S
elene Plastiras, an in-house lawyer from California, arrived in New York in April 2022 to fill a temporary role. She was immediately drawn to the city's energy and friendly people. After a few months in corporate housing in TriBeCa, she decided to stay permanently. Ms. Plastiras transferred her job and rented a one-bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side for $3,900 a month.

    However, she soon discovered that the city wasn't perfect for her. The stairs in her walk-up building were a challenge, and the summer heat made her portable air-conditioner inadequate. The noise from Columbus Avenue was also a drawback. So last spring, Ms. Plastiras considered moving to Brooklyn, which seemed quieter than Manhattan.

    She investigated buying a home in Brooklyn but found that her budget of $600,000 to $800,000 wouldn't give her much more space or amenities than renting. She wanted a brand-new building with outdoor space, as she had experienced the maintenance costs of an older condo in California. With the help of real estate agent Tami Kurtz, Ms. Plastiras searched for new developments in and around Bedford-Stuyvesant.

    Ms. Kurtz warned her against first-floor units due to flood risk and advised her to look for higher floors. The available options were mostly boxy one-bedroom apartments in boutique buildings.