What kinds of rooms for rent does Williamsburg have, from old tenements to waterfront towers?
Williamsburg is three rental markets under one name. On the North Side and around Bedford Avenue, rooms are bedrooms in three- and four-story tenements and small brick buildings, many with six apartments. Along Kent Avenue, the towers that followed the 2005 waterfront rezoning offer shares with doormen, gyms and river views. East of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, in East Williamsburg, rooms are often in converted factory lofts with high ceilings and thin partitions. South of Broadway lies the Hasidic part of South Williamsburg, where homes mostly change hands within the community and few rooms reach open listings. Roomster shows 49 rooms for rent in and around Williamsburg today, so check the cross streets to see which of these you are looking at.
How much is a room for rent in Williamsburg, and where are rooms under $1,500?
Most rooms ask between about $1,400 and $2,900 a month, and Roomster listings around the neighborhood average near $1,775. The 11249 zip code, which covers the waterfront and the blocks around Bedford Avenue, is the expensive end, with rooms on Berry Street and North 7th at $2,000 to $2,250 and tower shares above that. Rooms off Graham Avenue run closer to $1,600. You can find rooms under $1,500 a month around the Broadway Triangle near Flushing Avenue, east of Bushwick Avenue by the Grand Street and Montrose Avenue L stops, and one neighborhood farther out in Bushwick. Furnished rooms from co-living operators cost more and usually include utilities and Wi-Fi, so compare totals and not headline prices.
Is a room for rent near the Bedford Avenue L worth more than one near Marcy Avenue or the G?
For most commuters it is, and the price reflects that. From Bedford Avenue the L runs under the East River to First Avenue in one stop and reaches Union Square in three, which is why rooms within a few blocks of the station cost the most. The L continues east through Lorimer Street, Graham Avenue, Grand Street and Montrose Avenue, each a little cheaper than the last. On the South Side, the J, M and Z at Marcy Avenue cross the Williamsburg Bridge to Delancey Street in one stop and are less crowded. The G at Metropolitan Avenue and Broadway never enters Manhattan but is useful for Long Island City and Downtown Brooklyn. NYC Ferry also stops at North Williamsburg and South Williamsburg.
Are furnished co-living rooms for rent in Williamsburg worth the higher price?
They suit a short or uncertain stay better than a long one. Williamsburg has more co-living than almost any other Brooklyn neighborhood: operators lease whole apartments or buildings and rent the bedrooms one at a time, furnished, with utilities, Wi-Fi and cleaning included. Those rooms tend to list between $2,200 and $2,950, against roughly $1,600 for an unfurnished room in an ordinary share. You pay for convenience and flexibility, and you seldom get to choose who lives with you. Before signing, ask whether the agreement is a lease or a membership, what notice you owe, how housemates are picked, and whether the stated price is the total. Stays shorter than 30 days are restricted by city law.
Can I rent a room in Williamsburg near the Brooklyn Navy Yard or Woodhull Hospital?
Yes, and both are on the less expensive side of the neighborhood. The Brooklyn Navy Yard, just south of Williamsburg along Flushing Avenue, houses hundreds of manufacturing, design and technology businesses, and rooms in South Williamsburg and around the Broadway Triangle are a short bike ride or bus trip from its gates. Woodhull Hospital, the public hospital at Broadway and Flushing Avenue, sits where Williamsburg meets Bedford-Stuyvesant and Bushwick, next to the Flushing Avenue J and M station. Rooms near either cost noticeably less than those by Bedford Avenue. If you work early or overnight shifts, ask about the walk from the train after dark and whether the bedroom faces the elevated tracks on Broadway.
Is it better to rent a room in Williamsburg or one stop farther out in Greenpoint or Bushwick?
It comes down to which train you need and how much the name matters to you. Greenpoint, to the north, has rooms from about $1,200 to $2,400 with a typical walk-up share near $1,500, but its only subway is the G. Bushwick, farther east on the L, runs about $1,100 to $1,700 a room and adds ten to fifteen minutes to the ride. Williamsburg costs more than either because the L and the J, M and Z both reach Manhattan in one stop. If you go into an office every day, a cheaper Williamsburg room near Grand Street or Montrose Avenue often beats a nicer one in Greenpoint. If you work from home, the other two give you more space for the money.
