familiar and fresh
Awhile ago when we were all still updating our Facebook statuses I posted, “I hate who I become on moving day.”
Years later, it’s still true. I’m less externally terrible, but I hate who I am and how I feel on moving day. I’m always under prepared, I’m exhausted, frazzled, and likely hangry because there’s nothing in the fridge anymore and without fail, I’m a three-meals-a-day kind of girl.
After writing about my apartment rent increase saga and the subsequent search for a new apartment, I’m happy to report that I’ve landed. The apartment is less than a mile from my old place, right on the same cross streets, making things feel familiar and fresh at the same time.
My personal jury out is on the power of manifestation, but I’m happy to claim its power when it serves me, and in this situation, it served me graciously. I first saw the listing for this new apartment on February 27th and reached out. No apartment in Brooklyn is perfect, but this one checked most of my boxes (including a dishwasher!). A few days later I got a mass email from the broker noting that they’d received an influx of inquires and shared that the apartment had a nearly $7,000 broker fee and I was welcome to set up a time to view it during an open house. Having moved multiple times in the city, I have never paid a broker fee of more than one month’s rent, and not being born yesterday, I sent a “thanks but no thanks” reply and opened up StreetEasy once again.
For what felt like months, I knew every listing in my desired neighborhoods. My husband would send me a link to an apartment and I’d remark that I’d already reached out for a viewing or that I’d already ruled it out for some reason or another. Even my dreams couldn’t escape the mental burden of apartment hunting. As the days passed, I saw the initial “perfect” apartment still listed as available. Everytime I went to view an apartment, I would ask the respective broker what they knew about it and they’d just quip that it had a lot of interest and they were trying to get into it, too.
Three weeks later, I noticed that the price for the apartment had dropped by a few hundred dollars. Intrigued, I reached out to see if the broker fee had also dropped (because again, thanks but no thanks). The broker replied and confirmed that it had. It was still an unreasonable amount IMO, but not nearly $7,000, so I schedule a viewing. A few days later, we signed the lease.
As I sat down to write this newsletter, I remembered that 13 years ago yesterday, I drove solo into the city with my window mounted GPS system, three thousand dollars to my name, and a naivety that I sometimes miss. I can guarantee that despite the thrill of finally living out my childhood dream of moving to New York City, I probably hated who I became on that moving day.
Get this week’s playlist here. It’s a good one for easing into summer’s impending energy.
Happy Sunday, friends and hello new subscribers via my pal
. Thanks for being here.<3 Meghan