Jordan Lombardo and Brad Senffner met on a relationship app in 2017, however they didn’t hyperlink up in particular person till six months later — accidentally.
Mr. Lombardo’s mom had come to go to him in Chicago, and the 2 went out for brunch. As they completed their meal, Mr. Lombardo seen Mr. Senffner waving to him from throughout the road, which he discovered odd — odd sufficient that his mom cried out, “Who is that this outdated furry daddy waving to you?”
[Did you recently buy a home? We want to hear from you. Email: thehunt@nytimes.com]
“That was once I realized that we spoke earlier than however by no means met,” stated Mr. Lombardo, now 28, who’s from the Pittsburgh space. “I gave him a hug and known as him the mistaken identify: Adam.”
Mr. Senffner requested what Mr. Lombardo’s plan was for the day, they usually realized they have been each going to take a look at the identical native seaside. They’ve been collectively ever since. A couple of months after they met, Mr. Lombardo moved into Mr. Senffner’s three-bedroom residence, which he shared with two roommates for $3,200 a month.
It was time to search out their first place collectively, however Mr. Lombardo, who had solely been residing in Chicago for a few years, had a reasonably large ask: He wished to maneuver to New York, the place he’d attended Hunter School for 3 years and thrived amid town’s walkability and surprise.
Extra was at stake for Mr. Senffner, 42, who grew up in a small city south of Chicago. However when Mr. Lombardo requested him to maneuver midway throughout the nation, the reply was shocking. “We have been simply driving at some point throughout the holidays, and he was like, ‘Let’s transfer. Let’s do it,’” Mr. Lombardo stated.
The couple arrived in Manhattan in 2018 and tried short-term leases to really feel out totally different neighborhoods. Their first spot was a one-bedroom in Washington Heights, the place they lived for a month. “The solar was crucial factor within the residence,” stated Mr. Senffner, the occasions director at an upscale restaurant and occasion area in Manhattan. “It could permeate each area. And now we have a grand piano that moved with us, that’s been with me since I graduated school.”
They moved on to residences within the East Village, then the West Village, and eventually Harlem, the place they rented a duplex that had just one window per stage. That they had a personal patio, a respite from the darkness inside, the place they might entertain pals and let their two Frenchies out without having to stroll them when the winter chill arrived.
The couple acquired married in that Harlem rental on New Yr’s Eve 2023 and began interested by shopping for a spot. They loved residing in Harlem, and likewise liked the neighborhood vibe up in Washington Heights. They did some analysis and located that they certified for a first-time purchaser mortgage charge with a price range of as much as $800,000.
“There’s a sure comfort that comes with Harlem — transit-wise, connectivity, walkability, all of that,” stated Mr. Lombardo, a flight attendant. “I believe we have simply grow to be accustomed to this and we knew that we might get extra for our cash in Higher Manhattan.”
They contacted Ashley Jeudy, an agent within the Harlem workplace at Brown Harris Stevens, who started displaying them two-bedrooms that match their wants, together with a terrific kitchen, numerous mild, and pet pleasant. The couple wished sufficient area to entertain and host in a single day friends, they usually leaned towards prewar appeal as a substitute of newer developments.
The couple tried to remain effectively below their $800,000 price range in order that they’d have funds left over to make any area into one thing of their very own. “We assumed that we might do some sort of renovation or adjustment,” Mr. Senffner stated. “For instance, we’ll do quite a lot of trimming stuff on this area to make it really feel extra collected, designed.”
Discover out what occurred subsequent by answering these two questions:
