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It’s no secret that living in NYC comes with a hefty price tag, and as much as we hate those “I can live in a mansion in Texas for what you pay for a studio in NYC” people, it is true–there are definitely more reasonably priced places to live outside of the city, and this new report proves it.

The Demographia International Housing Affordability report assesses housing affordability in 94 major cities in eight different countries–Australia, Canada, China, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom, and the United States–and in the 2024 edition two New York cities made it to the top ten.

To reach a conclusion, house price data is estimated from sources reporting on housing types representing the majority of existing dwellings in each nation. Each city is ranked based on a price-to-income ratio that divides the median house price by the median household income, referred to as the Median Multiple.

A median multiple of 3.0 and under is considered affordable, a multiple of 3.1 to 4.0 is considered moderately unaffordable, and a multiple of 9.0 and over is considered impossibly unaffordable. Not one of the 94 cities scored a 3.0 or under.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was determined to be the most affordable city to live–just about a 6 hour drive from NYC–with a median multiple of 3.1. This is nearly 75% more affordable than the most unaffordable market in the US: San Jose.

Following closely behind is the New York city of Rochester–with a bit of a shorter drive from NYC clocking in at about 5 hours–with a median multiple of 3.4.

Buffalo, meanwhile, tied for fifth place with three other cities–Edmonton, AB, Detroit, MI, and Oklahoma City, OK–all with a median multiple of 3.6.

Accounting for the rest of the most affordable ten markets is St. Louis, MO-IL at 3.4, Cleveland, OH at 3.5, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN with 3.7, and Louisville, KY-IN with 3.7.

As for where New York City ranked, it came in way, way down at the bottom at 77th.

As for what’s causing the present cost-of-living crisis, the report writes that the primary cause is rapidly escalating housing costs in middle-income households. The report states:

For decades, home prices generally rose at about the same rate as income, and homeownership became more widespread. But affordability is disappearing in high-income nations as housing costs now far outpace income growth. The crisis stems principally from land use policies that artificially restrict housing supply, driving up land prices and making homeownership unattainable for many.

The full report can be found here.

The post These Are The Cheapest Places To Live Near NYC appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

We’re almost too hot to type: New Yorkers are officially dealing with the second heat wave of the summer—and it’s only the beginning of July.

As of now, although temperatures are in the 90s, it actually feels like over 100 degrees outside, so forgive us for sounding sluggish and half-asleep. Walking the streets of New York is equivalent to taking a stroll inside a massive sauna filled with thick air. Not to mention the smell.

When will the heat wave end?

Despite multiple high-intensity storms throughout the past few days, the city will not enjoy any sort of reprieve until, at the very least, tomorrow night, when the heat advisory that was issued today at noon will expire. 

Usually, once it rains, the air actually clears out and breathing once again becomes an achievable goal. However, if the past few days are of any indication, it is so humid outside that only an astoundingly massive rainstorm might achieve the desired results.

When will there be rain?

We might be in luck. According to NBC New York, we’ll likely witness a storm or two throughout the next couple of days and “along with gusty winds, heavy rainfall will be a major concern.”

When is the next heatwave?

Before you start making outdoorsy plans that do not involve a body of water, though, we should mention that the outlet is also reporting that “there is almost no relief from the hot temps and humidity over the next 10 days.” What’s more, a fresh new heat wave is expected to make our lives miserable next week! Summer in New York, ladies and gentlemen!

All in all, the message is that it’s incredibly hot outside and it will stay that way for quite some time so start getting used to being all sweaty and smelly while thanking your lucky stars that one Willis Carrier invented the first modern air-conditioning system back in 1902. 

Just in case you’re in the mood to be adventurous, here are fun ways to stay cool during this heat wave in NYC.

* This article was originally published here

We’re almost too hot to type: New Yorkers are officially dealing with the second heat wave of the summer—and it’s only the beginning of July.

Despite multiple high-intensity storms throughout the past few days, the city will not enjoy any sort of reprieve until, at the very least, tomorrow night, when the heat advisory that was issued today at noon will expire. 

As of now, although temperatures are in the 90s, it actually feels like over 100 degrees outside, so forgive us for sounding sluggish and half-asleep. Walking the streets of New York is equivalent to taking a stroll inside a massive sauna filled with thick air. Not to mention the smell.

Usually, once it rains, the air actually clears out and breathing once again becomes an achievable goal. However, if the past few days are of any indication, it is so humid outside that only an astoundingly massive rain storm might achieve the desired results.

We might be in luck. According to NBC New York, we’ll likely witness a storm or two throughout the next couple of days and “along with gusty winds, heavy rainfall will be a major concern.” 

Before you start making outdoorsy plans that do not involve a body of water, though, we should mention that the outlet is also reporting that “there is almost no relief from the hot temps and humidity over the next 10 days.” What’s more, a fresh new heat wave is expected to make our lives miserable next week! Summer in New York, ladies and gentlemen!

All in all, the message is that it’s incredibly hot outside and it will stay that way for quite some time so start getting used to being all sweaty and smelly while thanking your lucky stars that one Willis Carrier invented the first modern air-conditioning system back in 1902. 

Just in case you’re in the mood to be adventurous, here are fun ways to stay cool during this heat wave in NYC.

* This article was originally published here

Meteorologists weren’t kidding when they told us to expect one of the hottest summers of our lifetime–we’re just 18 days past the summer solstice yet we’re already in the second scorching heat wave of the season.

