A New Yorker in Durham NC

It was just about five years ago when I locked the door to my apartment in NYC for the last time. After 25 years of living at 96 Fifth Avenue I was moving to Durham, NC. I didn’t know a soul in Durham. My dog Trixie and I were traveling to the great unknown. Between my anxiety attacks and tears I was secretly excited about the move. But, how would this New Yorker survive without the corner bodega, the dog park where I met my friends daily not to mention bagels and pizza?

Why the move? New York City was exhausting me. Crammed subways, fighting the crowds on the sidewalk and a tenuous job market pushed me to look elsewhere. So I decided to move with no idea where I wanted to live. After struggling to come to a decision my brother suggested the Raleigh-Durham area. It did meet my criteria of a lower cost of living, growing job market and good available healthcare. So it was settled. My bff Lucy and I reserved our flight to check out this area. We spent a whole two days here when I shrugged my shoulders and thought it seemed like a place I could live.

I had eight months ahead of me to find an apartment, decide which car to purchase ( I hadn’t owned a car or drove much in 30 years) and check out the job market. I was thrilled as I reviewed apartments online. Was it really possible to rent a one bedroom apartment with a terrace for under $1,000? Did I mention that it has a washer and dryer in the apartment as well as a dishwasher? And, I can’t leave out the community swimming pool and gym.

I landed here on October 1, picked up my Subaru Forester, and started my new life in North Carolina.

This is a first in a series about a New Yorker in Durham. If you are ready to make the move to Raleigh, Durham, or Chapel Hill I am now a Realtor at Better Homes and Gardens /Go Realty. Email me at ellen@gorealty.biz .

Next up. What was I thinking?