He Wanted to Stay Close to Family in Queens. But How Close Was Too Close?

"When Mr. Burgos started his studies at Baruch College in Manhattan, his father, a custodian, deposited $2,000 into his school checking account. But the teenager found ways to avoid spending that money through a mix of financial aid, scanning textbooks at the campus library, and commuting to classes from his family's home, where he shared a room with his younger brother."

"The money that I started with was very little, he said. In college, I learned how to save. After graduating in 2015, he opened an investment account and watched his nest egg begin to grow. Finally, at 23, he rented a one-bedroom apartment in a building in Elmhurst. It was his first taste of freedom, even if he was still only a 20-minute walk from his childhood home."

"I spent pretty much all my life living in that apartment, in that room, with my family and my brother, said Mr. Burgos, 31, now a web engineer at a real estate brokerage. When I first started renting, it felt like the first time I could claim a space as my own. He spent a lot of time at a local gym. While working out in 2018, he befriended one of the employees, Rafaela Ramirez, who also worked in real estate."

Yamil Burgos grew up in Elmhurst, Queens, as the elder son of Dominican immigrants and participated in neighborhood life, playing volleyball and enjoying local Latin and Asian cuisine. His father deposited $2,000 when college began, and Burgos minimized expenses through financial aid, scanning library textbooks, and commuting from the family home while sharing a room with his brother. After graduating in 2015 he opened an investment account and grew his nest egg. At 23 he rented a one-bedroom apartment in Elmhurst, experiencing his first taste of freedom. In 2018 he befriended Rafaela Ramirez, who advised him to invest in property, and seven years later she helped him move toward buying.

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