Every "The Hunt" column begins with the Hunters describing the apartment they want, and ends with them rationalizing whatever they came away with. This is The Hunt: Dreams vs. Reality.
The Hunters: Caitlyn Higgins and Antony West
Price
Dream: $2,500 a month
Reality: $2,500 a month
Neighborhood
Dream: Williamsburg
Reality: Bed-Stuy
Amenities
Dream: Large one-bedroom, two bathrooms, washer/dryer, outdoor space, close to a park
Reality: Dishwasher, combination washer/dryer, terrace, rooftop access
Summary
Caitlyn Higgins and Antony West lived in Orlando, Florida where they paid the high price (for Orlando, at least) of $1,075 a month for a one-bedroom with a private outdoor space where their two dogs could run around. After contemplating a move to New York for years, the couple decided to finally do it after Higgins received a lucrative job offer from a medical device company in Midtown.
The couple had an extensive wish list for what they wanted in an apartment within the confines of their $2,500 a month budget. They wanted a large one-bedroom space with two bathrooms, a washer and dryer, outdoor space, close proximity to the subway, and most importantly a nearby dog park. They preferred to live in Williamsburg.
Higgins flew to New York for a four-day apartment hunting blitz while West remained at their Florida home with their two dogs, Baloo and Chauncey.
She visited a railroad-style one-bedroom along the L train near Bedford Avenue that was asking for $2,600 a month but it was a bit too dated for her liking and there wasn’t an outdoor space. Not too far off was a renovated one-bedroom that did have an outdoor space asking $2,850 but she wasn’t quite feeling the look of the neighboring yard so again she passed. An apartment in a new building in Greenpoint, asking $2,800, would’ve made the cut had it been closer to the subway and offered outdoor space.
With time winding down, Higgins shifted her search from Greenpoint to Bed-Stuy where she found an apartment with nearly everything they wanted. The one-bedroom apartment was located in a fourth-floor walkup and had two bathrooms, a terrace, dishwasher, washer/dryer combo, and access to the rooftop space, all for the magic number—$2,500 a month. The only drawback was that the owner wouldn’t allow her to view the space until after her scheduled departure back to Florida.
So back to Florida Higgins flew, without an apartment lined up. But in a clever improvisation, she planned a FaceTime tour with her broker, liked what she saw, and sealed the deal.
- A Bed-Stuy Rental via FaceTime [The New York Times]
- All For Rent in New York [Curbed]
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