Renting in Upper West Side

What it's like

The Upper West Side has the best residential building stock in Manhattan for the money: wide pre-war lines with actual entry halls, separate dining rooms, and rooms that were designed rather than partitioned. Columbus and Amsterdam carry the shops and the noise, and the side streets between them go quiet immediately.

It is a family neighborhood and it behaves like one. That means good grocery stores, early nights, and a rental market that turns over less than downtown, so good listings go faster than the prices suggest.

Who it suits

Anyone who wants square footage, anyone with a dog, and anyone whose commute runs down the west side.

The catch

A lot of the large apartments are subdivided shares, and a four-bedroom on the listing is often a two-bedroom with pressurized walls. Ask when the walls went up and whether they are legal.

Getting around

The 1, 2, 3 on Broadway and the B and C on Central Park West. The express stops at 72nd and 96th are the difference between a fifteen minute ride to Midtown and a thirty minute one, and they are priced accordingly.

What to check at the viewing

• Ask whether any interior wall is temporary and who is responsible for removing it at move-out.
• In buildings on Broadway, stand at the window during a train. The 1 runs shallow and you can feel it in some lines.
• Check the radiator count against the room count in pre-war units. Converted rooms often have none.