They Got an Apartment They Liked, but Had to Wait for the Happy Ending

Abstract

Emily Niekrasz and Garrett Muzikowski lived happily in a two-bedroom basement apartment in a rowhouse on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Ms. Niekrasz had rented the 750-square-foot space for six years; Mr. Muzikowski had recently moved in. The couple spent the day "Schlepping and bopping around the city," said Ms. Niekrasz, vetting apartments in Chinatown, SoHo, the Upper East Side and Midtown. "Plus, there's the convenience of Home Depot, Trader Joe's, and Whole Foods, which are in our neighborhood. We've also found our late-night bars and a local pizza place." Splitting the rent: "When we lived in D.C., we split the rent 50/50. Before we moved, we talked about pricing, and $1,500 was my max," Ms. Niekrasz said. Anxiety increased as Ms. Niekrasz's looming start date at the museum was Sept. 12, less than two weeks away. Ms. Niekrasz could live with cousins - one lived in the West Village and another by the ferry in Middletown, N.J. Or she could endure a two-and-a-half-hour commute, each way, and stay with her parents in Ocean County, N.J., where both Ms. Niekrasz and Mr. Muzikowski grew up. Ms. Niekrasz appreciates the closets in the hallway, and the bathroom that had been updated with a new tub, sink and cabinet. "I'm picking up far more games here, which has been great." Ms. Niekrasz is still trying to get over the feeling that she is a tourist in New York.