From Houston to Gramercy Park: After a break up, my parents helped me buy a place of my own
- Monét Guilbeau was headed to graduate school and planning on renting with her boyfriend
- But when the pair split up, she set her sights on buying a studio for under $400,000
Monét Guilbeau and her parents focused their search on condos and co-op sponsor units—since these do not require board approval.
Monét Guilbeau was accepted to Columbia University’s journalism program and planned to rent a place in NYC with her boyfriend. But when the relationship ended, her parents helped her buy a studio in Gramercy Park instead. Here’s her story as told to Kelly Kreth.
I was born and raised in Houston and my childhood home was beautiful. It has wood floors, high ceilings, and crown molding. My mother decorated it with an “Alice in Wonderland” style: very colorful and lots of bright patterns. She is a big fan of MacKenzie-Childs [a vibrant home design company], and it shows. I went to private school and when I graduated in 2020, I headed to Texas A&M.
Commuting to school was easy, just a 10-minute drive. There isn’t any public transportation, so a car was essential.
[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.]
My parents loved Texas but while I was away at college they moved to Destin, Florida, to a gated community. When I visited them, I would hit up my favorite sushi and hibachi restaurant and go to Kirby Steakhouse with my dad and sit in the same booth each time.
Why she moved
When I graduated from college, I was accepted to Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and decided to move in March to take a summer course. Originally, I planned to move in with my long-term boyfriend, but he proved to be dead weight, so I broke off our relationship and embarked on my dreams alone.
When this happened, my parents and I pivoted. My boyfriend and I had been planning to rent something for around $3,000 a month. But after our breakup, my parents decided that our budget was not enough for a place that they would feel comfortable with.
My mother found an agent, Michael Bergman at Elegran Forbes Global Properties, to help me buy me a small studio. We told Michael we wanted a small studio with a good layout in a safe Manhattan neighborhood with easy access to stores, restaurants, and transportation. My maximum budget was $400,000.
Since I needed a guarantor and was concerned about co-op board approval since I am in my 20s, we focused our search on condos and co-op sponsor units—these do not require board approval. I liked one of co-op sponsor units, a 600-square-foot studio in a Gramercy building.
Real estate is less competitive and more straightforward in Texas. There are no hidden listings, difficult board approval process, or a month-long waiting game like there is in NYC. I was afraid my deal would fall through and leave me without an option.
The place I liked went to a bidding war; it was between us and another buyer. To make my case, I wrote a letter to the seller explaining how badly I wanted the studio and what my goals were for living in NYC. It worked. There was a full day of upping the price slowly, but we won in the end. The property was listed just under my budget but with the bidding war we went only slightly over.
What she likes about her new place
My studio is a calm retreat from the city. It is newly renovated with a galley kitchen, dishwasher, dark, wood floors, and a small Juliette balcony. There’s room for a queen-sized bed, and a loveseat. A support column in the living area helps separate my bed from the bath and vanity area.
The windows face south and when we closed, the building was covered in scaffolding, which has since come down. There's only one large closet, but the foyer has plenty of space for a large dresser where I put the rest of my clothing. I like that there is a landline in the unit that the doorman can call to let me know when I have guests.
The lobby has a unique design with interior brick walls and windows that look like a townhouse façade. Right now, for Christmas, every corner is lined with lights, garland, and Santa Claus hats on the lamps outside of the first-floor doors.
What she thinks about her neighborhood
I love the area. There are a lot of great places to eat and shop, like Eataly, Target, and Trader Joe’s. Abercrombie, Home Depot and Best Buy are all within easy walking distance.
The Broken Shaker is my favorite bar, I adore the winding upper floor and the patio they have outside. They have a drink called “Thyme is Moné,” which I have claimed as my drink because it’s one of the few things I have found with my name on it (or at least pronounced the same).
I do notice that everything is much more expensive here in NYC than Texas.
I sold my car and ride the subway to Columbia every day. I leave an hour before class to get there in time and my commute is about 45 minutes. My third home is the 1 train. In addition to attending school, I am a runway model. I’m 5’11”.
I would be nothing without Madison Square; it is my second home. I love sitting on a bench there and reading a book. It reminds me of verse in the Taylor Swift song, “The Lucky One,” “chose the Rose Garden over Madison Square.”
There’s nothing not to like living here. It has honestly been a dream. It’s almost too good to be true and I need to pinch myself sometimes.
My mom stays with me when she visits, and my pullout couch is great for guests. My friends think my place is beautiful. I have lots of room for seating: a big couch and two swivel chairs.
I’ve made some great friends since coming to NYC, most from school. Even though I am an introvert, being a journalist means getting comfortable talking to people I don’t know. Some of the best experiences I’ve had so far involve striking up conversations with strangers in the park. Many of these interactions get super deep, which is surprising and satisfying.
Dating in New York is exciting. I always thought of NYC as the place to find good-looking, ambitious people—men with gelled hair and crisp suits. I have gone on dates with truly gorgeous men with unique jobs. Still, I wouldn’t be dating if it wasn’t for my mom forcing me to go out. While I’m not ready for a relationship, I enjoy meeting other New Yorkers and recent transplants and getting to know people.
The bottom line: I have zero regrets about moving here. I am definitely staying—you couldn’t make me leave NYC if you tried.
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