A. Ready

Owned and managed by the reputable Rudin Manangement Co., 115 West 86th Street is an 80-unit pre-war building with an enviable location near Columbus Avenue, just a bit more than a block from Central Park, and close to the 86th Street subway station. The building has a full-time doorman, and prior listings on StreetEasy show apartments with hardwood floors and renovated kitchens.

For this week's No-Fee Apartment of the Week, we are focusing on affordability on the island of Manhattan.

This week's BrickPick is a smallish but graceful pre-war two-bedroom, two-bathroom co-op located at 425 East 86th Street, #2D.

The Octagon, a 500-unit full-service new luxury development on Roosevelt Island, offers plenty of extras to induce renters to forego Manhattan. Day-care center and full-day preschool on site? Check. Abundant recreational facilities, including an outdoor pool, two-acre ecological park, tennis courts, clubroom and fitness center? Check. Green design? Check.

On StreetEasy.com, there's a spirited argument over the merits (or lack thereof) of living in far upper Manhattan. A few people think Washington Heights is a good solution for families looking for space, although some limit the "acceptable" area to Hudson Heights, and another predicts a future of private school tuition.