apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

"AND affordability"
have you lost your effing mind?

Wow New York is insane. A million bucks for what looks like a junky rental. I am hardly ever negative...but a million dollars is not "affordable" and if I had a million dollars I wouldn't spend it on that. Is New York really that expensive that slummy places are barely affordable for rich people?

I realize that prices in NYC are extraordinarily high - but there's no way that this place in this condition is worth nearly $1MM on a good day.

If they want anything close to that price, the owner is going to need to call someone to come and stage the place appropriate to the asking price.

msjessiemeghan - YES

In Manhattan? yes it is that expensive. Even the parts in the outer boroughs that are closest to the city can reach those prices.

Normally, I really like the FSBOs that get featured on AT. But what, exactly, makes this one a stand-out worthy of AT (over the dozens, if not hundreds, of other FSBOs currently ont he market in NYC)? Not that AT should only be show-casing merely the ultra-fancy or over-designed, but why this one? Don't get me wrong - it's a fine-looking place (if not exactly House Tour material), and I like the neighborhood just fine. But the apartment isn't especially interesting, nor is the price. So what makes this one so special?

Pilgrim -

I was thinking the same thing.
------------------------
1 mil. is not much for a 2 bedroom in NYC.

This sold for $715K in 8/04. In 6 months it won't be worth more than that.

Keep in mind that, after you're already on the hook for almost $1 million for an apartment that needs serious renovations, you still have to pay $1,164 in monthly maintenance fees. That's nearly as much as it would cost to just rent bloody place in most other cities!

This is why I left NYC.

I say this with love and the hope that the seller actually moves this place: The staging is atrosh. For example, not sure if the big gray lump is your bed or your dirty laundry but I sure don't need to see your bulletin board of coupons. The kitchen needs an overhaul or at least some less acidic color on the walls. Better the place was totally empty than scattered with the obvious dorm room hand-me-downs. Without a decent view, other than of your neighbors, you have to play up the apartment's strengths like the beams. Also, is it just me or is this really somewhere in the neighborhood of 800 feet?

This FSBO is comical.

That place would run you about $250K in my neighborhood (Cathedral Hill in St Paul). Maybe less in this market.

And I thought CA was pricey...

Is this just a case of an owner not wanting to face up to the fact that the home they bought in 2004 for $715K has lost any appreciation they might have realized in the first couple of years after the purchase? I wonder what a real estate agent would list it for.

If the owner is serious about selling, he/she needs to do something to make it look desirable--it just looks now like a college student is camped out in it with the bare minimum surroundings. First impressions will not sell this.

Ok, I'm glad to see that it's not just me that's a bit dumbfounded by this listing. I agree that the staging is really poor. But so is the photography. The angles used to shoot the rooms aren't doing the space any favors.

Yes, I agree with all of the above, but please tell me about the dinosaur head in the piano room.

http://www.streeteasy.com/nyc/building/123-west-93-street-manhattan

If you look at the Street Easy listing, you'll see that the seller isn't far off the market, since a comparable apartment sold for $925K less than a year ago.

Will they get their asking price? Probably not. Would a realtor start out by listing it at about that price? Probably.

Does that photo that makes it look like one room is no bigger than a piano do the listing any favors? Not so much.

That's actually a pretty desirable NYC apartment: pre-war, near the park and subway, THREE exposures, windows in both the kitchen and the bathroom, the second bedroom isn't a closet. . . The sad truth is that this is many New Yorkers' dream home.

Is there a name for that style of tub? I'm on the lookout for something like it.

Welcome to Manhattan! We've been looking in this range, and believe me, a 2BR, 1.5 bath, doorman, pre-war in a nice neighborhood is usually $1M . This may all change soon, but at the moment, it's still normal.

Tragically we've seen dozens of places equally blah/cookie-cutter/badly renovated/hideously decorated at this price and more (which is why we haven't bought yet). Yes, it's crazy, but for us, there's no alternative to Manhattan.

heh, it's clear where this guy is sinking his extra income. sure his staging stinks, but you can't be surprised to find a bulletin board of coupons when there's two baby grands in the living room.

