Is this $2,400 Yorkville one-bedroom charming or underwhelming? You decide.
This apartment—a $2,400 one-bedroom in an elevator co-op building—is located on a quiet, tree-lined block steps from Carl Schurz Park, but is a bit of a hike (about 12 minutes) from the 4,5, and 6 subway stop.
It's got a small but cute kitchen, decent closet space, and a large living room area. The building has laundry on the first floor. The owner is offering a one-year term subject to renewal, and you'll need to hand over first and last month's rent in addition to a month's security deposit and a 15 percent broker's fee.
Size: One-bedroom, one-bath
Location: 444 East 87th Street (between First and York), Manhattan
Cost: $2,400
Flexible layout: No
Days on the market: 3
Subway: 4,5,6 to 86th Street
"I'm loving the chandelier light fixtures (rental lighting is a pet peeve of mine), and the kitchen is cute, too (as long as you're not a budding chef, its small size should work). But the apartment is a long walk from the subway and you'll need to put down a lot of money before you move in (we're talking around $10,000)." —Lucy
"This is a pretty affordable one bedroom in a quiet slice of far upper east Manhattan. But it’s costly to get this lease started, and the space is low light and narrow. " —Zeb
"I feel like I’ve seen this apartment before—it’s one of those classic right out of college pads—but it’s definitely better than most with its well-appointed (though compact) kitchen and unusual lighting fixtures (love when a rental comes with a chandelier). On the other hand, the bedroom is cave-like and I majorly dislike that there's a broker fee of 15 percent of the annual rent—ouch!" —Lambeth
Who would this apartment be perfect for?
"A single person who doesn't mind being a little bit removed from the action, or is fine cabbing it around the city." —Lucy
"This spot makes the most sense for someone who doesn’t need a lot of light, likes a quiet neighborhood, and plans to stay for at least a few years to lessen the hit from the broker's fee." —Zeb
"A couple moving to town who want to try Yorkville and can deal with a long walk to the subway (at least until the Second Avenue subway is complete)." —Lambeth
The verdict(s):
LEAVE IT "This apartment is underwhelming to me. And considering that it's a co-op, chances are you can only stay for a couple of years tops. That's a lot of money to put down for a short time. " —Lucy
LEAVE IT "It’s too dark, narrow, and far from downtown for most renters." —Zeb
TAKE IT "If you can get over the odd wave-patterned bathroom tiles and don’t plan to do a lot of cooking." —Lambeth
Ready to rent? Checkout our How To Rent Guide ...and if the apartment you like requires a guarantor that you don't have, see if the landlord accepts Insurent, a guarantor solution from one of BrickUnderground's sponsors.
