Dad Spends $100K Building Daughters’ Dream Apartments in Childhood Home So They Don’t Waste Money on N.Y.C. Rent

After college, sisters Hameedah and Jameelah Khadar headed to New York City, drawn by the promise of independence and opportunity. Instead, they quickly found themselves squeezed into tiny spaces with massive rent payments.

Over the last two years, 26-year-old Jameelah was paying $2,200 a month for a flex three-bedroom in Cobble Hill, while 25-year-old Hameedah was shelling out $2,800 for a studio in downtown Brooklyn.

When their father, 61-year-old Jamal Khadar, realized how much his daughters were spending just to keep a roof over their heads, he was stunned — and immediately started thinking of a better long-term solution.

At the start of 2025, the father of four launched a major renovation of the family home in Potomac, Maryland. His plan: turn the basement into a full, stylish suite for Jameelah and build a new, private addition for more introverted, privacy-loving Hameedah.

Although leaving New York wasn’t an easy choice, both sisters decided to move back home in October 2025. While the projects are underway, they’re staying in their childhood bedrooms in the main house, where their younger sister, 23-year-old Memounah, also lives.

“Jameelah is moving into the basement. Our dad started building it about seven months ago,” says Memounah. “She’s been customizing it with him the whole time — sending him ideas, tweaking the layout and picking details.”

The finished basement reflects that effort: custom built-in closets, heated floors, a marble-detailed bathroom and even a small cat nook carved directly into the wall.

“I am extremely passionate about interior design,” Jameelah says. “I get a lot of inspiration from TikTok and Architectural Digest, and I’ve found pieces on Facebook Marketplace and at vintage markets.”

The space also includes a six-seat movie room and a home gym, turning the basement from a typical storage area into a full, comfortable living space.

By December 2025, Jameelah is expected to move into her new suite — a renovation her dad estimates cost close to $40,000, roughly what she would have spent on about 18 months of rent in New York.

Hameedah’s new space is being built as a connected but separate “apartment,” with its own entrance and garage.

“She will have her own kitchenette, bathroom, bedroom, closet and lounge,” explains Memounah. “It’s basically a one-bed, one-bath apartment that’s all hers.”

Construction on her addition began about a month ago, and at the pace things are moving, she’s expected to be able to move in around February 2026.

“Everything is 100 percent customized and he didn’t want to cut any corners,” says Memounah. “He wanted it to feel perfect for them.”

Because Hameedah’s area is being built from the ground up, Jamal estimates it will cost close to $60,000 — about what she would have spent on rent over 21 months if she had stayed in New York.

Even with the total price tag approaching $100,000, the family feels the investment is more than worth it. With all three Khadar sisters saving heavily on rent, they can now enjoy young adulthood while also putting money aside toward buying homes of their own someday.

“My wife and I are extremely excited and grateful to have our girls back under one roof,” Jamal says. “I’ve dreamed about this ever since they left for college.”

“I remember being their age, and homeownership felt like a given. It’s not so simple anymore,” he adds. “I felt it was my turn to step up and help give them a better shot at owning a home one day.”