The Hunt
They Wanted a Two-Bedroom in Queens for $500,000 — Dishwasher Optional. Which Option Did They Buy?
For a couple of pizza lovers trying to buy their first home, finding a new place meant finding the right kitchen, even if it meant a renovation. Here were their choices.
Shortly after Covid-19 hit, Michelle de Vera and Serhan Ayhan settled into a one-bedroom in Woodside, Queens. The kitchen had plenty of uninterrupted counter space — an essential for Mr. Ayhan, who is a pizza maker and “pizza influencer.”
The couple’s rent, around $1,950 a month, was ideal, too. Ms. de Vera, who then worked in the airline industry, had an easy trip via public transportation to the Queens airports. She now works in operations for a tech company, a job that still entails frequent visits to the airports.
The apartment was also close to Mr. Ayhan’s family, who had a rowhouse in Jackson Heights. (Before his relatives retired four years ago, they owned Boston Pizza, in Astoria.) When he’s not busy with pizza, he works in the field of financial due diligence.
One major downside was the lack of a dishwasher. “The many dirty dishes were getting out of hand,” said Ms. de Vera, 32. “It got to a breaking point.” So they bought a countertop dishwasher. “It was life changing,” she said.
She would spend hours on video calls for work while Mr. Ayhan, 36, clanked in the kitchen and tried to stay out of camera range. They longed for more living space and two bedrooms.
“We are really big savers,” Ms. de Vera said. “We did the math and there was no reason we should be renting anymore.”
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Their criteria included a kitchen — with a dishwasher — that was suitable for making dough, and space for hosting pizza nights. In every apartment they visited, Mr. Ayhan checked to see whether the oven was big enough to accommodate his pizza peel.
For a top price in the low $500,000s, they aimed for a co-op unit with a monthly maintenance of $1,000 or less. And they wanted to stay local — Woodside, Sunnyside or Jackson Heights.
They contacted Kunal Khemlani of the Corcoran Group, who had helped a friend. He emphasized the three things that are impossible to change — location, light and layout — and warned the couple against falling in love with a place. “It’s going to cloud your logic,” he said. “There is more than one right property.”
The couple soon realized they could manage with only their countertop dishwasher — as long as they had space to install a standard dishwasher later. “Most buildings will allow a dishwasher if there is a plumbing line,” Mr. Khemlani said, noting that restrictions on dishwashers are less common than those on washer-dryers.
Among their options:
No. 1
New Renovation in Jackson Heights
This two-bedroom, one-bath unit, with around 875 square feet, was in a six-story 1937 co-op and had been renovated throughout. It had a separate dining room, foyer and eat-in kitchen with a dishwasher, and came with a soundproofed bedroom, new plumbing and electric, wood blinds and original oak floors. The price was $545,000, with maintenance in the high $600s.
No. 2
Low Floor in Sunnyside
This renovated two-bedroom, one-bath unit, with around 1,000 square feet, was on a low floor in a 1931 co-op complex. Both bedrooms were spacious and the living room offered a view of the building’s courtyard. The kitchen, though renovated with a dishwasher, was on the small side, with a narrow counter, and the place was a bit farther from Mr. Ayhan's family than the others. The price was $529,000, with monthly maintenance of around $1,000.
No. 3
Walk-up in Jackson Heights
This two-bedroom, one-bath apartment, with 1,000 square feet, was on a high floor in a small, mostly self-managed, walk-up building from 1914. It had a long hallway, east and west exposures, a large but drab kitchen with no dishwasher, but the lower price would leave funds for upgrades. The price was $399,000, with monthly maintenance in the high $600s.
Find out what happened next by answering these two questions:
Which Would You Choose?
New Renovation in Jackson Heights
Low Floor in Sunnyside
Walk-up in Jackson Heights
Which Did They Buy?
New Renovation in Jackson Heights
Low Floor in Sunnyside
Walk-up in Jackson Heights