which is better - a large apt with cheap construction or a luxury tiny studio?

[Never Shuts Up]

Originally Posted by Hairy Guy

177st and st. nic. is a dangerous neighborhood. i wouldn't live there. new house or large space or whatever, i don't want to feel unsafe.

I stayed up in that area for a couple of weeks before. It's not much worse than anywhere else in the city except for the noise.

[Kefir King]

BIGGER is better. (I have downsized twice, and small sucks.)

But then I guess a big rathole is not great either.

[LizfromtheBronx]

When searching for an apartment in NYC...there are 3 factors (more, but these 3 are the main ones): price, location and size. You only get to pick two. If you want size and location, be prepared to pay whatever asking price is for those apts in that location. If you want price and size, then you are limited to neighborhoods where that is available. So on...

So which two are more important to you? Sounds like you are ok with price, so you're caught between size and location.

[stormgal]

Originally Posted by LizfromtheBronx

When searching for an apartment in NYC...there are 3 factors (more, but these 3 are the main ones): price, location and size. You only get to pick two. If you want size and location, be prepared to pay whatever asking price is for those apts in that location. If you want price and size, then you are limited to neighborhoods where that is available. So on...

So which two are more important to you? Sounds like you are ok with price, so you're caught between size and location.

Exactly right. It's such a hard decision to make. And I do agree with another poster here who said that downsizing is really bad.

[Henna]

Take a trip to Ikea and look at their model studio rooms. Whenever I see those, I think I could easily live in a smaller space if it's well designed. Also I think Apartment Therapy website has some features on living in and designing small spaces. On the other hand, I guess you really have to think hard about whether your stuff will fit in the small amount of storage space.

[HellUpInHarlem]

Originally Posted by Clarallel

Is it possible that you have it backwards? It's very likely the newer apartment that will be cheap construction. I'd probably opt for more space.

+1 i need quality construction. the newer buildings that are being constructed aren't sh**. it's the older ones that have been built to last

[latent123]

actually old building is much more sturdy than new building.

old building used much more natural materials

new building used a lot of cheap qualities materials to lower the expense and plenty of chemical materials are being dumped into the site

[Kefir King]

But old buildings often come without elevators and doormen and they have old plumbing and wiring and windows, all of which can be a pain in the ass.

Of course, it is only old buildings that have any grandeur...think Park Avenue or Central Park West.

[Never Shuts Up]

Originally Posted by Kefir King

But old buildings often come without elevators and doormen and they have old plumbing and wiring and windows, all of which can be a pain in the ass.

Especially if you've got a building with a water tower and you live on a high floor. Ick.