The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory in effect from noon today, Monday, July 8th, through 8 pm EST tomorrow, Tuesday, July 9th, with peak heat index values up to 101.

According to NBC, temperatures are on track to stay in the 90s all week, though CBS states it’ll actually feel up to 104ºF. NBC had previously stated how 2024 currently ranks as the third warmest year-to-date.

To put this week’s heat into perspective, average highs for this time of year in the city typically fall around 84º. 

And, in addition to the heat and humidity, there’s also the chance for some thunderstorms come Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. These storms could be accompanied by gusty winds and heavy rainfall.

Unfortunately, NBC writes that there’s practically zero relief from these scorching temperatures and humidity over the next 10 days, and there’s already another heat wave on the horizon for next week. To combat this, here’s how NYC is preparing for a summer of suffocating heat.

If you’re looking for ways to stay cool through the rest of the month we suggest heading to one of NYC’s cooling centers, beaches, or public pools.

Plus don’t forget that it’s totally legal to jump into NYC’s fountains when it’s hot out!

The post The Summer’s Second Scorching Heat Wave Brings 104º Feel Temps To NYC This Week appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

Covid success story, Kora, is finally debuting a 2,100 square-foot storefront on Greenpoint Avenue in Sunnyside, Queens hopefully by fall/winter 2024.

Kora first rose to popularity in 2020 when co-owner, Kimberly Camara, lost her job at esteemed Union Square Hospitality Group due to COVID-19 shutdowns. She decided to embark on her own venture and open an online bakery out of her apartment—this story sound familiar?

One year after opening, Camara had a waitlist of 10,000 as her Filipino and Queens-inspired doughnut fillings and flavors blew up on the internet! Camara and her co-founder, Kevin Borja, were eventually forced to move to different commercial kitchens in order to fulfill some of the demand.

“We felt like these last few years, we weren’t able to give the full experience to our customers and allow the accessibility that we had always hoped for. We always dreamed of having people just being able to come in without having to preorder and just be able to purchase whatever they want,” says Camara, reports Eater.

Now, the duo will be able to provide that full experience to their customers with the permanent new space at 45-12 Greenpoint Avenue. And though their doughnuts are the most sought-after product, the storefront will also expand to serving croissants, danishes, cakes, and breads, in addition to having a beverage program of tea and coffee.

“We are incredibly excited to bring KORA to the Sunnyside neighborhood. Our new storefront will allow us to better serve our loyal customers and create a space of commune for the tight knit community in the area. We can’t wait to welcome everyone into our space,” shared the Kora team.

They currently have a kickstarter to help reach their $125,000 goal. You can find it here.

The post Covid Success Story, Kora Bakery, Is Opening Its First Storefront In NYC appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

Things are getting groovy down in Bushwick as Xanadu Roller Arts, a psychedelic roller rink and nightclub, has officially opened its doors to New Yorkers!

The 16,000-square-foot space touched down in Bushwick on Friday, June 28, bringing with it a one-of-a-kind experience–they refer to themselves as an “intergalactic cruise ship” on their Instagram. It only makes sense considering Varun Kataria, the founder of Bushwick’s over-the-top Turk’s Inn and Sultan Room, is also the one behind this new venue.

And not only is Xanadu Roller Arts NYC’s only year-round indoor roller rink, it’s also a full entertainment hub that doubles as a 1,000-capacity nightclub and music venue.

Kataria stated:

While roller rinks and concert venues are not uncommon individually, Xanadu provides a seamless integration of these experiences, with an unwavering dedication to artistic expression, and meticulous attention to detail in our programming, quality, and human-centric design. We blend these elements into an experience that is both singular and transcendent.

And the venue’s interior certainly is transcendent. Vibrant walls, colorful neon lights, and out-of-this-world (literally) carpets make guests feel like they’ve been transported to a different dimension.

The venue’s top-of-the-line roller rink is certainly the heart of the space, welcoming skaters of all ages during the day before switching over to 21+ by night (except on Sundays, which will also be all ages).

Though the space’s music venue, which features a massive stage for musicians and performers with world-class sound and lighting systems, is just as impressive.

The other side of the venue houses a bar and restaurant serving creative food overseen by Turk’s Inn chef Josh White. The menu is anything but pretentious, featuring all the bites people associate with roller rinks. Think: dishes like a hot dog topped with a pierogi, popcorn dusted with garam masala, and tuna tartare Frito pies, according to Eater.

To drink, skaters can expect both non-alcoholic options, such as fresh-pressed juices like celery, along with cocktails developed by Turk’s Inn beverage director, Keri Smith, including an Old Fashioned that tastes like caramel popcorn and Skaterade, a fun take on Gatorade made with blue spirulina and aloe.

And, according to their Instagram, their bar is more than just a bar–it’s a “portal to another dimension.”

Their website states:

Our intention is to give you days filled with flow and nights that change your life. We believe that humans were made to dance, play and love. This is a place to experience art and enjoy existing in our bodies. We invite you to find flow and feel more alive than ever before.

A space for hardcore skaters and novices alike, Xanadu Roller Arts ensures an immersive experience for all visitors. You can learn more and view their full calendar of events on their website.

262 Starr Street, Bushwick

The post An Intergalactic Roller Rink Nightclub Hybrid Has Opened In Bushwick appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here