Is this $2,700 East Village two-bedroom worth the (significant) climb up?

By Lucy Cohen Blatter | May 6, 2015 - 12:59PM

While the layout of this $2,700 East Village two bedroom at 412 East 11th Street is a little confusing — Is that living room or a bedroom? And what is going on with all that draping? — it's pretty standard East Village walk-up fare. Though there are two-bedrooms which, according to the listing, fit "large" beds, we're not seeing windows in said bedrooms, so check on that before you sign on the dotted line.

The listing also calls the apartment "very spacious." Maybe by East Village standards, where the apartments are notoriously small, but it looks to us like your feet will hit your clothes in that makeshift bedroom "closet."

Then again, if you're moving to this downtown neighborhood, chances are you're more interested in what's going on outside the apartment than what's inside. And if you want to be part of the ever-bustling East Village nightlife scene, this place — on 11th between First and Avenue A — puts you smack in the middle of it all.

Is it worth taking then? I asked our experts (and veteran renters), RentHackr founder Zeb Dropkin and freelance writer Lambeth Hochwald, to weigh in with me on this week's Take It or Leave It.

Size: Two-bedroom, one-bath
Location: 412 East 11th Street (between First and Avenue A)
Cost: $2,900
Flexible layout: No
Days on the market: 6 days
Subway: L to Graham: L to First Avenue

Pros and Cons:

"I've lived in this neighborhood before, in a tiny sixth-floor walk-up with a strange layout (sound familiar?). This apartment is only on the fifth floor — hooray!?! — and it looks slightly more spacious than what I had. That said, it's still going to be a squeeze and I'd put money on it that at least one of those bedrooms doesn't have a window. Which would explain why it's $2,700, while the median rent in the neighborhood for an apartment of the same size is $3,495 (that and the fifth floor walk-up thing). Also, the kitchen could use some serious updating. Though extra points for having space to put a little table inside." — Lucy

"Great location for East Village lovers, and the price isn't bad. Northern exposure means low light, it's a walkup, and the layout looks challenging from the photos." — Zeb

"Sure the location of this place can’t be beat and the building looks to be a tidy walkup, but it’s hard to tell what the rooms are really like since there’s so much odd draping going on here. This leads me to suspect that one of the bedrooms isn’t a real bedroom with a door. Call me crazy, but that’s definitely worth investigating before signing on the dotted line." — Lambeth

Who would this apartment be perfect for?

"A single person who loves the East Village and would like an extra room for guests or as an office." — Lucy

"Two or more young roommates packing into a fun year in the East Village would fit in here." —Zeb

"Two NYU grads or graduate students striking out on their own. After all, this place is just around the corner from campus."— Lambeth

The Verdict(s):

LEAVE IT "Unless you're dying to try out the neighborhood. This place (and the climb up to it) will probably get old quickly." — Lucy

LEAVE IT "Love the location, but you have to see this space to understand it better." — Zeb

LEAVE IT "This ad promises modern appliances in the kitchen but I spotted a pretty big dish rack on the counter. I bet there’s no dishwasher to be had and the range is more of a throwback micro-stove than a modern oven."— Lambeth

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