Let’s start with the obvious: the days of COVID discounts for NYC apartments are long gone. During that time, the loud few — most of whom did not live in Manhattan or the other boroughs — claimed that the city was doomed and would never recover from the mass exodus of those who sought open air and more space.
But New York City came around, just as it has time and time again for centuries. Its latest reopening success story “officially” happened some time last year; the exact moment of that “official” comeback certainly depends on who you ask. But indoor dining returned, outdoor events were held en masse, city workers returned to the office, and eventually Broadway, movie theaters, and other indoor spaces reopened to welcome guests inside again.
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That’s the end of the good news for those who want to remain or become a renter on either side of Central Park. As Italian poet Dante Alighieri once wrote, “abandon hope all ye who read on about the rising prices of Manhattan apartment rentals.” Not quite, but you get the drift.
As the city began to rebound last summer(ish), new and former residents began to creep back in. Rental availability became limited and prices increased. That trend has continued since.
The median asking price on both the UWS and UES is up exactly 41.7% from this time last year, according to a recent StreetEasy report. The Upper West Side May median was $4,250 and the Upper East Side was $3,500. The citywide median was $3,349, a record high — and a 34% increase from last year’s near record low.
The one bright spot is that for the first time in 18 months, available inventory has increased. However, the supply “has not increased fast enough to meet demand, and prices have continued to rise,” the report states.
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For all the doom and gloom that is the above, there may be brighter days ahead. Or at least some numbers that could indicate that whoever is pushing the pedal to increase already skyrocketing prices may soon need to pump the brakes.
“Manhattan rental inventory bottomed out in December 2021 when only 10,433 rental units were available in the borough. In May of this year, there were 13,933 units available — a 33.5% increase since the low. For context, in May 2019 (a year before the pandemic), Manhattan had 21,881 rental units available, so inventory is still significantly lower than what would be considered a normal spring season,” the report states.
A sign of hope. Just like Dante said.
I love the tone of this article! Doom cloaked in dry humor. The Dante jokes were actually really funny. Well done I Love the Upper West Side
Not by a longshot was it just Covid that caused so many to flee NYC. It was and still is the soaring out of control crime resulting from disastrous Liberal-Democrat “leadership”.
Prepare to be assaulted by people who can’t look at data and change their mind.
Hard to believe that there are people so dangerously stupid and/or out of their minds to continue voting Democrat given their horrendous track record. We need now more than ever before a cure for stupidity! This way we’ll never again have to suffer through another Biden-Harris, Bill De Blasio, Hillary Clinton, Barack Hussein Obama, etc, etc.
Tom C: Got to love those NY Post readers. Big mouth low IQ.
Hard to claim there is good leadership on either side of the political aisle now-a-days. One side insists on addressing even the most frivolous needs of anyone with a grievance while the other side values tribal allegiance over democracy and the rule of law. It seems the rare politician who can govern from the center.
You wrote: “One side insists on addressing even the most frivolous needs of anyone with a grievance while the other side values tribal allegiance over democracy and the rule of law.”
Sounds like, in both instances, you are describing the Left.