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Sep
27
Living in Brooklyn NY: 8 Insider Tips
written by Warren Lewis Realty Team
1. The first and maybe most important tip for people who move to Brooklyn from other parts of the country is to learn the word “gentrification.” Gentrification means, “to renovate and improve.” The key to living in Brooklyn NY is overcoming the myth that Brooklyn is a dangerous seedy part of New York. During the 1970s, maybe Kings was less reputable, but today, it is one of the most desirable areas in the city. After you get comfortable dropping “gentrification” into normal conversation, you can help yourself adjust in seven ways to New York living.
2. Know your neighborhood. Studying is not everyone’s forte, but the fastest way to fit in, is to study, and know the material. Brooklyn has more neighborhoods than anyone can memorize, but get familiar with your area of town and the surrounding areas. For example, South Brooklyn (not to be confused with southern Brooklyn) consists of ten neighborhoods:
- Boerum Hill
- Carroll Gardens
- Cobble Hill
- Waterfront district or Colombia Street
- Gowanus
- Park Slope
- Red Hook
- South Park Slope
- Sunset Park
-
Windsor Terrace
3. Get involved with a community event. Gardens, neighborhood associations and the like all give new residents a chance to quickly learn the area.
4. Embrace diversity! Brooklyn is proud of it's many different ethnic groups - Asian, West Indian, Hasidic, Russian, Italian and more. Enjoy a variety of experiences these cultures offer through their restuarants, music and festivals.
5. Learn the subways. Only nonlocals stand staring at maps or walk when they could commute.
6. Drop stereotypes. Along with the idea that Brooklyn is dangerous in comparison with Queens and Manhattan, many nonlocals tend to believe that all New Yorkers—Brooklynites in particular—have thick accents and always act meanly. Even if you never act on a stereotype, believing them influences how you mesh with the local population.
7. Do not assume that you are the only out-of-towner. Many Brooklynites moved to the borough from elsewhere. Ask neighbors where they are from.
8. Get to know your neighbors. Knowing the people in adjacent apartments, brownstones or condos helps you put down roots, and as they discuss the locale, you learn through listening.
The key to living in Brooklyn NY is to learn from locals. Everyone goes through a period of learning, but those who are unwilling to trust the city and its people will always feel and seem alienated from those around them. Diving in is the only answer to becoming a local.
