When he returned to New York a decade ago, he co-founded a nonprofit, MoveNYC, where he now serves as chief executive of programming and artist development. But settling in the city didn’t mean finding stability, and Mr. Campbell, 39, bounced from apartment to apartment as New York grew ever more expensive.
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“I’ve been moving every two years, because my rent keeps going up so much that I actually get priced out of the apartments that I’m living in,” he said.
At his last rental, a one-bedroom on the Upper West Side, a looming $800 rent increase finally convinced him to consider buying a place. But he had no idea where to start. Neither of his parents are homeowners, “so the concept was really far away and hard to grasp,” he said.
His partner, Kyle Weekes, encouraged him to stay the course. The couple, who met five years ago, had been sharing the Manhattan rental and planned to keep living together, but Mr. Campbell would be making the purchase alone with his savings. Mr. Weekes, a vocalist, was deeply involved in the process, offering practical advice and emotional support.
“Kyle is my partner, and so of course I want to get his input and his thoughts and his ideas, because he’s going to be there,” Mr. Campbell said.
As with so many lucky breaks in New York, it’s all about who you know. For Mr. Campbell, that was Ellen Gottlieb of Corcoran, who had attended many MoveNYC events and was excited to work with Mr. Campbell because “he’s an inspiring human being,” she said.
In February, they settled on a budget of up to $600,000 and started visiting two-bedroom, two-bath apartments around the city. Ms. Gottlieb entered the budget, desired locations and amenities into a Corcoran database, which would trigger alerts to Mr. Campbell about promising listings.
“Things turned around after that fairly quickly,” he said. “The access to the inventory was a totally different experience.”
The couple was open to any neighborhood that was affordable. On their checklist: lots of closets, a kitchen with space to prepare food out of view of guests, pet-friendly for their German shepherd, and an elevator.
“That was a stipulation from my mother: no walk-ups,” Mr. Campbell said.
Among their options:
No. 1
Renovated Co-op in Midwood
This 1,200-square-foot, two-bedroom co-op unit was on the fourth floor of a prewar building with two elevators. A freshly renovated sponsor unit, it had two full bathrooms, six deep closets, a galley kitchen, two exposures with bright afternoon light, and a washer-dryer off the foyer. The sunken living room and dining area would be good for dinner parties. The building allowed pets, but there was no outdoor space or nearby park. Mr. Weekes grew up nearby and his family still lived in the area. The price was $595,000, with monthly maintenance of around $1,100.
No. 2
Condo With Balcony in Riverdale
This 1,100-square-foot condo, on the third floor of a seven-story elevator building from 2008, was close to Mr. Campbell’s family, including his sister and her newborn baby. The living space was fully open, with a kitchen island, a dining area in the corner and a living room with huge picture windows. There was a washer-dryer and a balcony off the guest bedroom that overlooked a parking lot. A gym and roof deck were included in the pet-friendly complex, though packages were delivered to a separate building. The price was $600,000, with monthly charges of around $1,350, including taxes.
No. 3
Spacious Co-op in Cypress Hills
This renovated two-bedroom co-op unit was on a low floor in a six-story prewar building near the Brooklyn-Queens border. At 1,350 square feet, it was one of the biggest places they saw and offered nice southwestern views. There was an eat-in kitchen, a discrete space for a home office or third bedroom, a separate dining room, and seven closets. Mr. Campbell didn’t love the wood paneling on some of the walls or the lack of a washer-dryer, but the building had a laundry room and basement storage. The price was $440,000, with monthly maintenance of around $1,350.
Find out what happened next by answering these two questions:
Which Would You Choose?
Renovated Co-op in Midwood
Condo With Balcony in Riverdale
Spacious Co-op in Cypress Hills
Which Did He Buy?
Renovated Co-op in Midwood
Condo With Balcony in Riverdale
Spacious Co-op in Cypress Hills