Written by: Margaret Devlin
I was destined to love The Hunt.
For years and years, in my grandmother’s sunken, wood-paneled family room, we watched HGTV every night before bed. We watched Hilary and David bicker on Love It or List It. We watched Property Brothers and debated which (of the identical twin brothers) was cuter.
But truth be told, the houses were the real draw. Could a dream kitchen cancel out a grueling commute? What if I told you that the kitchen has (and you’ll never believe it) stainless steel appliances? My grandma and I made bets during commercial breaks.
One day, I graduated to Zillow and Trulia. I would pore over houses and apartments in different cities, occasionally sending them to my sister so she too could admire a bay window in the living room of a house we would never see.
Now, I have The Hunt.
For the unacquainted, The Hunt is a subsection of The New York Times’ “Lifestyle” column. I’m obsessed. Every article introduces a homebuyer (or renter) and gives a small window into their life. Think: their job, their family, their reason for moving. Then, readers consider three possible apartments/homes and vote on our personal favorites and our guess. Afterwards, we read which option won out and how the homebuyer has adjusted to their new space.
Joyce Cohen writes my favorites. She established The Hunt in 2004 (one year before I was born, might I add). Most, if not all, of Cohen’s articles are based in New York. My brother grew up in Brooklyn, and I think I feel some sort of East Coast camaraderie with New Yorkers.
In an article published last week, Cohen presents, “Downtown Tower or Tree-Lined Street? A New Brooklynite Weighed Her Options.” We meet Robin Clayton, who’s looking for a condo in Fort Greene. After renting a few apartments in the neighborhood, Clayton is ready to buy. In her new home, she wants sunlight, her own washer-dryer unit, and easy access to the subway.
She has three options: “Boxy Downtown Condo,” “Downtown Brooklyn Supertall,” and “Fort Greene Boutique Condo.”
Boxy Downtown Condo has heated floors in the bathroom and close proximity to a dozen subway lines. Downtown Brooklyn Supertall is the largest, at 825 square feet, with floor-to-ceiling windows and “postcard views” of the city. Fort Greene Boutique Condo is the smallest but most affordable at $999,000.
Which to choose? I would choose Fort Greene Boutique easily. It’s closest to Fort Greene Park, and it has a kitchen island and a balcony.
For Clayton, Downtown Brooklyn Supertall made the most sense. The commute would be significantly more convenient.
I’m still loyal to other sections of the New York Times: Modern Love, Routine, and of course, Metropolitan Diary. But The Hunt has recently found its way into my heart; it’s a unique window into someone else’s life. I love showing it to friends and debating which house is best.
Oftentimes, at the end of an article, there will be photos of the living room fully decorated. There’s something beautiful in how we inhabit a space and make it home.
Featured Image Caption: The Hunt homepage.
