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My family of 7 moved from a 6-bedroom home in Salt Lake City to a 3-bedroom apartment in NYC. Our cost of living went up, but it's worth it.
Business insider ^ | 12-27-25 | Samantha Grindell Pettyjohn

Posted on 12/27/2025 5:54:20 AM PST by dynachrome

Droubay said her family's housing costs doubled, but their New York life is a dream come true.

snip

I have been pleasantly surprised by how kind 99% of people have been. I will get to the subway, and before I even fold up my stroller, strangers pick up the other end and carry it for me. Everyone stands up and offers seats to my kids, or older women have even grabbed one of my kids' hands and helped them on or off the subway for me.

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Humor; Miscellaneous; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: dummies; housing; newyork; nyc; saltlakecity; totalfiction
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To: dynachrome

Many people live there and aren’t fleeing. I wish them luck - they may have found their niche.

I wish more people would move there and away from me:)


21 posted on 12/27/2025 6:20:38 AM PST by posterchild
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To: dynachrome

“My family of 7 moved from a 6-bedroom home in Salt Lake City to a 3-bedroom apartment in NYC.”

My first question is, “Why? What was the reason for this move?”
AI


22 posted on 12/27/2025 6:22:06 AM PST by Cletus.D.Yokel (The Democrats' official policy is now, “Hate, Violence and Murder". Change my mind.)
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To: dynachrome

The story says they moved to NYC on October 10, 2025, so they’ve been in the city for two and a half months. They’re still in the pink cloud phase, and still busy settling in.

A three bedroom apartment in a graceful, well-maintained rowhouse on a tree lined street with a great view of the Statue of Liberty ... I wonder if they’re on Staten Island, which is one of the less insane places to live. Or perhaps in Brooklyn, but I’ve so rarely been in Brooklyn that I wouldn’t hazard a guess on a neighborhood. The pictures in the article might provide a clue to someone with some local knowledge.

It is possible to live sensibly and well in NYC if one nests in a good neighborhood. That’s the way to live in any big city. Her husband might be in a field with major upside potential, so the financial hit they are taking might be worth the risk, at least for now.

At some point, however, the excitement of the move and the thrill of expanding their kids’ horizons (and their own) will settle a bit, and the tradeoff may be less attractive a year or five down the road. I wish them well.

I lived in NYC for two years before landing in DC. I did not have any bad experiences, but I did not enjoy the city enough to actually have any desire to live there long term. I guess I’m glad to have done it for street cred purposes, but I was quite happy to get out. Even to Marion Barry era DC.

I have had some urban reality experiences in DC. If nothing else, I don’t back down an inch when a virtue signalling lib wants to spout nonsense about the problems. I do try to stay polite, but if the lib can’t take a hint, I can nuke them in 30 seconds. I’ve always lived on Capitol Hill, within the historic district. I cheer for every block that flips the right way. Block by block, we’re recivilizing the city, and it’s night and day from when I arrived. I am sympathetic to the hard working people of low and moderate incomes who shouldn’t have to endure two hour commutes to entry level jobs. But the welfare queens and bums can either straighten up, get into treatment, or move to Baltimore. I no longer care.


23 posted on 12/27/2025 6:22:25 AM PST by sphinx
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To: dynachrome

... I have been pleasantly surprised by how kind 99% of people have been. I will get to the subway, and before I even fold up my stroller, strangers pick up the other end and carry it for me. Everyone stands up and offers seats to my kids, or older women have even grabbed one of my kids’ hands and helped them on or off the subway for me....


Sure, Sam.


24 posted on 12/27/2025 6:23:03 AM PST by Jane Long (Jesus is Lord!)
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To: dynachrome

Yes, 99 percent of NYC folks won’t hurt you. The 1 percent, though, are the ones who’ve learned there are probably no bad consequences to them if they do hurt you.
And 1 percent of NYC is what, a hundred thousand people? You’re lucky they’re spread out, but I’d suggest you sign up for a remedial course in situational awareness.
Additional suggestions, don’t ride the subway, or feed the kids cereal for breakfast, or put them in public school.


25 posted on 12/27/2025 6:23:08 AM PST by Buttons12 ( )
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To: dynachrome

Politics and crime aside, New York has incredible culture and amenities that most Americans can only dream of. It is the crown jewel of America.


