A Pandemic Love Story and The Start of a New Life Together

by Julie Koppman

How Hana and Nash Chose Ninh Tran as Their Agent

Hana and Nash met on the dating app Bumble, fell in love during the pandemic, and were intent on building a life together. Part of that plan was to buy a house. A friend happened to send them a video featuring Rêve Agent Ninh Tran. They were impressed by how knowledgeable Ninh was about the city, its neighborhoods, the architecture, and what it’s like to be a homeowner in New Orleans, so they reached out and started working with him.

A Modern Day Love Story

Having lived all over the world — from Korea to New York City to Seattle and Las Vegas – Hana has a background in marketing and moved to New Orleans in January 2020. She had recently been diagnosed with cancer, undergone treatment, and regained her health — and felt inextricably drawn to New Orleans. Reveals Hana, “I guess you could say I was experiencing a kind of rebirth and ready to start the next chapter in my life.”

Nash was born and raised in New Orleans but moved away after high school, embarking on a tech career that took him all over the world as well, from San Francisco to London to Singapore. When the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything, and Nash was given the opportunity to work from anywhere, he jumped at the chance to move back home.

While neither expected to find a serious relationship right away, that’s exactly what happened. Hana says she didn’t place much faith in the dating app, but it worked, and the pandemic allowed them to spend real quality time together — getting to know each other in a vacuum.

What They Were Looking For

After moving in together in August 2020, they went from one AirBnB to another due to mold issues, and soon decided they wanted a home of their own. “We were really excited about the idea of building a life together – and getting a dog,” says Hana.

Nash notes that they were interested in a single family home with 3-4 bedrooms and looked Uptown, in the Bywater, and in Mid-City. While they originally thought they wanted an older home, their criteria changed. Something newer, fresh, and move-in ready — with the proper set-up to work from home — became a priority.

“We also wanted something that felt cozy, and when we walked into this house, the energy just felt right. My family is here visiting now, and they keep saying how happy the space is and how bright and positive it feels – which is really what we were looking for,” explains Hana.

Ninh’s Calm Demeanor and Proactive Nature Were Stress Relievers

The beautiful house Hana and Nash settled on was built in 2012, and they love everything about it, including the Freret neighborhood, and their ability to walk to all the restaurants and shops nearby. But when inspections during the home buying process revealed mold (Hana has a mold allergy), things got complicated. Then, as they neared their closing date, Hurricane Zeta loomed in the Gulf of Mexico.

Mold remediation can be a significant effort with multiple steps involved, but Ninh took that concern off their plates and made sure everything was carried out promptly and correctly. And when it came to the hurricane, Ninh filed for a natural disasters extension on the closing and managed a second round of inspections after the weather system had moved through. Says Nash, “It delayed the process and made things kind of stressful, but in general, we had the best possible outcome, despite all of that!”

“Ninh’s just the best, and I would refer him to anyone and everyone,” declares Hana. In fact, he’s currently helping her parents and sister as they house-hunt in New Orleans. “He’s very on it, very responsive, and communicates well. But what I really appreciate is his demeanor – he’s very cool and calm under pressure. He just never flinched.”

Adds Nash, “Ninh is pretty relaxed in high stress situations and very good at managing that. He’s also detail-oriented, so he notices the small stuff, and he cares about the small stuff. There’s a lot to keep track of, but he did a great job. It really made us respect Ninh’s approach all the more.”

When you have a great agent, that’s how it should be. Need help with your next real estate move or venture? Contact Rêve Realtors.