Rating: 
Summary: Moving to NYC for dummies
Review: That should be the title of this book. Although it claims to have everything you should know when relocating to NYC it focus more on advice on moving that are common sense (most part). It may be helpful for first time movers. Neverthless, It doesn't give much information to help you choose the neighborhood. If that's what you're looking for, buy Zany's New York City Apartment Sales and Rental Guide instead.
Rating: 
Summary: Moving to NYC for dummies
Review: That should be the title of this book. Although it claims to have everything you should know when relocating to NYC it focus more on advice on moving that common sense (most part). It doesn't give much information to help you choose the neighborhood. If that's what you're looking for, buy Zany's New York City Apartment Sales and Rental Guide instead.
Rating: 
Summary: Extremely Detailed and Informative
Review: The amount of information, hard data, clear advice, and insider knowledge packed into this volume is truly amazing. There seem to be a couple of reviews here claiming there is not enough detail in the book. I can only guess these people either didn't bother to read it [...] or are shilling for the competition [....] I can assure, you having read this book from cover to cover and having used it to guide myself in a start to finish highly successful relocation, nothing could be farther from the truth. In addition to providing me with fact, facts, facts, I found that the book spoke to me personally. Moving to New York was a scary process -- a huge plunge for this "small town boy." Armed with this book I felt I had a seasoned New Yorker in my corner. Indeed I did. I even e-mailed the author ellen@relocatingny.com for some very specific advice about a personal matter and much to my surprise she answered promptly and in great detail. Also with compassion and understanding. Thanks, Ms. Shapiro, for this one of a kind book.
Rating:
Summary: Too shallow - not enough details
Review: There is a difference between giving advise and listing considerations. I was looking for specific advise; all I got was a bunch of considerations I need to take into account. I am in the process of buying apartment in Manhattan; how do I find a dependable lawyer? Which regions of Manhattan have good schools assigned to them (specific streets/avenues, please)? Which public schools are good? How much time should I reserve for finding the apartment and closing the deal? "Ask your real estate agent" - that's the best answer the author gives. After explaining you normally don't use an agent. And so forth. And in places where people are REALLY better off referred to other sources (e.g. restaurant review), instead of suggesting Zagat's, author provides a her review of restaurants - hardly justifiable since in her 2 page review of Upper East Side she forgets to mention how limited subway system there is. The latter would perhaps be of more consequence to the readers than her suggestions on where to find best hot dogs. So in short, I put this books on the shelf and keep looking for something more informative. But whatever your questions are, I believe 5 minute conversation with a New Yorker would give you tons of real advise you wouldn't find in the book. It's a disappointment.
Rating:
Summary: Dismissal of non-WASP neighborhoods like Harlem limits value
Review: This book has the potential to be a very useful guide to NYC. However, the book's value to non-white, non-elite readers is questionable due to the almost complete lack of information about Harlem, one the NYC's largest and most historically significant neighborhoods. In two sentences, Shapiro totally dismisses it, stating that once you get north of Harlem, "you come back to relative safety and tranquillity." There is no excuse for this blatant bias. Harlem has a fascinating history and is a very livable neighborhood, even for single white professional women. It is also home to important historical landmarks such as the Apollo Theatre and the Schomberg Center for Research. However, the only Harlem "landmark" that Shapiro mentions is Patsy's pizza, but not without the warning, "It's a touch-and-go neighborhood, so plan your travel during daytime or with a group." This makes it sound as if visiting Harlem is akin to going on a jungle safari. The latest "Harlem Renaissance" has been going on since the mid 90s, and gentrification is now in full swing. In terms of quality of life, Harlem offers everything: affordable housing, proximity to several parks, Museum Mile, and midtown offices, as well as an array of restaurants, diners, churches, supermarkets, dry cleaners, jazz clubs and more. In terms of safety, I have never once felt threatened here and have been welcomed into this tight-knit community with true friendliness since the day I arrived. There are other minor problems with this book, but it is this dismissal of Harlem which is the most major oversight. For this reason, I would not recommend this book as it is. For future editions, I strongly recommend that Shapiro explore Harlem-alone-and see what's she's been missing.
Rating:
Summary: I don't know what the other reviewers are thinking . . .
Review: This book isn't that helpful, at least for someone who wants basic advice about New York neighborhoods, ways to find an apartment, etc. My spouse and I have visited New York several times, and have a good idea of what neighborhoods we want to live in. We found the neighborhood descriptions and basic advice in Candace Walsh's Moving to New York to be far more helpful, though a bit dated.
Rating: 
Summary: Need more details about the MOVE
Review: This book might be pretty useful if you don't know anyone in NYC. But it bugs me that the chapters on the actual move process are labeled "By MonsterMoving.com", NOT by the author, and need more tailoring to be NYC-appropriate. Sentences like "If your new state collects income tax, you'll want to figure that into your salary calculations" are not very helpful. What I *wanted* was recommendations about whether I should start out in a furnished sublet and take time to really look for a good apartment. I WANT concrete tips like "It can be cheaper to have your moving company store stuff in your origin location than to store it in New York", "A 1.5 cubic foot box of items usually weighs 10.5 pounds but the same box full of books can weigh 50 pounds." I NEED to know, What are the pros and cons of making an advance apartment-hunting trip? How many weeks should I spend looking? What are the best times of year or weeks of the month to get apartments, sublets, etc.? How do I fill out a change of address form if I haven't found an apartment yet? How do I get estimates from my moving company if I don't know where I'm moving to yet? Will they hit me with extra prices if it turns out I rent a 5th floor walkup instead of a 1st floor apartment and, if so, what kind of price markup can I expect? The book answers none of my questions. Note that the only move-specific site mentioned in the book (and it is mentioned repeatedly) was MonsterMoving.com. I could've used pointers to other handy sites like www.movingscam.com. On the bright side, the neighborhood guide is well-organized and there is a list of local telephone numbers (more than 3 years out of date though). But I can't shake the feeling that I could have gotten a lot of this information online.
Rating:
Summary: Key to the City
Review: This guide was written by the friend you wish you had who moved to New York and never stopped exploring it (and so she knows more about it than most people who were born there). It makes sense of the school system and the housing craziness. It helps (really) in finding a job and a good margarita and free things to do and a helicopter. Reading this book is like getting a note from your dentist saying she had it all wrong about the root canal: everything's fine, and now you can go to the party.
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