NYC real estate turning couples into neighbors

NYC couples increasingly keep separate addresses
NYC couples increasingly keep separate addresses

With New York City rent being what it is, couples – married and otherwise – have long economized by sharing a roof and splitting the bill. But a new trend known as “living apart together” is bucking the traditional logic, as committed couples increasingly keep separate spaces.

For those set in their ways, particular about their space, or devoted to a neighborhood, splitting rent or a mortgage along with the towels may not hold much appeal. These couples commute from neighboring neighborhoods, or sometimes from one unit to the next within the same building when they want companionship, according to the New York Times.

Sign Up for the undefined Newsletter

“It wasn’t really a decision,” to live apart, Michael Kenny, a lawyer with Citigroup living in South Harlem, told the Times. His partner, Ingrid Doyle, lives North Harlem. “We’re not newlyweds. We’re grown adults,” Kenny added.

Keeping things separate also has an added appeal for couples with children, especially those from previous marriages. Since so many city apartments lack storage and spare bedrooms, a second apartment simply becomes a necessity. [NYT]Christopher Cameron