Five New Yorkers tell us the one thing they would change about their apartment if they could:
Another place to wash up: I wish my apartment had a sink in the bathroom. I love my huge kitchen but having one sink for the whole apartment is inconvenient when I have guests over and gives me no choice but to clean every dish immediately so the sink is kept free for other uses.--Nicole, Communications professional, Greenpoint, 1 bedroom railroad style apartment, $1600
Make the bathrooms smarter: I moved into a two bedroom, two bath rental and it is the first time I've ever had two bathrooms in my ten years in New York City. All new fixtures, but a pedestal sink in both. Worse, tiled floor-to-ceiling which looks great, but means you can't hang shelves, add towel racks, etc. So there is literally no storage space except for a small medicine cabinet. Nowhere to put a hairdryer, or an extra roll of toilet paper. Watching my wife balance her makeup on the edge of a pedestal sink is quite a sight. -- Mark, Web Design, Harlem, 2BR, $2350
Add a dose of quietude: My apartment is practically perfect; it is big and has a backyard, a dishwasher, a real-sized living room and dining room. I know I am lucky but one thing I would like to change about my apartment would be sound insulation. I get a lot of noise from traffic on the busy street in Brooklyn that my window overlooks. Garbage trucks and other big wheelers are constantly disturbing my sleep. --Morgan, Marketing, Williamsburg, 2BR, $2100
Bring the laundry inside: I would add a washer/dryer to the apartment, because I spend so much money on laundry whether or not I do it myself at the laundromat or send it out. On top of that, not having one in my apartment makes me push off doing laundry, so when I do have to haul it to the machines I have at least four loads to do. --Brian, Communications professional, Gramercy, 3BR walkup, $3450
Level out those floors: I have a rather unusual complaint: slanted floors. Because of the slanted floors we are constantly pushing our couch and bed back into position as there is a very obvious slant in the floor. If we drop something round (such as a pen) we can watch it roll to the complete opposite side of the room. --Allison, Public Relations, 1BR, Upper East Side, $1950
Kelly Kreth
Contributing writer
Contributing writer Kelly Kreth has been a freelance journalist, essayist, and columnist for more than two decades. Her real estate articles have appeared in The Real Deal, Luxury Listings, Our Town, and amNewYork. A long-time New York City renter who loves a good deal, Kreth currently lives in a coveted rent-stabilized apartment in a luxury building on the Upper East Side.
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