If you’re planning on moving to New York City shortly, you are likely filled with excitement. The pizza, Central Park, art galleries, museums, and the shows on Broadway will send your imagination soaring.
But long before you’ve booked your NYC moving company and start getting excited about everything The Big Apple has to offer, there are many logistics to take into consideration. One of the top questions on your mind is likely, when is the best time to move to NYC?
When determining the very best time to move to NYC, below are just a few factors to think about and plan for. (Once you’ve considered them all, reach out to learn more about our local NYC movers and long-distance moving services — we’re the most trusted name when it comes to moving people to, from, and around the state!)
Weather
What sounds like a better prospect to you: trudging back and forth from the curb to your new apartment carrying boxes amidst drifts of snow, or having a clear pathway as the sun shines above?
Does the idea of soggy cardboard and water-damaged heirlooms bum you out? Would a blue sky day make it seem like you made the right decision to move? All of these questions are important when determining the best time to move to NYC for you.
On the East Coast, winters can be harsh and hurricane season can be a doozy. From the end of September through March (and even into April), weather can be unpredictable, with both rain and snow a possibility on any given day.
Once April showers turn into May flowers, however, the sun is out more and the thermometer heats up, making a spring or summer the best time to move to NYC. Spring or summer is a much safer bet, weather-wise if you can swing it.
This graph gives a quick snapshot of the average monthly temperatures and rainfall levels for NYC, which should help give you a broad idea about what to expect depending on when you move. Use this graph to help determine the best time to move to NYC: 
Apartment Cost and Availability
One caveat to a summer move, however, is the fact that summers tend to correlate with higher rents in the city. New York is already known for its sky-high rents. If you’re looking to save a few dollars the best time of year to move to New York may not be summer. According to Curbed New York:
“Renters would be well-advised to sign a lease in February, the cheapest month to rent in New York. Rental prices begin to increase in early May and reach their apex in the summer months, peaking in July. They begin to decrease again come October, reaching their low in February.”
And then there is the concern about availability. The best time to move to NYC can be heavily dependent on the real estate market. Those who keep up with the real estate market know that it ebbs and flows throughout the year, with more available in some months as opposed to others.
If you’re coming to NY in search of new living arrangements, you might want to look into this a little more closely. In general, apartments tend to open up most often in July (when rental prices are highest, of course!).
If you’re looking for options and have an extra bit of cash, July could be the best time of year to move to New York. According to StreetEasy:
“Rental inventory levels are higher than usual from May through August, and dip through the fall, reaching their lowest levels in December. Renters can expect to see 11 percent more listings in July versus 12 percent fewer in December. This means that in any given year, summer renters have access to nearly 6,000 more units than winter renters…”
RentHop provides some great information on “Relative Seasonal Rent Differences” in NYC, and their data proves that moving in the summer comes at a bit of a cost compared to the off-season:
When trying to find the best time to move to NYC, it’s a gamble between cost and availability. Both are important to consider depending on your personal needs and circumstances.
When is the Best Time To Move to NYC?
February is likely the best time to move to NYC or move in NYC.
- According to Curbed New York: “Renters would be well-advised to sign a lease in February, the cheapest month to rent in New York.”
- New York City apartment rental prices and broker fees are less expensive in the winter.
- It’s best to avoid the holiday rush too, making February ideal for a Big Apple move.
- NYC renters are more motivated to rent in the winter, giving you more bargaining power when signing a lease.
Considering School Enrollment For Your Little Ones
While pricier, a July move might be the best time of year to move to New York, if you have school-aged kids in tow. Why is July the best time to move to NYC if you have children? Well, the timing would give children a month or two to acclimate before the school year begins.
Once you know where you’ll be living, you can look into which school your child or children will be eligible to enroll in. Make sure to call ahead to make sure they have space.
If you are moving mid-school year, you’ll need to make sure the school has room for a transfer student since the term will already be underway. For kids in daycare, many programs fill up fast and even have waitlists for months (or even years!) to come.
Do your research and call several programs in the area to assure there is a place for your child well before the moving trucks have arrived. Finding the proper school and ensuring they have space, is key to finding the best time of year to move to NYC for your family.
Holidays and Tourist Season
Choosing to move around the end of the year is not the best idea. While New York might seem welcoming and most exciting around this time of year, the holidays are not the best time to move to NYC.
This is the time when New York City is lit up and decked for the Christmas holiday with tourists clogging the streets. All of these factors make it a little tougher to get around. Add a large moving truck into the picture and that vision becomes all the more complicated.
If you can, make sure you avoid a move from Thanksgiving until a week or so after New Year’s to avoid this hustle and bustle.
(Of course, if you hire FlatRate’s professional team of local movers, this won’t be an issue. We’ll brave the streets and traffic so you don’t have to! We do our best to ensure your move feels like the best time of year to move to NYC.)
Off-Season Moving
Did you know there is such a thing as “moving season”? The Peak moving season is between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This period is when the weather tends to be the best and most predictable.
However, even though there is a moving season, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best time of year to move to NYC. Instead, consider moving on the off-months. There are many benefits to the off-months that make it the best time of year to move to NYC.
You’ll have more flexibility with your moving dates, thanks to fewer people booking a relocation. Lower competition might also lead to you saving a few dollars in the process, as well.
Ready To Take the Leap? Call FlatRate!
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