Zillow’s NYC real estate brand shows first-time home buyers considering a move out of the city just how dull life in the ‘burbs can really be.

More than 100,000 New Yorkers leave the city each year, many in pursuit of buying their first home. But while life beyond the boroughs may offer the promise of driveways, front yards, and white picket fences, they’ll also find more intense competition, rushed transaction timelines, and the banality of suburban life – leaving them pining for the NYC life they left behind.

The latest campaign from Zillow’s NYC brand StreetEasy®, “Never Become a Former New Yorker,” focuses on buyers contemplating a move out of the city and cautions them of the fate that could lie ahead. Applying a uniquely NYC tone and wit that only a brand as local as StreetEasy can achieve, the campaign depicts former New Yorkers out of their element in their new homes. Part brand campaign, part PSA, the thought-provoking ads remind current New Yorkers that the grass outside the city isn’t always greener. The ads emphasize that leaving NYC isn’t a prerequisite for owning a home, and encourage New Yorkers to fulfill their dreams of homeownership in the city they know and love.

The campaign’s vibrant photography style accentuates the drab setting of real suburban homes, creating a palpable feeling of boredom in its imagery. Overlaid with quotes inspired by former New Yorkers, the ads share invaluable life lessons that can only be learned from the mistake of leaving the city. The campaign will run throughout the year in various out-of-home, digital, audio, CTV, and social media placements.

In a new initiative for this year’s campaign, nostalgic New Yorkers who’ve left behind bodega cats for cul-de-sacs can call 1-833-I-MISS-NYC, a hotline sponsored by StreetEasy, to listen to the sounds of the city or air their grievances about life outside the five boroughs. A select number of respondents also have the chance to receive a surprise “piece of the city” gift from the brand. Ads for the hotline will run on social media and placements on New York’s Metro-North Railroad, targeting those who’ve traded the city for its Westchester, Hudson Valley, and Connecticut suburbs. The free hotline is available now through October.

The Regrets of Former New Yorkers

StreetEasy research shows that one in three New Yorkers who are actively considering buying a home in the city are also debating making their purchase outside the five boroughs instead. Yet, a new survey conducted by StreetEasy and Zillow of 189 former New Yorkers found that life outside the city may not be the suburban utopia they’d envisioned. The overwhelming majority of respondents (92%) said they missed at least one thing about life in NYC. Topping the list of things they missed the most was their local bodega (53%) — even more than their family and friends (48%) — the city’s walkability (47%), and their favorite bars (36%). Meanwhile, additional Zillow data shows that seven of the top 10 metro areas in which New Yorkers were looking for homes in 2024 also had the most residents searching for homes in NYC, suggesting those who’ve left might be feeling a desire to return.

“A lot of current New Yorkers view their options as renting in the city, or leaving to buy a home,” said Andrea Mazandi, principal brand strategist at StreetEasy. “We wanted to show that being a New Yorker and being a homeowner don’t have to be mutually exclusive. We all know that life in New York City isn’t always easy — and the city’s real estate market is no exception — but with the right tools and agent expertise, New Yorkers can have it all. The truth is that buying a home anywhere is a massive financial investment, so it’s a decision that only makes sense if it’s in the city you truly want to call home.”

StreetEasy can help buyers find the agent and local expertise they need to never leave NYC. From market research and trend reports by an in-house economist, to personalized matching with some of the city’s top agents equipped to get buyers home — the brand has the tools buyers need to confidently plant their roots in NYC.

The Voices Behind the “Former New Yorkers”

The campaign was led by StreetEasy’s in-house brand marketing and creative teams, in partnership with creative agency Mother New York. This is StreetEasy’s second partnership with Mother, following last year’s Renaissance-inspired “Let the Journey Begin” campaign.

“StreetEasy’s new brand campaign was created through the simple truth that once you’ve lived in New York City, it’s hard to imagine calling anywhere else home,” said Evan Carpenter, group strategy director at Mother New York. “New York gets under your skin, and though the grass may seem greener outside the five boroughs, New Yorkers know deep down there’s only one place to truly call home. To help them stay in that place, they need the experience, connections, insights, and New York know-how only a partner like StreetEasy can provide.”

A Trusted Destination for Buyers, Sellers, and Renters

As the Zillow brand built for New York City, StreetEasy is the go-to destination for New Yorkers on their journey to buy, sell, or rent in the city, equipping them with the insights and resources they need for this one-of-a-kind market. No matter where they are in their journey, StreetEasy offers the tools New Yorkers need to understand the NYC real estate market and plan their path forward. StreetEasy guides prospective NYC buyers through the process with a comprehensive library of content and market insights. Once they’re ready to take the next step toward homeownership, StreetEasy connects them with an agent or team with verified experience in the neighborhood — or even specific building — the buyer is interested in.

Where to Find the Ads

The ads can be found across digital and social channels — including Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Pinterest, online video, Spotify, Audacy, and CTV — as well as MTA subway cars, subway stations, and taxi tops. Additional out-of-home placements will roll out beginning in March, with large-scale, hand-painted murals at N 11th St & Wythe Ave in Williamsburg and Kent Ave & Grand Ave in Williamsburg, as well as Prince St & Wooster St in SoHo in April.

StreetEasy will also run an influencer campaign featuring Kareem Rahma, arbiter of hot takes on his viral @SubwayTakes series, in addition to local NYC interior design influencers Will Taylor (@BrightBazaar) and Nick Lowry to help educate first-time home buyers on the process of finding and working with the right agent.

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.