Making Her Homebuying Debut in Manhattan With $475,000 to Spend
A Young Actress’s First foray into Homeownership
Mia Sinclair Jenness has had a busy couple of years. She was an understudy in the 2023 Broadway production of “Grey House,” then moved to another understudy job in the revival of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s play “Appropriate.” After taking a leave of absence from Pace University to pursue acting full-time, she felt she was at something of a “crossroads” at age 18.
From Sublets to a Soft Place to Land
What would she do after “Appropriate” ended? Where would she live? Maybe it was time to buy an apartment, if she could afford one.
“At first, I was a little hesitant because, obviously, I am so young,” said Ms. Jenness, now 19. “But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a really good idea to have a soft place to land.”
A Life of Constant Change
Ms. Jenness grew up in Manhattan Plaza, an affordable-housing building in Hell’s Kitchen that’s home to many artists. She’s been onstage for over a decade, most notably sharing the title role in the national tour of the musical “Matilda.” She’s also done voice work for animated shows on Disney and Netflix, as well as some screen acting.
All that experience meant living out of suitcases, a formative experience for a child. “Nothing ever was super permanent in my life from a very young age,” she said.
Setting a Budget and Getting Started
Recently, Ms. Jenness had been subletting around Midtown. An apartment of her own would be something she could “depend on,” even if a new gig took her to Los Angeles or if she went on another tour.
She had saved her earnings in a Coogan account, a type of trust for child actors, so she hoped to pay for a studio or one-bedroom entirely on her own. “I was lucky enough to not have a family or a crazy stage mom that took all my money and ran, which easily could have happened, and it has happened to people I know,” she said.
To get started, she got in touch with her old babysitter, Jessica Cloonan, now an agent at Corcoran, and together they set a budget of around $475,000.
Priorities and Preferences
Ms. Jenness wanted to stay on the West Side of Manhattan and be near subways, preferably the A-C-E line. Growing up, she loved the sense of community in Manhattan Plaza, and she hoped to find something similar in a new building. But she also wanted a younger vibe.
Given her budget, she didn’t mind a fixer-upper, something she could personalize. And with her unpredictable schedule, she needed a building with a flexible subletting policy.
Searching for the Right Fit
“We wanted to look at places that were either on the older side or that didn’t have things recently modified,” Ms. Cloonan said.
What Happened Next?
To find out what happened next, answer these two questions:
* Did Ms. Jenness find her dream apartment?
* What challenges did she face in her homebuying journey?
Conclusion
Ms. Jenness’s story is a reminder that even young people can take control of their financial future and make smart decisions about homeownership. With careful planning and a clear understanding of her priorities, she was able to make her homebuying debut in Manhattan with $475,000 to spend.
FAQs
Q: What is a Coogan account?
A: A Coogan account is a type of trust for child actors to save their earnings.
Q: Why did Ms. Jenness want to stay on the West Side of Manhattan?
A: She wanted to be near subways and have a sense of community, similar to what she experienced growing up in Manhattan Plaza.
Q: What was Ms. Jenness’s budget for her homebuying journey?
A: Her budget was around $475,000.
