You and a couple of friends could share this $3,100 Crown Heights three-bedroom. But should you?
According to the listing, this $3,100 three-bedroom, one-bath in Crown Heights, Brooklyn is "GREAT for roommates." Keep in mind that many New York City landlords don't love roommate situations, so the very fact that the listing says that explicitly is a good thing for those looking for a share. It also says that there are two large bedrooms and one medium-sized one, but since there are no pictures of the bedrooms, it's hard to confirm that.
So should you and a couple of friends go check it out anyway? For more perspectives, we asked our experts (and veteran renters), real estate research and analytics firm NeighborhoodX founder Constantine Valhouli and freelance writer Lambeth Hochwald, to weigh in with me on this week's Take It or Leave It.
Size: Three-bedroom, one-bath
Location: 497 Park Place (beween Grand and Classon), Crown Heights
Monthly rent: $3,100
Flexible layout: Yes
Days on the market: 3
Subway: S at Park Place; 2, 3 at Eastern Parkway
Pros and cons:
"If you can trust the listing, the square footage—1,200 square feet—is rather generous. Plus, I'm appreciating that big living room and large kitchen with plenty of room for a table. That said, the kitchen doesn't have a dishwasher, there's only one bathroom, and I'm a little bit suspicious of the fact that there are no photos of the bedrooms. Also, the apartment is in a no-frills walk-up building (though second floor only, it seems), but its close proximity to the Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Museum makes up for that for me." —Lucy
"This apartment is in the northwest corner of Crown Heights, near Prospect Heights, Clinton Hill, and Bed-Stuy. It's a few blocks outside the historic district, but it is surrounded by some of the lively restaurants and destinations in Crown Heights. That said, the brokerbabble makes my brain hurt. 'Welcome to the biggest apartment in Crown Heights / Prospect Heights.' It's not the biggest. And it's not in Prospect Heights."—Constantine
"With a kitchen even Martha Stewart might find adequate (okay that's a stretch)—this is one of the largest kitchens we've seen in months—this tidy Crown Heights three-bed wouldn't be a bad first apartment for pals who don't mind sharing a bathroom. My main concern: The ad brags of oversized bedrooms but the photos don't show them, so you'll want to be sure they're as spacious as advertised." —Lambeth
Who this apartment would be perfect for:
"Three roommates who are new to the city and want to spend about $1,000 a month per person. I'd imagine the person in the smaller bedroom would pay less than the others, but you'd just have to work that out." —Lucy
"Two of the bedrooms are larger, and one is smaller. So, this could work well for friends who are earning different amounts. Or who have a very small friend." —Constantine
"A Brooklyn Museum and/or Brooklyn Botanic Garden aficionado or someone who wants to spend weekends taking leisurely walks through nearby Prospect Park. Just be sure to note: No pets allowed, so forget about long walks with your doggy if you rent this place." —Lambeth
The verdict(s):
TAKE IT "I think you could probably negotiate a little on the rent, or at the very least the broker's fee, but I think th is is probably a decent value, a good location and a pretty decent apartment." —Lucy
TAKE IT " It's a reasonable price for a good location, which is not something we get to say every day." —Constantine
LEAVE IT "It's still $3,100/month (plus broker's fee) for a lower-floored place with window bars." —Lambeth
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