Condo/Apartment/Coop in Jersey City vs Brooklyn/Queens

[Joshua Fu]

Hi everyone,

I am an Army veteran, also a first-time buyer moving to NY area in a month. My new job is in lower Manhattan area. 

I will rent an apartment first but I am going to buy one eventually. My considerations are: 

1. Easy to rent out. My stay in NY will be at least 2 years, so I'm not going to rent it out right away. But if I leave, my goal is to have the rental cover everything (mortgage, HOA, tax)

2. Close to subway station/path. This is my priority when choosing a rental apartment if I work in Manhatten, so I guess this type of apartment will be easier to rent out. 

3. My budget is around 300-350K. My credit score is pretty good plus I can use VA loan.

4. I am single, no pets, open to a studio, 1bed/2beds size. 

As a first-time buyer and just transited out from the military to NYC, I really do not know much about the real property market where I'm going to. Based on the factors above, I hope you guys can give me some advice and recommendations! Thank you!