If you already live in Brooklyn, chances are good that, like me, you’ve wondered whether it might be time to leave Brooklyn, what with rents continuing to rise in the out-of-control way that they are. It’s also possible that, like me—considering everything that's currently going on in America—you’ve studied maps and considered other countries, but you’ve done the time-difference math and besides, your life is here. New York is still a city that you love.

I might have a solution that would work for both of us, whether you’re looking for a way to stay in the area, searching for housing from a distance in anticipation of a move here sometime soon, or trying to logistically sort out whatever hybrid workplace your company managed to put into place. It would be an ideal arrangement for someone in need of a serene spot to land in while figuring out what might come next in their lives.

A while ago I converted my second bedroom—a room that’s light-filled, enormous, private and stylish—into a semi-autonomous living area. A loft bed designed by an artist from Mexico City leaves a space equivalent to what a studio apartment would provide; a folding screen placed near the entryway to the common area makes entering and exiting the rest of the apartment more discreet. There’s a spacious en-suite bathroom (deep tub, large window through which the sunset can be viewed, waterfall shower-head), and a new high-end mattress, along with nice bedding and towels. Back when I focused more on short-term situations, the room was furnished in a minimalist style—vintage table and bureau, a writing desk, some simple chairs—and was outfitted with a mini-fridge, toaster, electric kettle, coffeemaker, window AC. (All of this can be brought back in; it would also be fine for you to replace my furniture with some of your own for longer stays, or rearrange things in a way that works best for you.) There’s decent closet space, along with an alcove with a built-in floor-to-ceiling wall of shelving, but mostly it’s just a really nice space in a really nice apartment on a truly beautiful block.

​​The apartment itself is the spacious parlor floor of a townhouse that has great light and high ceilings, and while it has its quirks, I appreciate that it's not a cookie-cutter-"unit"-style apartment in a new building. Located in the historic district of Bedford-Stuyvesant (referred to as Stuyvesant Heights), the community is diverse, the trees meet in the middle of the street, and the subway is less than two blocks away. (It’s a lovely walk, too, past front-stoop gardens and stately homes.) The A train is one that can be relied on to swiftly get to many parts of the city—it can deliver me to my downtown office in under twenty minutes—and it's also a great train for getting out to Rockaway Beach or to JFK, in the other direction. There's a Citi-bike dock around the corner, and street parking has never been a problem for me.

There’s (mediocre) baseboard heat, along with efficient new space heaters to supplement it (the apartment is never overly hot in the winter, which is my preference, but not everyone's), coin laundry in the basement, some storage space down there, too, and we can sort out kitchen access/ arrangements after we talk and as we go (the common area also functions as my work space). In the interest of transparency, I want to say here that I'm not looking for a typical roommate-style situation and hope to find a quiet person who will make the room it's own lovely autonomous thing.

I'm most comfortable with a three-month commitment, but it could be definitely be long-term if our sensibilities line up and things feel right. So shoot me an email and let's see if we make sense.

About This Lister

I admit that I surprised myself several years back by having decided it might be preferable to live in proximity to other people, rather than continuing to live alone, as I’d done for several years post-partnership and family life, but as I’ve become older, I’ve also become more inclined to believe that sharing our lives, in any number of configurations, might be the better way to live.

I’m on the editorial staff of The New Yorker (my department will continue to more or less work remotely), and also a writer on the last phase of a book I’m under contract to deliver, so my days here are focused and subdued. But when I’m done looking at screens for the day, I’m usually biking down by the Brooklyn waterfront, out at the beach (I’m a surfer), or making impromptu dinners for my friends, most of whom are in creative fields like myself, and who come from different parts of the world, which is a big reason why I choose to live in New York. I’m a minimalist whose home is a kind of sanctuary—always clean, very neat, no TV—and I hope to connect with like-minded people who will respect that, and who live their lives in a similar way.

I've learned a lot about myself from the different people I've lived with here, and have come to understand that what I most appreciate most are those for whom privacy is a core value. I appreciate warmth and humor and graciousness, too, of course (along with cleanliness), but want to reiterate that this isn’t a typical housemate share. I’m quite a bit older than most people who live in this manner—a deliberate choice—and so, although I move through the world in a spirited manner that has been described as youthful, this wouldn’t be an ideal situation for a young person coming to New York for the first time who might be looking to build a social world.

Also, I love animals but have found that pets interfere with the autonomy I’m looking for, and I should mention that this is a smoke-free household.