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Listen, it’s not like getting an apartment in New York has ever been easy. But you could probably argue that it’s never been harder than it is now. The most awful studios regularly rent for thousands upon thousands of dollars, and there are lines of prospective buyers out the door. Here we find the apartments that are actually worth it, the ones that are truly worth the price, and the ones that are surprisingly affordable for their hardwood floors from all over the internet.

I hadn’t treated myself to the absolute pleasure of apartment hunting in Manhattan in a long time! But since I seem to be losing all my friends to the Upper West Side, I decided to start there. I found some pretty spectacular and unique deals! I then moved around the city, stopping in Nomad, Soho, (THE) West Village, and Two Bridges.

$4,500, 1 bedroom: I get it! It’s nice. It’s completely unassuming. Beautiful building, good condition, herringbone oak floors. However, it’s one of the worst stagings I’ve ever seen – that bottle of unopened red wine just doesn’t appeal to me.

$3,999, 1 bedroom: It’s depressing that this is contextually “affordable” – but unfortunately we all live in that context. It’s a bit gloomy, this one! But the parquet floors, decorative fireplace and original windows have charm.

$2,975, 1 bedroom: There’s really not much going on here other than the price, the decorative mantel and the fact that it’s practically IN the river. I wonder where that ladder leads…

$5,100, 1 bedroom: Tiny little cute brownstone a block from the park. I almost didn’t list it because it seems overpriced to me, but the windows are nice and it gets a lot of light.

$8,495, 3 bedrooms: This home exudes a 1950s Los Angeles/Tudor style atmosphere with its stately fireplace, nicely appointed kitchen, marble tile in the lobby and large windows.

$9,995, 1 bedroom: Scary and Sims-ian AI-generated images, but also beautiful. I mean, if the real apartment looks anything like the rendering, take me straight to Nancy Meyer’s outdoor dining situation!

$12,000, 3 bedrooms: High up in the sky, with 157 square meters of space, river and treetop views, plenty of storage space and an in-building gym.

$3,300, Studio: This pre-war period Good Good. Sunken alcove style living room with rounded curves, two blocks from the park.

$8,500, 3 bedrooms: A blindingly white renovation – which I can deal with. Nice windows – one high up, nice moldings, totally sterile kitchen. A good place to commit a crime!

$4,000, 1 bedroom: I don’t know, guys, it’s okay! Pre-war house with big squat windows, a totally disappointing kitchen and bathroom, a charming semi-private garden out back. Fun fact: It’s on Edgar Allan Poe Street – named after the author because he lived on the block and wrote “The Raven” there.

$5,200, 2 bedrooms: I’m not quite sure what to call it, but my God, it’s impressive! The big fireplace, the coffered ceilings, the parquet floors; it feels very Gilded Age.

$12,000, 2 bedrooms: Stately! Pretty! Semi-detached. Lots of dark wood – my favourite room is the library with the built-in shelves. But other highlights include the crazy en-suite bathroom, the private garden and of course the bar room/anteroom.

$5800, 3 bedrooms: This three-bedroom apartment might be my favorite find of the week. It has tons of natural light, is very solidly built, and has great beams and a cute little galley kitchen.

$6,500, 1 bedroom: Very, very unusual brownstone apartment with terracotta floors, double height ceilings, and a fog glass screen I’ve never seen before. Still, it would be a lie to call this a “garden level.” It appears to be underground.

$9,950, 1 bedroom: Kind of hideous, kind of funny. The Steven Gambrel-designed apartment exudes early 2000s machismo. The black lacquered wood floors, the “antique” bronze details, the gray accent walls, everything.

$6,995, 1 bedroom: Another staircase leading to God knows where. The bedroom here is large, there’s a private roof terrace and the location is great. I would need to cover the exposed brick and update the kitchen.

$3,200, Studio: Once again, contextually affordable. It’s incredibly small – squeezing through the entryway doesn’t seem like the easiest task, but once you do, the living room is amazing! Just look at those hardwood floors.

$12,000, attic: Couldn’t resist, hehehe. This loft is particularly dramatic, with FIVE floor-to-ceiling windows. The bathrooms and kitchens are more than acceptably updated, a sad rarity. The building, a six-story cast-iron structure with no elevator, was built in the early 1800s and eventually developed as a shared apartment for artists by pop icon Peter Gee in 1977. Now it’s going for $12,000 a month!

$9,500, 1 bedroom: This one is special. I love the private patio. The layout is unique and cozy, with a wood-burning fireplace, bamboo floors, and a large walk-in closet.

$3,795, 2 bedrooms: It seems a bit of an exaggeration to call this a two-bedroom apartment. If you squint, you can see the kitchen and bathroom (which are kind of cute despite their micro feel). And… yeah! That’s all there is to say about this one.

$3,800, Studio: Kind of cute, kind of pathetic (for the price). But the high ceilings are nice and loft-like and the hardwood floors are in good shape. The kitchen is ridiculously small.

$6,000, 2 bedrooms: The kitchen is huge and pretty much the main event here. The track lighting is bad! But the bedrooms are a nice size.

$12,000, 2 bedrooms: In my dreams! But what’s not to like? We have oversized windows, Corinthian columns and ten-foot-high tin ceilings.

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