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n a transatlantic dance, Adam Stone and Jordan Fenlon had been navigating life between the US and Britain for years. Born deaf, they'd grown accustomed to bridging cultural divides, but as they approached middle age, they yearned to put down roots in one place. London, their initial choice, proved elusive due to fire-safety documentation issues, a pressing concern in the wake of the 2017 Grenfell Tower tragedy.
The couple pivoted, opting for New York City, a hub roughly equidistant from England and California, where Dr. Stone grew up. "It's all about community," Dr. Fenlon said, highlighting the importance of being part of the deaf community they'd found in NYC.
With a budget of $800,000 to $900,000, they sought a location near public transportation and green spaces – "somewhere to run and have a dog," Dr. Fenlon explained. A doorman would be a welcome feature for receiving deliveries, as they often rely on visual cues rather than auditory ones.
Jackie Roth, a licensed associate broker at the Corcoran Group who's also deaf, joined their search. Through the deaf community, Dr. Stone knew Ms. Roth, and her expertise proved invaluable in navigating the hearing world with tools like ASL interpreters, voice-to-text transcription, captioning, lip reading, and written English.
"We didn't need interpreters every time we spoke to Jackie," Dr. Stone said, appreciating the seamless communication they enjoyed. "It was wonderful having full access – that's how it should be for everyone."
Ms. Roth took them on a neighborhood tour, window shopping in various areas to help them gauge their preferences and affordability. Dr. Stone meticulously documented their visits, rating each property with a color-coded system: green for favorites, yellow for possibilities, and red for rejects.
Their search spanned 33 properties, but concerns about co-op board approval lingered. "I worried about discrimination," Dr. Stone admitted, recalling nightmares of being rejected due to their deafness. Ms. Roth reassured them, emphasizing that they were strong candidates, while also educating them on the city's housing landscape – prewar co-ops, with their potential assessments and structural issues, often presented unique challenges.
As they navigated this complex terrain, Dr. Fenlon began working as a research scientist for New York City's health department, commuting to Long Island City some days. Dr. Stone, meanwhile, worked remotely as the director of analytics engineering for a data consultancy, leveraging his Ph.D. in educational neuroscience.
