Bushra and Surya Sayed-Ganguly wanted two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a reasonable commute to Midtown. Here’s where they wound up.
Bushra and Surya Sayed-Ganguly wanted two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a reasonable commute to Midtown. Here’s where they wound up.
The New York Times
Real Estate|For Their First New York Purchase, a Couple Cast a Wide Net. Which of These Homes Would You Choose?
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Real Estate|The Hunt
For Their First New York Purchase, a Couple Cast a Wide Net. Which of These Homes Would You Choose?
ByJOYCE COHENJAN. 2, 2020
Bushra and Surya Sayed-Ganguly wanted two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a reasonable commute to Midtown. Here’s where they wound up.Related Article
Bushra and Surya Sayed-Ganguly met 15 years ago through a shared circle of friends, many of whom, like themselves, were first-generation immigrants. At the time, she owned a one-bedroom condominium in Montclair, N.J., and he was sharing a two-bedroom rental in Manhattan Valley.
“The first thing he did was help me change some lights and put up some shelves, and I felt he was a keeper,” Ms. Sayed-Ganguly said.
The couple, now in their 40s, later moved to Harlem, where they rented a small two-bedroom. Then it was on to several other cities for work. “Our agreement was we would move one job at a time per person,” Mr. Sayed-Ganguly said.
They returned to New York four years ago, landing downtown in Two Bridges, paying around $4,000 a month for a lofty one-bedroom. It came with plenty of traffic noise and soot from the Brooklyn Bridge right outside.
The couple adopted a dog and a cat, who tracked the slivers of sunlight through the day. “The pets would literally follow the sun, kind of like a sundial,” Mr. Sayed-Ganguly said.
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Last year, figuring they would stay in the city for the foreseeable future, the couple decided to buy a home. To accommodate their frequent guests, they wanted two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
The commute to Midtown had to be less than 30 minutes. Ms. Sayed-Ganguly works there as a tax consultant to corporations, while Mr. Sayed-Ganguly is a consultant to international development organizations and often travels by train from Penn Station to Washington, D.C.
Because their elderly parents visit from India, they couldn’t have stairs. And they wanted not just sun but outdoor space that would be safe for their pets.
“Bushra has a green thumb, and the dog and the cat are big outdoor lovers,” Mr. Sayed-Ganguly said.
Their budget was somewhere in the vicinity of $1.5 million.
They cast a wide net. They considered one place in Union City, N.J., until they learned a new building would be going up directly in front of it, blocking light and views. The agent told them no plans were approved for the area, but they learned that plans were in progress.
“I always feel, as a buyer, I should do my own research,” Ms. Sayed-Ganguly said. “I’m not sure they tell me what I need to know.”
Among their choices:
No. 1
Harlem Condominium
This sunny three-bedroom, three-bathroom condo, in a 2007 building, had two terraces, a gas fireplace and three exposures.
The price was $1.975 million, with monthly charges of a little more than $1,300.
No. 2
TriBeCa Co-op
This lofty co-op unit — with an interior room and an office area, plus two bathrooms — was in a former bank building with a common roof deck.
The price was $1.925 million, with maintenance of nearly $2,200.
No. 3
Park Slope Condominium
This three-bedroom, two-bathroom duplex, with elevator access on both floors, was in a converted factory building. The living room had 18-foot ceilings, and the huge private terrace had an outdoor shower.
The price was $1.695 million, with monthly charges in the mid $900s.
Find out what happened next by answering these two questions:
Which Would You Choose?
Harlem Condominium
TriBeCa Co-op
Park Slope Condominium
Which Did They Choose?
Harlem Condominium
TriBeCa Co-op
Park Slope Condominium
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