Miranda and Hiranya Nayyar, a couple living in a studio apartment in Downtown Brooklyn, faced challenges working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their small space made it difficult to take calls, prompting them to upgrade to a larger one-bedroom unit in the same building.
Several factors influenced their decision to purchase a home:
Despite initial hesitations from Miranda about the financial commitment and the perceived necessity of leaving the city, Hiranya convinced her of the benefits. Miranda's increased salary, combined with Hiranya's work in cybersecurity sales, made the purchase feasible. They were also eager to avoid the expenses and complications of renting, including dealing with potentially problematic landlords and unpredictable rent hikes.
The couple specifically sought a smaller building to promote interaction with neighbors and avoid the often impersonal nature of large high-rises. This preference was a key part of their decision-making process, even more so than the size of the home itself. This preference, coupled with their need for specific amenities like a washer-dryer, dishwasher, and air conditioning, guided their search.
After a miserable time living with roaches and water leaks, Miranda and Hiranya Nayyar moved from their basement studio in Lenox Hill in Manhattan to a new high-rise studio stocked with amenities in Downtown Brooklyn.
Three years later, Covid struck, and working from home presented new challenges.
“Miranda and I are both very loud and excitable on the phone,” said Mr. Nayyar, who had to take calls in the bathroom or in the building’s hallway.
So the couple upgraded to a more spacious one-bedroom in the building.
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The two met during their sophomore year at New York University and married in 2019, two years after graduation.
Mr. Nayyar, 30, often talked about real estate with his college friend Caitlin McMahon, now a salesperson at Keller Williams NYC. Though Mr. Nayyar was eager to invest in a home, he was intimidated by tales from first-time home buyers and discussions of mortgages, interest rates and offering plans. “There was so much to coordinate,” he said. “It felt like we had to climb a mountain.”
The Nayyars liked their convenient location. Mrs. Nayyar, 29, saw no reason to stop renting.
“When I pictured buying a house, I pictured we would have to leave the city, but I love the city,” she said. “Hiranya had to go on an influence campaign to convince me it was a good idea to buy a place.” She didn’t think they could afford a place in the city.
But Mrs. Nayyar’s salary increased when she left the nonprofit sector to do sustainability consulting at a large corporation. Mr. Nayyar works in cybersecurity sales. The couple began researching and reading more about investing in a home before deciding to go ahead.
A two-bedroom was essential so Mr. Nayyar’s family could avoid hotels and air mattresses when visiting from his native India. The couple also wanted space to host friends and relatives. Their growing puppy, Meeko, often crowded them out of bed and needed a large crate.
“It seems silly to buy a house for your dog, but you want him to have a good life,” Mrs. Nayyar said.
The couple sought a small building where they could know their neighbors. They knew that a new or newly renovated condo building would come with a dishwasher, washer-dryer and air conditioning, and likely high closing costs, too.
They also knew their budget — which started at $800,000 but increased to a little over $1 million — meant a move deeper into Brooklyn and a longer commute to Midtown.
Among their options:
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