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Check Your Personality Type and Find a Neighborhood to Match

We know that looking for a new apartment is about more than amenities and square footage. You have to figure out exactly where you want to live, and in a city as colossal as New York, the process of choosing a neighborhood can be even more stressful than the apartment choice. Do you want somewhere with lots of green space? Close to shopping? Walking distance from your workplace? In the heart of New York City nightlife? We can look to personality type to help make your decision.

If the whole concept of neighborhood choice sends you into a fit of Netflix bingeing and apoplexy, take a tip from human resources. HR professionals use the five main personality traits to help them figure out what job you’re suited for, so why shouldn’t you use them to help you decide what neighborhood you should live in?

The Big Five personality traits are openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, and while everyone for sure has a little bit of each, if you can narrow down which one you are closest to, it can help you sort neighborhoods to match.

If you’re the kind of person that jumps into new experiences feet first, and always wants to try new things, you may have a hefty dose of openness in your personality. Neighborhoods that are vibrant and busy, with pop up shops and new restaurants, could be the ideal stomping ground for a person with a large degree of openness.

The conscientious urbanite, reliable, on time, organized, and thorough, will be able to navigate the City’s extensive public transit system, finding the best paths between where they are and where they want to be. If you want to really spread out, like the green space and larger homes available in the outer boroughs, and don’t have any issue sorting out express trains, a conscientious personal trait could indicate that this lifestyle could be for you.

Those who thrive on an active social life have the personality trait of extraversion, and want to live in a place where people come to socialize. If you love meeting up with old friends while making new ones, there’s nothing like living in the hub of the City’s nightlife. If you live in the place where all your friends like to go out, you’ll never have any trouble being at the center of the social scene.

Maybe you’re more of a homebody, not a fan of big crowds, and tend to hang back in social situations. If so, you may rank high on the neuroticism scale. The biggest City in the country still has plenty to offer. Neighborhoods that are quiet, with small coffee shops, boutique restaurants, a local bookshop, and streets devoid of big crowds can be found in all five of the boroughs, and will be a welcome respite from the hullabaloo of the City’s loudest and most populous neighborhoods.

No matter what your personality, the best thing to do when choosing a neighborhood is to put together a checklist of the things you really need to have close to home, the things you really want, and the things you absolutely want to avoid.

How close do you need to be to your workplace to get there on time or minimize the effect of long work hours? Do you need a 24 hour grocery store? 2 am hot pot delivery? An all night wash n’ fold? How early in the morning do you need the perfect double-shot latte? How big an organics section do you want at your corner bodega?

Once you have your checklist in hand, do your research. Take some time and explore the neighborhood you’re considering, and at all times of day, too. If you keep late hours, and often find yourself walking home alone in the wee hours, take a trip to the neighborhood you’re considering at that time of night and see how it feels. If it gives you the creeps, that’s not the right locale for you.

Light sleeper? Beware of bars and restaurants where the crowd pours out into the street. And Make sure you’re not on the same block as a fire station, as those sirens can go off any time of day or night. Fear of fire? Then next to the firehouse could be just the antidote you need. Finding the perfect apartment in a neighborhood you can’t tolerate means it’s not the perfect apartment. Be organized and methodical in your search, and when you find the perfect neighborhood, that’s where you’ll find the perfect home.

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