All that glitters is not gold
Pros
The neighborhood’s nice, the front yard bench is a great place to relax on a nice summer evening, and the apartment finally has in-building laundry. Oh, and the neighbors in the building themselves are an absolute delight!
Cons
There’s lead paint in this building that the landlord failed to disclose, the super will gaslight you for unreasonable cause, and sure, there’s in-building laundry, but $3.00 to wash/$3.00 to dry?? Oh, also: heat has been a perpetual issue in this building to the point you’ll need to keep emailing throughout the winter.
Advice to the owners
Work on addressing all the cons outlined above, and maybe don’t charge exorbitant rent for a pre-war building sorely in need of a gut renovation.
Great $ deal, just know what to expect
Pros
Landlord’s quick to respond and requested repairs are generally conducted timely (with a caveat, see below). Landlord’s respectful and won’t hassle you unnecessarily, he’s a reasonable person. Rent’s decent and the neighborhood’s very safe, even late at night. Neighbors in the building are very nice and respectful!
Cons
The quality of doors and other fixtures is questionable, and noiseproofing is inadequate. The super does not know how to repair stuff well. Floorboards creak and certain plumbing issues have persisted since day 1 (hot water+water pressure are great!). Heating’s unpredictable (landlord‘s not stingy, but it’s a standard NYC apartment issue) as old steam heaters will either under- or overheat your apartment.
Advice to the owners
Renovate the apartment before letting it to new tenants, you’ll easily make up the investment through increased rent and peace of mind.