Launching during the brand’s 20th anniversary year, the 2026 campaign celebrates the idea that New York isn’t something you age out of — and that buying here can help make the city yours forever.

For two decades, StreetEasy® has helped millions of New Yorkers find their place in one of the most complex real estate markets in the world. Now, as the brand marks its 20th anniversary, StreetEasy is launching its 2026 brand campaign, “Be a Forever New Yorker,” a love letter to the city and the people who choose to build their lives here for the long haul.

A celebratory evolution of last year’s “Never Become a Former New Yorker,” the new campaign flips the script from cautioning New Yorkers about leaving to celebrating the reasons to stay, underscoring that NYC doesn’t have to be a chapter of your life — it can be the whole book.

At the heart of the campaign is a simple idea: New York can be your forever city. The creative pairs vivid photography of older “forever New Yorkers” living the dynamic and joyful lives they’ve built here, alongside bold, empowering declarations like “Long live New York,” “Be the only relative worth visiting,” “Live where there’s no room to grow apart,” and “Make your NYC era last a lifetime.”

The campaign invites the audience to envision its own future in the city that is full, vibrant and unapologetically New York, celebrating the energy and longevity of a life fully lived here. It’s an aspirational vision that inspires today’s renters and home buyers to imagine themselves decades from now, still very much in the mix.

Why stay?

With an average life expectancy of 83.2, New Yorkers live longer than the average American. In fact, among the largest counties across the country, life expectancy is highest in Queens and Kings counties. Whether it’s the sense of community and interconnectedness found in the city, the active lifestyle that comes from hoofing up and down countless subway steps, or perhaps something in that magic NYC water — it’s undeniable that life in the city seems to help people live longer and fuller lives. 

“New York is often thought of as a city of renters, but StreetEasy data shows that one in five New Yorkers browse homes for sale while also searching for rentals. To us, that signals many already imagine a future here; they just aren’t sure how to make it last,” said Scott Sparks, Principal Brand Strategist at StreetEasy. “Home buying here isn’t just a transaction, it’s a declaration: that New York isn’t something you age out of, and that buying here is a way of committing to the life you want to keep living.”

The timing of this year’s campaign reflects a pivotal moment in the market. Spring 2026 is expected to bring more listings, faster-moving homes, and renewed buyer opportunity as mortgage rates moderate and sellers price strategically. In a market as complex as NYC, having the right tools — and the right guidance — has never mattered more.

The New Yorkers behind “Forever New Yorker”

The campaign was led by StreetEasy’s in-house brand marketing and creative team, in partnership with creative agency Mother New York. This is StreetEasy’s third partnership with Mother, following the 2025 “Never Become a Former New Yorker” and 2024 “Let the Journey Begin” campaigns. 

“Every day in New York, we pass incredible characters whom we admire because they’ve been shaped by this incredible city. From iconic institutions and world-class museums to hidden treasures just around the next corner, living here means our lives feel fuller than anywhere else,” said Evan Carpenter, Group Strategy Director, Mother. “This campaign is an ode to those New York icons and a promise from StreetEasy that staying here means you, too, can grow old without ever growing bored.”

Where you’ll see it

The campaign will roll out across digital and social channels including Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Pinterest, TikTok, online video, streaming audio (Spotify and Audacy), and CTV, as well as MTA subway cars and subway stations. Additional out-of-home placements will roll out beginning in March, with large-scale, hand-painted murals at Kent Avenue and Grand Avenue in Williamsburg, and Thompson Street and West Houston Street in SoHo in April.

These high-impact, out-of-home and digital placements will run alongside an influencer campaign featuring Meet Cutes NYC, the viral man-on-the-street chronicler of New Yorkers’ love stories. Local creators and influencers including Brownstone Boys, Will Taylor, Carly Fuller, Nick Lowry, and more will help bring the message to life, sharing stories and insights designed to demystify the buying process and highlight the importance of working with the right agent in NYC.

Built for New York, then and now

For two decades, StreetEasy has helped New Yorkers navigate one of the most nuanced real estate markets in the world. With its comprehensive and trusted marketplace of listings, hyper-local neighborhood insights, filters built for NYC-specific needs, and access to experienced agents with the know-how to advocate in complex and competitive conditions, StreetEasy helps buyers move forward with confidence — whether they’re just starting to consider ownership or ready to take the leap.

Part of Zillow Group®, StreetEasy is a brand built by New Yorkers, for New Yorkers. “Be a Forever New Yorker” is a reflection of what the brand has stood for throughout the past 20 years, reinforcing StreetEasy’s role as the go-to place where New Yorkers find a home — and the partner that helps make staying in the city possible. Over the last 20 years, StreetEasy has advocated for transparency, championed local expertise, and helped New Yorkers build the life they want, right here.

Be a Forever New Yorker.
Buy forever with StreetEasy.

For more information about the campaign, please contact press@streeteasy.com.

StreetEasy is an assumed name of Zillow, Inc. which has a real estate brokerage license in all 50 states and D.C. See real estate licenses. StreetEasy Concierge team members are real estate licensees, however they are not your agents or providing real estate brokerage services on your behalf. StreetEasy does not intend to interfere with any agency agreement you may have with a real estate professional or solicit your business if you are already under contract to purchase or sell property.