I second Cassis's comment. Anyone have any ideas?

Baby grands are in the bedroom by the way, which by most urban standards make these rooms huuuuuuge!

Are we really still shocked at Manhattan prices? Do we really need to compare them to the prices of homes in Detroit, for shock value? Really? I'd expect more from you, AT readers.

I love the Manhattan FSBO posts... The AT claws really come out

I didn't know this was a real estate Site???

Is that kitchen grout green?

Dueling pianos!!!!

I'm not shocked at the price, I do afterall live in NYC. But I do wonder why the writer deems it "affordable." It's always interesting to see what you get for a million in this city.

Charming!

As a writer, I am more intrigued by the pitch itself.

"Gracious light? "Friendliest doorman and staff?" And what, exactly, is "an award-winning super?"

Given the pictures, I venture to say that whoever wrote this would be fabulous at fiction.

I second modtramp's fascination with the con-man ad copy. "Gorgeous pre-war details"? What would those be? The fact that it has floors? The ad also says it has exposures in all four directions, which it clearly doesn't if you look at the floor plan. Every room is ugly and the bathrooms are just plain gross. This place reminds me of the cheap dump I rented for a song in college. It's amazing what NY'ers will put up with -- I know, I used to be one.

The dinosaur head (it's a hadrosaur) is from Mckenzie taxidermy. http://www.mckenziesp.com/dinosaurs.asp


Ouch... my first true internet drubbing since I posted my sonnets online eight years ago. This one is, I think, much less deserved, though I do realize that most of the comments are directed at the apartment's decor. My bulletin board will come with me (it's covered with maps and concert programs, not coupons!), the floors are perfect, the walls are great, the kitchen is new with new appliances, and the original fixtures in the bathroom are totally renovated and refinished as well. Pre-war details include the mahogany trim on the floors, picture molding, baseboard molding, and high beamed ceilings. There are all 4 exposures. It is NOT ugly. Bad staging aside, it's a big airy and well-lit place in excellent condition, in a high-quality building where apartments go for around and sometimes more than 1000 a square foot. Maintenance is also low for the area as well as within the building itself, since coop shares are distributed by elevation as well as size. The price is lower median for the location, size and layout. The brokers I abandoned advised me to start at 1 million.

"Renovation" would cost just the price of a can of non-ninjaturtlesgreen paint, and I might have that done myself right away, though I think it'd be a shame!
I could throw in the dinosaur head too, if I think he'll be going into good hands.

Anyway, non-new yorkers, this is a great deal (I know, I've been looking) in a tough and broker-dominated market. How bout a little support to help me beat the system?

wilhelm12,
i sympathize a little with your situation, but the reality is you are expecting a lot of readers of this site to step inside the mind of a participant in the nyc housing market. as someone who used to live there, it simply does not easily translate into others, at least in the US. i would forget trying to convince non-new yorkers that your place is great and price is fair, and focus on your target audience. while sometimes AT feels dominated by new yorkers, the responses clearly suggest otherwise. and i do think that the best, and only relevant, judge of the "fairness" of your price is the future buyer. how long has it been on the market? any offers?

Honestly, folks. I lived in NYC for 20 years and would have wept with joy to have an apartment that size, in that neighborhood, with hardwood floors and moldings and windows and a doorman. Since you're going to repaint and use your own furniture, who cares about the "staging"?

No worries wilhelm12. AT-ers are a notoriously grumbly lot. I think your place is lovely and hope it sells quickly and for top dollar!

As cheesy as it seems, watch a few episodes of Designed to Sell or shows like that. You have an amazing apartment and fantastic bare bones to work with, so you wouldn't have to do much work at all, but they still have some helpful tips.

Tiny little fixes like cleaning the hell out of that bathroom floor or whitening the stained grout could do wonders for making people fall in love with the place that much more easily.

As a non New Yorker, I can understand why everyone is freaking out on the price. We just can't fathom spending that much on a home. Where I live you can buy a mansion with acreage for a million. But our wages are much lower here, too. By New york standards , I think it is a great apartment.