26 posted on 12/27/2025 6:24:31 AM PST by nwrep
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To: Clarancebeaks
Yeah, this is a fictional "AI" story.

It wasn't written to influence people to move to New York City but to influence people in the New York City who are on the fence about leaving, to stay.

That it's published in 'Business Insider' reeks of real estate developers behind the lie.

27 posted on 12/27/2025 6:27:47 AM PST by T.B. Yoits
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To: T.B. Yoits

Good point.

New Yorkers are used to putting up with a lot of bad stuff every day.

Each person is going to have a different experience in the coming months.

Some will be so bad they will bail—and this article will not convince them otherwise.


28 posted on 12/27/2025 6:31:17 AM PST by cgbg ("Your identity is how power treats you.")
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To: Cletus.D.Yokel

Her husband got a job there.


29 posted on 12/27/2025 6:33:09 AM PST by aquila48 (Do not let them make you "care" ! Guilting you is how they control you. )
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To: dynachrome

I understand that there are some decent residential areas in New York City.

Elon Musk does not have enough money to pay me to live in one of them.


30 posted on 12/27/2025 6:35:08 AM PST by PAR35
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To: dynachrome


31 posted on 12/27/2025 6:36:43 AM PST by jerod (Nazis were essentially Socialist in Hugo Boss uniforms... Get over it!)
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To: PAR35

New York City is great if you are very wealthy.

If you are middle class it is a disaster.


32 posted on 12/27/2025 6:36:45 AM PST by cgbg ("Your identity is how power treats you.")
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To: cgbg
My feelings exactly when I read the story. It sounds so contrived and miraculously addresses all of the worst stereotypes of NYC life.

To me it seemed it was written by a PR firm reinforced by the disclaimer at the beginning.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Maren Droubay, a 32-year-old who moved from Salt Lake City to New York City with her family. It's been edited for length and clarity.

33 posted on 12/27/2025 6:38:04 AM PST by pfflier
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To: sphinx; Cletus.D.Yokel; Ezekiel; Captain Compassion; posterchild; Ann Archy; dynachrome; ...
Based on the US suicide map. With regard to mental health: they’re onto something. It’s not by accident Tyler Robinson hailed from Utah and Columbine set off the school shooting trend in Littleton, Colorado…Yes there is crime in big cities and they’re not for everyone…but there’s something to be said for the mental havoc suburban isolationism has wrought on modern children in post-industrial America. The rural life and extended family and community networks of ages past is no longer. At least cities in the mold of NY and Europe offer human engagement, artistic enrichment, and other healthy outlets…

Deaths per 100,000 population are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population.

34 posted on 12/27/2025 6:38:56 AM PST by CondoleezzaProtege ( 🩰🌹)
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To: pfflier
Based on the US Suicide Map, they’re onto something, and statistically may have attained better mental health on behalf of their children:

Deaths per 100,000 population are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population.


35 posted on 12/27/2025 6:41:36 AM PST by CondoleezzaProtege ( 🩰🌹)
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

Now—adjust the map for murder statistics—and separate out NYC.

You may not kill yourself there—but somebody else may get to do it for you.

Lol.


36 posted on 12/27/2025 6:43:12 AM PST by cgbg ("Your identity is how power treats you.")
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To: Clarancebeaks

A commie mayor is coming in so it’s SOP that they’d get started on the usual accompanying NY is the Pearl of the east coast stories.


37 posted on 12/27/2025 6:43:32 AM PST by TalBlack (Their god is government. Prepare for a religious war.https://freerepublic.com/perl/post?id=4322961%2)
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To: Cowgirl of Justice

“Look how happy we are’ plan.”

Wait till the first time their neighbors get involved with a shooting or robbery and a social worker shows up with a pad of paper instead of a cop with a gun. Bet that won’t be heard on her podcast.

wy69


38 posted on 12/27/2025 6:47:12 AM PST by whitney69 (`)
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To: Cowgirl of Justice

People stand up to offer a seat to a child? Never happened. It is a lie.


39 posted on 12/27/2025 6:47:12 AM PST by healy61
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To: dynachrome

All the “Oh...that was so nice” moments are ruined by one “I can’t believe that sh!t happened to me” moment.


40 posted on 12/27/2025 6:48:57 AM PST by Mashood
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