Finding Home · October 2026
We Need Room to Grow - But How Much?
A growing family weighs space against the responsibility of a house, your September market update, and a storytelling night we LOVED. Scroll on!
WHERE YA BEEN?
I’m Back! With News…
The Finding Home newsletter is BACK! And with a brand new look!
What’s sparking this reboot?
Well… I’ve officially made the move from Corcoran to R New York! And what better way to announce it than by bringing back everyone’s favorite newsletter?
As my clients know, I’m a very hands-on broker, and our relationships extend far past the closing table. Whether it’s showing up at their door with a wet/dry vac after a storm floods their basement, or helping them interview architects & contractors ahead of a reno — I’m here to support however they need. This move will empower me to run my business in the personal, high-touch way I know best.
So scroll through, let me know what you think of our new style, our new website, or send over your own recent musings.
FINDING HOME
Room to Grow - But How Much?
Ben and Maya* first told me they were curious about buying at a mutual friend’s baby naming ceremony. They weren’t ready to make a move just yet, so we opted for an exploratory tour to get a feel for what was out there. A year later, they were ready to pick up the search!
With a rosy-cheeked baby in tow and hopes for a second child, they wanted room to grow - but not too much room. A condo offered the comfort of shared responsibility, while a townhouse offered the space they wanted - along with a roof, a cellar, and a whole lot of questions about caring for it all.
Enough room for a family of four
An easy commute, ideally near the Q
Good sunlight and a neighborhood to roam with the kids
Character! Though the idea of a turnkey home was incredibly appealing
Among their options:
NO. 1
The Victorian Beauty
13 photos · Click to enlarge
This three-story home was filled with charm, with seven bedrooms and a renovation that was several decades old. They could live in it as it was and make changes over time. Two blocks from Prospect Park, close to the train and friends, it had plenty going for it. But seven bedrooms! Was this more house than they wanted to take on?
NO. 2
The Blue Townhouse
16 photos · Click to enlarge
Behind the blue walls and playful decorating was a recently renovated home with four bedrooms for their family, plus a separate two-bedroom rental apartment on the first floor. That rental income could cover a healthy chunk of their monthly mortgage payment. They also liked that someone had lived there for several years since the renovation and worked through the kinks. The neighborhood appealed more than the immediate block, and the train wasn’t their preferred line - but it could work. Public transportation matters a lot in this city!
NO. 3
The Beams & Brick
13 photos · Click to enlarge
Exposed beams and white-painted brick gave this home a rustic feel, and it was just the right size. Three bedrooms sat on the floor above the parlor, while the garden level offered room for an au pair or visiting parents. This was their favorite location, only two blocks from the park. The catch: it was roughly $800,000 above their preferred budget, with no rental apartment to offset the cost. And the commute would still be 45 minutes.
*Names have been changed.
Which do you think they chose?
Loading…
Click for the reveal.
MARKET INDICATOR
Manhattan
South of Central Park North
September 2026 vs. September 2025
What it means: September brought fresh choices, but fewer deals than last year. New listings fell 8.9% from this time last year, while contract signings fell 19.2%. That larger drop in signed deals is worth watching, though it doesn’t tell us how individual homes are being received. September’s new listings may take time to become contracts. For sellers, I’d pay close attention to competing homes and early buyer response. For buyers, the fall arrivals are worth exploring - without assuming every seller is ready to negotiate. Every neighborhood is different — let me know your neighborhood, and I’ll share a more detailed local report.
MARKET INDICATOR
Brooklyn
Northwest of Prospect Park
September 2026 vs. September 2025
What it means: More homes came to market in our selected Brooklyn neighborhoods this September: new listings rose 4.8% from September 2025, while contract signings fell 7.9%. That gives buyers more fresh options, but it doesn’t mean competition has disappeared. Homes on the best blocks with compelling pricing are still drawing bidding wars! Curious about how your home or block compare? I’ll send you a more local report.
FEATURE
Impossible New York Stories
I brought a few friends to see Impossible New York Stories at Caveat on the Lower East Side, and we LOVED it. Host Laura Canty-Samuel was engaging, hilarious, and had coached her storytellers so well that even the simplest stories had us choking on our drinks with laughter. We begged her for a selfie afterward!
The next show isn’t until 11/29, but in the meantime, check out some of Caveat’s other nerdy comedy shows!
That’s all for today!
Questions about the market, comments, or musings to share? Just reply to this email!
Roni Rose
New York City Real Estate Broker
R New York