I was born and raised in Los Angeles. Most recently I lived in Norman, Oklahoma, the southern Oklahoma City metro area.
My apartment was 900 square feet, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, in a building with parking and a pool. It was located near the University of Oklahoma where I worked and I paid $1,060 a month, including water and waste services.
I liked how close my apartment was to work and that I had a superman living on site. One downside: the roads in my area were closed during home football games, so navigating on game days was a bit difficult.
[Editor’s note: Brick Underground’s series The Newcomers features first-person accounts about why a renter or buyer decided to take a chance on NYC.]
Norman is a typical small college town. Oklahoma City is only about 45 minutes north of the highway, making it easy to get to the city. The people are friendly; you can start a conversation at the supermarket checkout.
I liked going to the Normandy art walk once a month and grabbed a beer downtown Standard or BIG brewing. I didn’t really order food, I often cooked. There were a few grocery stores in the area (Crest, Homeland, Walmart) that were within driving distance.
I was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oklahoma and got to do fascinating research with people from meteorology, political science, and communications.
I would drive to work along the highway. I was lucky enough to live only five minutes away, but most things in Norman were only a 10 to 15 minute drive away.
My life revolved around work, so most of my social outings were with colleagues. Norman has a mix of students and long-term residents, so there are plenty of people to interact with.
Why she decided to move
In March I was excited about a change and a big career move. I got a job as an assistant professor in NYC. It still feels like I’m in a movie when I commute to work, meandering through the city with my books and coffee in hand.
At the end of May I started looking for a place to move in mid-July. I chose Inwood because of its proximity to the university and because the area was in my price range.
What the hunt was like
Moving across the country and having never lived in the East before, I didn’t know where to start. I hired an agent, Marianne Camille Spraggins Keller Williams NYC, which was a recommendation from a Keller Williams agent my family knows in California.
I spoke with Marianne on the phone before we started the search in person and mentioned that I wanted something around $3,000 a month (which is hard to find in Manhattan) near a subway line to work. I wanted one bedroom because I sometimes work from home, and for the building to have a laundry room.
I saw at least ten to fifteen apartments in the two days I spent in New York looking for places. It was a whirlwind trip, but it was very important to me that I didn’t have to choose an unseen place.
The apartment hunt in New York was much more intense than in Oklahoma. Apartments were rented before I got off the subway to view them, and decisions had to be made quickly. It was stressful looking for a place.
To apply, I had to submit more documents than I expected. When I rented in the past, I never needed a letter from a previous landlord.
What she likes about her new place
But in the end I did it and I finally found the one! I have a 585 square foot, one bedroom, one bathroom for $3,425 a month. I’m in a new building with a gym, elevators and a roof terrace. I am near multiple subway lines and bus routes and I have a washer/dryer in the unit, which I really appreciate because I know this is not common in rentals.
I like my building because it’s convenient for commuting and is a good home base for me while I figure out my new life here in New York.
I enjoy living close to Inwood’s restaurants, nightlife and parks. I like going there Trumpet coffee house and the farmers market on Saturday. I pick up groceries and sometimes order. I feel spoiled by the number of dining options.
I sold my car because there is no point in maintaining it here. I take the subway into Midtown a few times a week for a 35 to 40 minute ride. Some days on the metro are less busy than others!
Adjusting to life in NYC
Friends and family are much more excited to visit me in New York than in Oklahoma and I am excited to share my new space with them in the coming months.
I made some friends from work and some friends from home who also moved here. I try to make friends and meet new people; it just takes time. I’m still getting used to the culture shock. I’ve traded tornado sirens for ambulances and horns, so I’m getting used to new sounds, lights, and seeing people everywhere.
I’ve lived all over the United States and there is something to learn and appreciate everywhere. I’ve been to cities big and small, near casinos and mountains, but also near cows and farmland. It’s the people you surround yourself with that make up the community.
I love my job and I’m staying in NYC. I don’t know what my forever neighborhood will be, but this is a good start.
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