Last year, Sulia Rose Altenberg and Forrest Wasko ran out of wall space.

The couple, who went antiquing on their first date, had each brought a collection of art and artifacts to their relationship. For a while, they were able to combine them into an 888-square-foot apartment in the Longfellow neighborhood of Minneapolis. But there wasn’t much room to grow.

In fact, the space was shrinking as both Ms. Altenberg and Mx. Wasko, who uses they/them pronouns, continued to produce artwork of their own.

Curious about what else was out there, they started checking out open houses, until one finally sparked an epiphany. “That burst the bubble of, ‘We can keep doing this,’” said Ms. Altenberg, 30. “We got home from that open house and were like, ‘Nope, we can’t keep doing this.’”

As they got their finances together, the two began assembling a wish list. They wanted more room to grow not just artistically but as a family, and hoped to have a space for hosting guests. That meant at least two bedrooms, ideally three, plus a basement that could act as a studio or flex space. They also couldn’t imagine another Minnesota winter without a garage.

A home with character would be a bonus, Ms. Altenberg said, and might include details like vintage doorknobs or original hardwood. “We didn’t want a weirdly redone gray kitchen,” she said. “That’s not fun.”

Above all, the couple, who got married last June, were looking to plant long-term roots. Ms. Altenberg grew up in the Twin Cities, while Mx. Wasko arrived from South Dakota in 2013, and they both value being a part of a neighborhood community: Ms. Altenberg works with the Powderhorn Park Rent Relief network, which provides rent assistance to neighbors in need, and Mx. Wasko is a local photographer and arts administrator.

“I wanted this home that we were going to move into to be the last home we were going to live in,” said Mx. Wasko, 31.

With that in mind, they called their friend Emily Rose Duea of ATD Realty to represent them on a deal and act as a trusted sounding board. They could work with a budget of up to $375,000, but hoped to find something for closer to $325,000.

“They were so prepared and so clear on what they were looking for,” Ms. Duea said. “Artists have the ability to see the potential of third spaces. A bedroom doesn’t have to be a bedroom.”

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