Last weekend, I went down to Jersey City to visit a cousin, who just moved into one of the new high rises on the Jersey side of the Hudson River. It’s the butt-end of the Statue of Liberty. These new buildings are fabulous. The apartments themselves are small, but they have amazing views and great common areas. You can reserve your own grill pits or garden areas on the roof. There are work areas for those who are still working from home. You can even reserve a room with a dining room table and kitchenette for the one time a year that extended family comes to visit. And then outside, the former check cashing stores and dollar stores have been turned in avocado toast brunch spots and beer gardens.

It would be very tempting to move into one of those places. Steve could see the window of his office from my cousin’s apartment. He would take a ferry ride to work and be in his office in 15 minutes. But apartments rental prices are insane right now. After the rent freeze during the pandemic was lifted, landlords tripled rent. The rent and fees for apartments like my cousin’s place is more than my mortgage and taxes for a house with a backyard. So, we’re staying.