Why I moved from Oklahoma to NYC: I was ready for a big career move
- Zoey left a $1,060 two bedroom for a one bedroom in Inwood where she pays $3,425 a month
"Apartment hunting in NYC was much more intense than Oklahoma. Apartments would get rented before I got off the subway to see them," Zoey said.
While working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oklahoma, Zoey landed a position at a university in New York City. After a whirlwind, two-day apartment hunt, she found a great building in Inwood. Now she just has to get over a bit of culture shock. Here’s her story as told to Kelly Kreth.
I was born and raised in Los Angeles. Most recently I was living in Norman, Oklahoma—the south Oklahoma City metro area.
My apartment was a 900-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bath in a building that had parking and a pool. It was located near the University of Oklahoma where I worked and I paid $1,060 per month, which covered water and trash services.
I liked how close my apartment was to my work and having a super who lived on-site. One downside: The roads near me would close 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 up the highway, so you can easily get into the city. The people are friendly; you can strike up conversations at the checkout line in the grocery store.
I loved going to the Norman Art Walk once a month and would grab a beer downtown at the Standard or BIG Brewing. I didn’t really order in food—I cooked often. There were a couple of grocery stores in the area (Crest, Homeland, Walmart) that were within driving distance.
I was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oklahoma and I got to do fascinating research with people in meteorology, political science, and communication fields.
I would drive to work just down the highway. I was lucky to live only five minutes away, but most things in Norman were only 10- to 15-minute drives.
My life centered around work, so most of my social outings were with coworkers. Norman has a mix of college students and long-term residents, so there’s plenty of people to interact with.
Why she decided to move
This March, I was excited for a change and 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, weaving through the city with my books and coffee in-hand.
I started to look for a place at the end of May for a mid-July move-in. I picked Inwood because of its proximity to the university and because the neighborhood was in my price range.
What the hunt was like
Because I was moving cross-country and I had never lived out East before, I didn’t know where to start. I hired an agent, Marianne Camille Spraggins at Keller Williams NYC, who was a recommendation from a Keller Williams agent my family knows back in California.
I spoke with Marianne on the phone before we started the search in person and told I wanted something around $3,000 a month (which is tough to find in Manhattan) near a subway line to my work. I wanted a one bedroom since I sometimes work from home, and for the building to have a laundry room.
I must’ve seen about 10-15 apartments in the two days I spent in New York to look for places. It was a whirlwind trip, but it was really important to me that I didn’t have to pick a place sight-unseen.
Apartment hunting in NYC was much more intense than Oklahoma. Apartments would get rented out before I got off the subway to see them, and decisions had to be made fast. It was stressful looking for a place.
To apply, I needed to submit more documents than I expected. When I rented in the past, I never needed a letter from a prior landlord.
How she likes about her new place
But in the end, it worked out and I finally found the one! I have a 585-square-foot, one bedroom, one bath for $3,425 a month. I’m in a new building with a gym, elevators, and roof deck. I’m near multiple subway lines and bus routes and I have an in-unit washer/dryer, which I really appreciate since I know that’s not common for rentals.
I love my building because it is convenient for commuting and is a good home base for me as I figure out my new life out here in NYC.
I’m enjoying living near Inwood’s restaurants, nightlife and parks. I like going to Buuni coffee shop and the farmer’s market on Saturdays. I pick up groceries and sometimes order in. I do feel spoiled by the number of dining options.
I sold my car because it doesn’t make sense to maintain it here. I take the subway to Midtown a couple times a week for a 35- to 40-minute commute. Some days on the subway are less crowded than others!
Adjusting to life in NYC
Friends and family are much more excited to visit me in NYC than in Oklahoma and I’m excited to share my new space with them in the coming months.
I’ve made a couple friends from work and have a few friends from back home that have also moved out here. I’m trying to make friends and meet new people; it just takes time. I’m still adjusting to the culture shock. I traded tornado sirens for ambulances and car horns, so I am getting used to new noises, lights, and seeing people everywhere.
I’ve lived all over the United States, and there’s something to learn and appreciate everywhere. I’ve been in large cities and small towns, near casinos and mountains as well as cows and farmland. It’s the people you surround yourself with that make the community.
I love my job and I’ll be staying in NYC. I don’t know what my forever neighborhood will be, but this is a good start.
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