I don't think the price or maintenance is outrageous for the neighborhood. And I applaud your moxie for flying solo! But in this wretched market, without a realtor's access to marketing, you've got to make the place look flawless. If design isn't your thing, clear out the personal details ( and at least one of the pianos!) and re-paint with neutrals ( boring, I know, but a blank slate.) I'd also find a friend who's a photographer to take really slick shots. As it is now, it really doesn't look as high end as it should be. You don't want to have to make potential buyers do any work envisioning it as upscale.

Oh and staging aside, kitchens and bathrooms are a really big deal when selling. Particularly when you're asking for big money in this economy. Right now, all we can see is a shock of green, and the side of your white fridge in the kitchen. It looks tiny. Try taking shots facing the other way and details of the cabinets and backsplash if it's decent. As for the bathroom, it looks oddly both sterile and dingy at the same time. Not at all as super cool as the details imply. Try up close shots of the fixtures and a more eye level shot of the room from different angles. And back to a bit of staging, if you can regrout you'd be halfway there ( there was a post just today on AT about whitening up grout) maybe add some lush towels. Perhaps a coat of paint in light blue or mint? Or even a neutral.

It probably doesn't help that this building was host to a double-murder-suicide last week.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/nyregion/08triple.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=123%20west%2093rd&st=cse

This post demonstrates all the reasons we no longer live in NYC, though I miss it dearly. Even in Brooklyn--finding a decent place for a price we could barely afford (to rent) was tough. That having been said, there are a lot of reasons people live in NYC, and those that can make the necessary adjustments. The prices are bananas, but so is the access to the art, diversity, cultural vibrancy and lovable insanity that is New York. If wilhelm12 wants some help from AT'ers, let's offer it instead of decrying the state of real estate in NYC. So, wilhelm12--how can we help?

I'm over my sticker shock.

So putting on my buyer's hat, were I actually looking for a place in NYC in this price range here are the things that catch my eye as negatives:

-Paint the kitchen in a brighter color, like beige or a nice taupe (be careful not to clash with the cabinets)

-The bathroom grout (especially at the baseboards) looks grungy. There was a post today about cleaning grout. I'd want it to sparkle since the fixtures are not new.

-Hang some large art in the living room (doesn't need to be expensive, but something to dress up the plain walls and play up the ceiling height). The one piece under the project looks strange and makes me wonder what you are hiding.

-Take down the bulletin board now since you are going to move it. Perhaps get a real bedframe that is off the ground and some artwork over the bed, real nightstands etc. It doesn't read as a serious bedroom worth $1mil.

-Paint out the peach in the piano room. Personally, I'd move out the pianos and store them until you move and stage it as a real bedroom/home office.

-Improve on the kitchen table. Perhaps a glass top bar height round table with 2 barstool chairs? The table as it is is not inviting and makes me think there is not enough room in your kitchen for a decent table.

Good luck to you! I hope you get every penny you are looking for.

oops - project=projector

Thanks LilyC, Liliz, Veruca, Kaete, citygirl, Kellylc, lisahunter, Johnp!
Your support and constructive criticism are very much appreciated! I will go down that list; those are very easy topical tweaks to make. I'll see what happens, and then I'll tweak more. I won't be able to store the pianos however: though it looks like I'm some kind of weird piano collector, I'm actually a pianist. A buyer will hopefully be able to look around the instruments to see a big room - or maybe if said buyer is a musician they'll see it as a reassuring plus, knowing that another of the noise-making persuasion has worked comfortably there before them.
It's only been on the market for 6 days, so I'm still hopeful and energized. I've actually even had some interest already, possibly from the color-blind, possibly from those who're prepared to repaint whatever colors they don't like.
I think the bathroom floor was actually dirty the day those photos were taken, I didn't really even notice till I saw the shots looming large here. I've already regrouted, I should probably rephotograph at this point. The 1925 tub has just been refinished as well. I'm sure repainting and removing and rephotographing will expand my audience and increase the apt's appeal.
Thanks so much for your attention and your advice, and thanks for changing the tone of this comment list! I'm a new big fan of AT.
Drop by an open house and say hi!

