Apartment hunting in New York is stressful. You have to act fast, keep your eyes open and try not to get ripped off. You have to balance insane rents with unsafe neighborhoods. This is compounded by the fact that the only real way we could afford to live someplace where we wouldn't be killed was to take on 5 roommates and find a 4 bedroom. Actually, that was my wife's idea. So try finding an affordable 4 bd in a reasonable neighborhood. Tack on slimy brokers, weirdo landlords and you've got a recipe for MENTAL BREAKDOWN.