The Journey to a Shared Brooklyn Home
In Brooklyn, a group of friends, many of whom were expatriates and world travelers, aimed to create a close-knit community. They regularly met for Sunday “family dinners.” Inspired by some in their circle who had already purchased a three-unit brownstone in Crown Heights, Rebecca Wilson, Tom Pryor, and Andrew Moore, all renters in downtown Brooklyn high-rises, decided to unite and buy a multifamily house, each securing an apartment.
Andrew Moore, 37, working in philanthropy and with a background in the foreign service, valued living near trusted friends. He met Rebecca Wilson, an Australian running a consulting firm, through a business school classmate. After years in a high-rise, Wilson craved a communal lifestyle. Tom Pryor, 38, an Australian in education technology, had previously enjoyed living with friends in a shared townhouse in Oakland, California.
Initially, a larger group showed interest in this communal living concept, but eventually, it narrowed down to these three. They sought a three- or four-family house in good condition, within walking distance of their Crown Heights friends, with each unit having one or two bedrooms. They discussed conflict resolution and future decisions, like handling a potential sale.
Their budget was between $2 million and $3.5 million, to be divided based on the value of the chosen units. They enlisted Roni Rose, an associate broker at the Corcoran Group, who highlighted the challenges of finding a suitable property in their desired location, with the right setup and move-in condition.