I'm always surprised at the high "CC/Maint" costs listed for NYC apartments. On top of a mortgage -- oh my. But what gets me about this place is that, given the asking price, the realtor didn't bother to suggest that it be staged. I guess it's not necessary in NYC? Not that it isn't a nice space, because it is. It just looks so much like a specific person lives there, and you usually try to avoid that when selling a home.

Ah -- FSBO -- I see that you are not using a realtor! Mea culpa. That explains it. Suggestions for simple staging... in the bath, dress it up with thick, white spa towels and a luxuriously thick white rug (or white with a crisp colored border). Add a fabric shower curtain that will hang outside of your tub shower -- white with a piping border in a color to match the rug border would look fresh, or black piping:

http://www.restorationhardware.com/rh/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod1026046&navAction=jump&navCoun

Put some richly colored pillows on the living room sofa (pick up colors from the rug). Display some books or magazines on the living room table -- the subject might be music, so you create a story about yourself. Display one interesting object there for texture. Drape the pianos with large squares of interesting fabric or textile art, or buy old shawls from a vintage store and use those. Get a couple of good flower arrangements and place them where you want the eye drawn -- on the living room table to draw the eye up to the window, for instance. One piano should definitely hold flowers. A small sisal rug in the kitchen area, in front of or under the table, might take down the green color a bit -- and remove the blue tablecloth. Your walls could use artwork, but I wouldn't make holes in the walls when you are selling. Re-hang the artwork that is over the sofa so it's lower and centered (use a longer hanger... you can get a bracket that hangs from the picture rail), or change to a small mirror. Get a large mirror and lean it up against the wall somewhere (even though I dislike the practice of leaning mirrors) so that it bounces light and enlarges the place. Next to your bed, it looks like a mirror might fit nicely. Tidy up your bulletin board, and put some amusing or intriguing clippings on it. Make a story -- ticket stubs to performances, programs, sheet music. It looks like there is room in the bedroom for a good chair, and people love a sitting area in a bedroom, so buy or borrow a cozy chair and a small table or ottoman to put next to it. Dress it with a tray holding teacup and saucer, and maybe an open book and throw. Drape a throw across the bottom of your bed to break up the black (a fake mink one would be odd but amusing, and I think Ikea has one). Perhaps add a couple of pillows.

For your bedroom: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p7330/index.cfm?pkey=cmirrors&cm_src=sch

For over your LR sofa:

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p12145/index.cfm?pkey=cmirrors&cm_src=sch

Dining area:

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p5767/index.cfm?pkey=cnatural%2Dfiber%2Drugs

... and this is practically free, for the green kitchen:

Buy a bunch of the greenest apples you can find, and display them in a simple bowl on the table. Or use large lemons. Take everything off the counters and the stove.

I think theres a lot of jealousy coming through in the comments above!!

This place is great - I really like it - and believe me its a good price for a 2 bed in that location in NY

Hes not trying to sell it to all you folks out there in the boondocks so don't go comparing it to the cost of your house in another city or state - this is aimed at NYers who know about the cost and availability of housing in NY.

Why on earth does he need to stage it? Are you all so stupid that you don't realise that he will be taking his furniture with him and it will be empty when you move in? Do you have so little imagination that you can't picture your own furniture in it? There is absolutely NO reason for him to go out and buy extra stuff so it can look pretty for potential buyers

I LOVE that bathroom - it doesn't look dirty or grungey at all - it looks immaculate - the all-white tiles are rare to find and the tub is beautiful!

I LOVE the green wall - I wouldn't change that - it gives the place character.

and the layout DOES show four aspects - the living room has two and the kitchen and bathroom have the other two

and is that a TV projection system I see set up in the living room - nice!

If I was currently in the market for another place in NY this would be a serious contender - its great!

"Why on earth does he need to stage it?"

