to helicopter rides. Well, just everything.
Security. While living in a good neighborhood, do not you almost do not have to worry about security. For example, in our entrance quietly postman leaves a parcel worth $ 300, which dutifully for 2 days waiting for her in the lobby of the recipient, for all to see. Walk in the evening, too, can be calm, since on the streets of any one or honorable residents of neighboring houses. Somehow American gopota not like to go far beyond its region.
It's not made to take the apartment without repair. Always after the departure of some tenants and landlords to enter the following do "update" repair - paint the walls, ceiling, clean out the apartment to a high gloss. Rode in an apartment with dilapidated walls, to do "repair expense rent" - it is something unimaginable.
The friendliness of the norm. This also applies to maintenance personnel and to the neighbors. The overwhelming majority of people treat each other respectfully and cordially. Agree, nice when it comes remontёr fun, laughs with you on the topic of ever breaking sockets, he tells stories and goes wished a pleasant day, quite frankly.
Central Park is a center of attraction for millions of tourists and natives. Just a 5 minute walk into the depths of the park - and you forget that you are in the center of the city.



On the streets and in stores in Manhattan can buy well, just everything. Soviet posters? No problems.



Home is definitely expensive. But definitely worth the money if nayzvat Woody Allen his neighbor. Top - one of the houses in the area director's Central Park.



A typical fruit and vegetable cart. These guys are almost all year round. The only exceptions are rare days when the degree is lowered to -10 ° C.



CONS
First of all - the price. Even if you bought an apartment in the property, the monthly payment for the service can be $ 600-700 (talking about a tiny one bedroom apartment). I think that's why the American job loss is seen much more painful than the Russian. We can "perekantovatsya" a month or two until you will not find a new job. The Americans dropped nehily accounts, which is critical to pay in time (because it affects the credit history, see below).
Square. When I hear whining about domestic hruschёvok me directly undermines throw a few pictures that could be of a manhetennskoy interior of the apartment. In the search for housing, we visited the premises in such countries, it is difficult to describe words. Believe me, the 4-meter kitchen - it is not horror.
Unavailability of rent "on parole". We can always negotiate with the owner to decide to conclude an agreement or not, make a deposit and all the cases. In America, before you rent an apartment in a decent home, you have to go through the procedure of credit checks. Even if you'll be waving a wad of cash in front of his nose landlord, he would never agree to let you, if you have a low income or credit history is unimportant. Credit history is accumulated from the students and haunts you for life.
Annoying bugs. In the old parts of the city (of which a majority of Manhattan) trash (basements, subway station) was chosen by mice, rats, cockroaches and other animals that we at home is relatively rare. Bedbugs are also a pressing problem, a lot of services are struggling with this misfortune. By the way, the cockroaches are flying and 5-7 cm long (it is, by the way).
Very often - a complete lack of okolodomovoy territory. That is, leave the house - three-meter sidewalk - roadway. More luck for those who live around Central Park or near the small urban gardens, but nedvizhki around them is always more expensive.
Dependence on decency homeowner. Just as we do, with Manhattan buildings befall stories - stopped working internet disconnected heating, someone namusoril entrance door, flooded neighbors. And here and there you will always depend on the homeowner. If he is honest, will come and will be repaired quickly and efficiently. Popadёshsya on lazy - you'll wait a week, a month, six months, call the court, to understand, to threaten ships and the like. Once we were flooded, we came remontёry, clicked his, sighed and left. Month no response, had to call and understand - a fairly typical situation.
The cardboard walls. Remember when there were only the first Hollywood movie, we are constantly amazed at how the characters can break the walls of his hands, they say, enough to fill. It's simple - drywall. They may be separated not only in the room of one apartment, but sometimes the apartments themselves. And okay, if you behind the wall lives a quiet neat vintage grandmother. And if a couple of irrepressible lovers who like to break to the fullest without fear of being heard throughout the house? Such lovely neighbors were our friends.
"Black list of tenants." Will you speak a lot - you can add to this list, even if your complaints were substantiated. I have encountered people who gritted his teeth, but were afraid to complain to the landlord, as I did not want to ring out in this list. Then remove any other apartment is the whole dilemma.
Typical temporary dump waste paper, which is subjected to vtorpererabotke.



STRANGENESS
Renting an apartment, you do not have to make repairs on their own. If flooded, broken outlet is not working valve, call the landlord. Come, open the door with their keys, do it right, hang a note on the door, "it was then that made it something, call it so." The downside is that they can be caught by unscrupulous landlords, and have to wait a very long time, although their services are clearly laid down in the price. Plus the fact that nothing ever utaschat. I'm afraid to jinx it, but we have repeatedly left the house a bunch of various values, techniques, and then came remontёry, everything is always safe and sound.
Garbage is collected in the basement of the house and take out once a week. Before the general export of these dozens of bags put on the sidewalk near the house, where they can stand for two days. On the one hand, it is usually packed in bags and inconvenience. On the other hand - piles of garbage near the house, though, and packed - not a pleasant sight.
Steam heating in the pre-war homes. It's such a strange hissing sound, which is then switched on and off. Since Our climate is warmer, there are not used to seal the house, so as soon as the heating is switched off, the degree falls significantly.
Laundry in public washing machines (londromatah). As a rule, londromaty are in the basement of the same building (if lucky), or even a couple of quarters. Carry bag with clothes twice a month in the next quarter - the usual practice. If you are lucky, londromat be in the basement. If much luck - on the floor.
Londromat. Washers and dryers are working on the "quarters" - coins of 25 cents.



Automatic exchanges of notes (left) and machines to purchase packages of clothes and washing powder. Londromat operates autonomously, workers come only in the evening to get out and "withdraw cash".



TOTAL
Everywhere there are pros and cons, the ideal place to live, probably does not exist.
And if it exists, or is likely in the end of the world, or is damn expensive.
To live in a huge anthill, and to pay a high rent, or live in the space and pay a little while away from the interesting things - the choice of each, there is no single recipe.
I believe that patriotism must be justified. Infuriates me a lot in this country, but I see some timid steps in the best way, it pleases, in those moments you feel patriotic. I can not be a patriot and a seasoned web run with the flag from morning till night, all suggesting that my homeland - the best. This categorization is often punishable by fate.
However, after living for a while there, objectively looking at the issue from both sides, I can safely say I am a patriot. Not that there are good or bad, or vice versa. I just formed in our country and in our culture, I do it close, familiar and understandable and I can be proud of, there really is something to be proud. I am constantly confronted with the Russian, who nudyat how things badly in Russia. No, guys, we all terribly far.

Manhattan enmeshed in a network of pipes old steam heating system, running from the middle of the XIX century. In winter, because of the active functioning of the system, in order to prevent accidents, workers "heating" vented excess heat via pipes like these.



Source: gorod.tomsk.ru