A job switch of kinds introduced Katie Muela and Arsy Khodabandelou to New York from Maryland a number of years in the past.
Ms. Muela was working as a nanny for a household that was relocating to the town from the Washington, D.C., space, so she and Mr. Khodabandelou took it “as a chance to maneuver to New York for enjoyable,” she stated.
That was simply earlier than Covid shut down the town. Dissatisfied, the couple retreated to Maryland after a 12 months. However after the pandemic, they have been wanting to return, and landed in a one-bedroom on the Higher East Aspect for round $2,600 a month.
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They fell in love with their bustling Yorkville neighborhood. “We acquired to know our neighbors and see them on the canine park day-after-day,” stated Ms. Muela, 33.
Sooner or later, the 2 went mountain climbing at Bear Mountain, about an hour and a half north. Mr. Khodabandelou, who works in software program gross sales, discovered himself worrying about their canines, who have been residence alone. Family and friends have been again in Maryland. It gave him the concept to rent a software program engineer and create a pet-rescue app, Woof, which notifies emergency contacts if pets are left alone longer than anticipated.
The nascent enterprise landed Mr. Khodabandelou, 35, on the TV present “Shark Tank” in 2023, although it didn’t land him a deal. However, he stated, “It was the best expertise of my life.”
In the meantime, the couple, who will marry subsequent month, have been outgrowing their small residence. Within the basement laundry room, the machines have been usually damaged. And so they had little counter area, making it tough to cook dinner and host company.
“We didn’t have anyplace to take a seat,” stated Ms. Muela, who now works as a courtroom reporter. “We ate on our sofa. Why, at this age and stage of us wanting to begin our future, would we not buy?”
A few of Mr. Khodabandelou’s previous mates have been having kids and shopping for homes. “So it was at the back of my thoughts,” he stated. “Do I need to be in New York or return to Maryland and purchase a home?”
The couple determined to stay round and get an residence — dog-friendly, after all — close to their rental, on the far Higher East Aspect. They aimed for a two-bedroom or a big one-bedroom, and rapidly realized that they’d have to regulate their price range.
“We thought $500,000 was our max, however we couldn’t get something for $500,000,” Mr. Khodabandelou stated. “We saved elevating our worth.” It ended up at $800,000.
On-line final winter, they discovered Annette Mulligan, then a licensed salesperson at Keller Williams NYC and now on the Corcoran Group, who defined the distinction between co-ops and condominiums and famous that canine insurance policies differ amongst buildings.
“I’m not a choosy particular person,” Mr. Khodabandelou stated. “I fell in love with each single place that we noticed.” However these locations usually offered rapidly.
Ms. Muela was extra explicit. “I undoubtedly was a brat at first,” she stated. “I needed two bedrooms, a washer-dryer and outside area.”
As time handed, she lowered her expectations. Amongst their choices:
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