Because most buyers - even buyers in NYC - want a move-in ready space. They don't want to have to deal with carpenters and plumbers and painters and strict Co-op rules and hours for tradesmen after plonking down $1MM in a down market...

"and the layout DOES show four aspects - the living room has two and the kitchen and bathroom have the other two"

Um, No. The bathroom and kitchen windows face the same direction. There are no South-facing windows so it's technically only a 3-exposure building, but in practical terms it's a mere 2 exposures because the kitchen and bathroom most likely open to a light well.

Perhaps this would have sold as-is at this price a year or two ago while the hedge fund managers were still getting their mega-bonuses, but nowadays people want some value for their $1MM.

Hey Violetsrose: no jealousy here. I think we're all trying to help the guy sell his place in a terrible market without the help (and cost) of a realtor. As someone who's owned in NYC for many years and is obsessed with real estate (yeah, I go to open houses just to gawk) I'm just passing along some constructive criticism to make his product as attractive as possible at the price he's asking. (Sorry Wilhem12 if it seemed harsh!!) But you can bet NYC buyers going to be even more demanding and critical in this economy.

Think of it like this, Violetsrose: you go into a store to buy a big investment product...say, a giant flat screen TV. The price for the TV is competitive but certainly not the cheapest you've seen. The store is kind of a wreck, and there are no sales reps. Wouldn't you look elsewhere? We're just helping Wilhem tidy up the store and make it seem like there's someone manning the customer service counter.

Nothing harsh at all! Completely understood and welcomed!

Just to clear up any implication of a mistake in my advertising: It is four exposures, though the homemade floor plan might be unclear. The bathroom and kitchen face different directions, south and east, with excellent light, and no well.

Off to pottery barn...

Triple murder in this building last week!!!!!!!!!!!!
Could this apartment for sale be the one the people were killed in a lovers triangle?

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/02/08/2009-02-08_untitled__2triple08m-1.html

Good luck Wilhelm12!

Violetrose, there is no reason to be so rude on a blog like this. I am not "stupid", thank you, just because I don't live in NYC. I have bought and sold enough properties -- and shopped enough high end ones -- to know that people like a story when they look at a property. It's something Ralph Lauren's company glommed on to early on, with the fake WASP look of his stores and print ads. The front of this building looks fairly posh, and the UWS is attractive to those who might like to climb socially or to live a life filled with art, interesting friends ... the whole NYC fantasy. So staging it with a dash more sophistication and a luxurious feel can only help entice buyers. It might be a shock to someone of your apparent temperament, but I posted my suggestions to help this guy -- a stranger -- make money. It was meant as a nice gesture.

And as for why staging is done generally -- it is to highlight the good points, disguise the bad points, and give the potential buyer a little help with his or her "imagination".

I'm with you Forestdweller. You don't have to live in NYC to know that you're right on the money about staging. Best foot forward and all that. Violet is perhaps the teeeeniest bit defensive,no? I'm guessing she might be doing some angry re-grouting this weekend—and cursing us snobs the whole time.

This place is $1,000 per sq. ft. which is pretty standard for a New York city apartment. And it has decent natural light and floor plan. I am sure there is room for negotiation given the economy.

wilhelm12 - I had the feeling you wouldn't be able to store the pianos off site (they are musical instruments, after all, so it's not like moving out an extra sofa.) But I still think you might be able to move them around the room to emphasize the space, rather than looking like a corner storage.

Maybe you could move the desk into your giant bedroom, emphasizing that it can be used as part office, and then pull those pianos out of the corner and give them room to breathe. Try a few different angles and see what's most visually appealing when you first walk in the room. You want them to walk in and say "WOW, you can comfortably put two grand pianos in here!"

And while it may sound completely superficial - give those magazines a straightening, including getting rid of the ones under the lamp. If you want to be silly and quirky you can even sort them by color, just to add some completely free visual appeal. (yay for free) Throw in a few bookends or heavy objects to act as bookends so they stand up straight as well. People love built in storage, so emphasizing it is only going to help.

And hell, I'd keep the dinosaur on the wall. It looks awesome and nothing says memorable like "that giant apartment with the dinosaur..."

