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She’s from Lexington. He’s from California. Their Dream House Is in Bedford.

These New York City newlyweds found their first and forever home in the Bay State.


Photo by Aubrey Greene

Amanda Blauer and Rob Nafie closed on an 1870s farmhouse in Bedford in May of 2022. With an interior footprint of just under 3,000 square feet, the home sits on a lot that extends nearly an acre. With four bedrooms and a loft above the two-car garage, the house will eventually need some updates, but it has the location and ample space Amanda and Rob craved. Read on for some insight into their home-buying experience.

List Price: $1,125,000
Sale Price: $1,145,000
Listing Broker: Suzanne Koller, Suzanne & Company

Courtesy photo

What was the house-hunting process like?

We started looking four months before finding our home. The biggest issue was how quickly houses were flying off the market, and we were unable to see a lot in person because we were living in New York City.

Did you two want the same things in a house?

Rob was looking for an older house he could put his own touches on, while I would have been fine with a new house. In the area we were looking, we found more of a fixer-upper was what was in our price range.

Why were you looking in Bedford? What is it about the town that you like?

I grew up in Lexington, just down the street from our new home. After living in NYC for 10 years, we were craving fresh air, lots of space, and a yard for our dog. Rob is from California, but we always planned to move back to Massachusetts to be close to my family when we were ready to settle down. We found Bedford to be more affordable than Lexington while still a great community with good schools to raise a family.

Courtesy photo

What drew you to this home?

Rob initially loved that it was an old farmhouse to which he could add his own style. As a Pilates instructor with my own online business, I saw that it had the perfect separate studio space I could film in and even have in-person private sessions. It was the mix we were looking for, with enough room to make it a forever home. We also just loved how the lot looked and the beautiful black-and-white exterior.

Do you have any updates or plans for future renovations or projects?

We refinished the wood floors throughout the house to brighten the space. We have been slowly painting each room, one by one, to put our own touches on it. We plan to do a complete kitchen renovation years down the line and would love to add an additional bathroom upstairs as part of a primary bedroom suite.