"Ariella first started renting this 2000-square-foot Flatbush townhouse at the start of the pandemic. 'It was a great deal at the time, definitely a COVID deal, and was about six times the amount of space I had previously,' she begins."
"But then, a flood upended everything. Contractors hired by her landlord to do work on a pipe ended up using the wrong cement to fill in the ground in front of the townhouse. Ariella writes that it 'turns out there is a crucial difference between indoor and outdoor cement, and after an overnight rain, the entire garden level of the house flooded with cementy-water!'"
"'It was pretty dramatic, front to back, totally flooded, ruined my rugs and anything else sitting on the floor,' says Ariella, who didn't want to leave the dreamy unit while waiting for the damage to be fixed."
"When the landlord eventually told Ariella he was going to sell the townhouse, her experience of setbacks transformed into an opportunity for homeownership."
Ariella Mandel's journey from tenant to homeowner in Brooklyn's Flatbush neighborhood showcases resilience. Initially renting a spacious townhouse with beautiful architecture, her experience took a turn when a flood caused by improper cement use led to significant damage. Despite the challenges, including living among boxes for months, Ariella's determination to stay in her beloved home ultimately resulted in her purchasing the property. Her story exemplifies how adversity can lead to unexpected opportunities in life and homeownership.
Read at Apartment Therapy
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