Why I moved to NYC from Michigan: To start fresh after a breakup and grow my new business
- He opted to rent after realizing the price of a studio equaled his $600,000 house in Michigan
- His share of a large, four-bedroom apartment is $1,300 including a parking spot
- He didn't plan on having roommates but it is a great way to expand his social network
"I spend a lot of time seeing live music, exploring the city, and museum hopping," says newcomer Abrahm.
After ending a relationship and starting two creative firms, Abrahm increasingly found himself in New York City on business—and decided to make it his permanent residence. He found NYC’s real estate confusing but is happily enjoying the roommate life in Sunnyside, Queens. Here’s his story.
I grew up in a small town called Delaware, Ohio, which is just north of Columbus. Then in high school, I moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where I met and married my now ex-wife.
In 2014, we moved with our two boys to Irons, MI, because of a house—the Irons Mansion was my ex's dream home. I had previously met the man who built it as a retirement home for him and his wife, who grew up in Irons. Unfortunately, his wife died just as he finished building it.
The home was an incredible 11,700 square feet with a six-car garage. Other highlights are the 3,000-square-foot indoor pool and sauna, and the bears and herds of deer in the national forest behind the house. Amazingly, we purchased it for just under $600,000.
The nearest neighbors were half a mile away. The closest grocery store was a 20-minute drive.
I liked the peace, the wildlife, and living in such a cool space. My sons loved the indoor pool. However, I had to drive two hours to work. I owned a soccer club and sporting event company in Grand Rapids, and while I was often able to work from home, the distance put a strain on my marriage.
[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 and live here now. Have a story to share? Drop us an email. We respect all requests for anonymity.]
Why he moved to NYC
When we divorced, I moved to East Grand Rapids and lived briefly in a studio rental. This was during Covid, and as things shut down, my company was no longer able to manage large events. So I started two new businesses: a digital marketing agency called Winning Creative, and Shearer Portraits, a photography company.
I started to get clients in NYC and began traveling there once a month. Meanwhile, another relationship ended for me. So I felt it was the perfect time to make the move and I looked at it as a fresh start.
I lived in Manhattan hotels while I shuttled back and forth to Michigan for three or four months. Then I moved into a long-term Airbnb in Sunnyside and started looking at neighborhoods to live in.
How he ended up in Sunnyside with three roommates
The difference between Michigan and NYC real estate was shocking. I realized that in NYC I could possibly afford to buy a studio for the same price as my house in Michigan. It was mind-boggling. Because I wanted to invest as much capital into my business as possible, buying was unrealistic.
What's more, I had very little understanding of neighborhoods, which was daunting. I always equated New York with Manhattan. I had no idea how big Queens and Brooklyn are, and seeing how neighborhoods change from block to block was overwhelming. Another unusual thing about finding a place in NYC are the online scams—you just don’t see those in MI.
I was mainly searching online. I wanted an apartment for under $3,000 and had no location in mind. I knew I wanted to be in or close to Manhattan and decided either Brooklyn or Queens made sense, though I did see some properties in Jersey City with a real estate friend.
I didn’t care that much about size, and it turned out that I was very interested in having roommates. Not knowing anyone in the city, this offered an excellent chance to expand my social network!
I ended up finding an apartment share in Sunnyside on Facebook. The process was easy and literally involved a phone call, viewing, application, signing, and moving in.
The apartment houses four of us—there are two rooms in the front of the apartment and two rooms in the back with a good-sized kitchen and spacious living room in between. It’s the entire second floor of a six-unit brick building. My share of the apartment with utilities is $1,300. It’s large so it’s a good deal. I also like having a parking space, which is huge!
The downsides include being close to the expressway so there’s traffic noise. Also, the apartment hasn’t been updated in some time. Laundry is a block away. Since I always had my own laundry machines, this takes some getting used to.
I was able to move my stuff here in stages because I had stored everything at a friend's house in MI. On one trip I ended up buying a new car and driving it to the city with all the essentials. I’ve bought furniture on Facebook and from IKEA, but I really prefer the Facebook groups as there are such good deals to be had.
How he likes the new neighborhood
The location is amazing! I live on a quiet street. A bus stop is right out my door and I can ride my bike to Hunters Point to catch the 7 train in about eight minutes. This will get me to Grand Central in about 15 minutes. Also, I have an unobstructed view of lower Manhattan from my bedroom!
Sunnyside is definitely family oriented. The streets are so quiet compared to other areas in NYC. Aside from Queens Boulevard, there is no congestion.
There are loads of restaurants and nice parks. Bistro Punta Sal is a Peruvian restaurant with great service and amazing food. The ceviche is ridiculous! My go-to spot for Indian food is Cardamom. Brookside Market is a great spot for coffee and for drinks I’d recommend Maggie Mae’s. My younger son has visited a few times and really enjoyed trying all the new foods and playing basketball at a nearby park.
I still own my digital marketing agency and have a home office, but my photo studio is in Brooklyn. I normally bike and take the subway to get around, but commuting to the studio is incredibly easy by car (15 minutes compared to 45 minutes by public transit).
Despite having two local grocery stores, I find myself shopping at Costco in Astoria, which is only a 15-minute drive.
How his social life is going
I've joined groups to make connections (I play guitar, chess, and table tennis) and coach a kids' soccer team in Astoria, so I have met a lot of new people.
I’ve heard that the dating scene is rough for some but, personally, it has been amazing. I have made friends through dating and actually gotten work for my agency. And on January 1st this year, I started dating a wonderful woman from Brooklyn.
The decision to come to NYC was one of the best of my life. It was scary and at times overwhelming but there is so much opportunity here. I spend a lot of time seeing live music, exploring the city (I’m really into street photography), and gallery and museum hopping.
I don’t see myself moving away from New York anytime soon. There is too much here for me as I’m growing my business and growing as a photographer.
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