Now that I squint hard at it, is one of the blinds in the piano room doing something a little funky? It looks like it's sliding down a little from the top. Wouldn't hurt to pull out the screwdriver and make those even, too. If I'm seeing that little detail wrong then just ignore it.

Forestdweller -- NYC maintenance costs include all property taxes. That's a substantial chunk of the monthly cost.

I understand that its NYC and expensive and its just the way it is and this is a decent price for that...

I guess what I am surprised at is that it seems in NYC it really is the have and have-nots. Like if you are regular middle class with a kid or 2, you will most likely never own a place but just rent. I get that salaries are higher there but even after making an adjustment, a person who could own a nice place where I live (cheap but lovely Portland, Maine) even if they are a professional, even after salary adjustment, won't come close to owning a place in NYC.

It makes me sad because I totally want to live in NYC!

msjessiemeghan: I hear ya, but keep in mind that the $1000/sq ft places for the most part are for Manhattan. You can find much better prices in fantastic NYC neighborhoods in Brooklyn ( like mine in Fort Greene/Clinton Hill) and Queens. If you venture to the Bronx or even super-north Manhattan like Inwood, you're going to find giganto places for really reasonable prices. Bottom line for a native NYer: Manhattan is overrated unless you're really into the novelty of living on the actual island.

Of course, none of the prices are going to be nearly as affordable as Portland, Maine! ( WHich, by the way, I hear is really beautiful! Enjoy it!)

I actually think the 'staging' is fine the way it is. The green walls are bit much though, but the green grout works! As much as you'd like prospective buyers to overlook things like paint color, evidently, they don't (been watching way too much HGTV). I love the dinosaur head!

As far as price, the maintenance cost freaks me out. yikes.
(FYI - I live in a brooklyn rental).

Also, salaries are not always higher in New York! Hence why there are so many people with roommates and living in substandard apartments.

I'm surprised that people are surprised by NYC real estate prices.

Also, I think that your apartment and building have nice enough features and amenities that you really don't need to bother with much staging. This is more of an issue when you have rooms that look tiny because they're filled with too much crap. Yours don't look cramped or cluttered.

I'm sure a few coats of paint and some scrubbing wouldn't hurt, but I really don't think you'll have a problem selling the place.

"Why on earth does he need to stage it?"

"Because most buyers - even buyers in NYC - want a move-in ready space. They don't want to have to deal with carpenters and plumbers and painters and strict Co-op rules and hours for tradesmen after plonking down $1MM in a down market..."

and how is him plonking down a couple of cushions going to help with plumbing problems?
Staging has nothing to do with a space being move-in ready - its just unnecessary frills

"and the layout DOES show four aspects - the living room has two and the kitchen and bathroom have the other two"

"Um, No. The bathroom and kitchen windows face the same direction."

Um, no, they don't - as he has explained above - its shown clearly on the floorplan

Nice apartment. Bleh decor.

I think the apartment is very nice and could look even nicer if you incorporate some of the suggestions made here. As a New Yorker I didn't blink at the price and am surprised that so many people are getting their knickers in a twist about it. It's New York, people! And it is one of the more expensive neighborhoods in Manhattan. It's not Portland. It's not St. Paul. Let's not waste our time with meaningless comparisons.

Willhelm12, my one suggestion to you would be about the photography. Sometimes the fisheye lens is your friend and sometimes it is not. I don't think it is doing you any favors in the kitchen or the bathroom. There it is just making the refrigerator and the expanse of floor look ginormous. I'd much rather see a shot of the kitchen that shows the actual cabinets and appliances.

Good luck!

Great place! Former NYC-er and fellow musician here - I have already forwarded this to a pianist friend in NY, to spread the word. Of course DO NOT remove the pianos! If a piano fits in a room, anything else would too, and yes, it says tolerant or at least "conditioned" neighbors - invaluable.

As for staging - heck, call up some friends and borrow some "stuff" from them for the duration, then invite them to a party (to pick it back up) after it sells.

Believe me, it will sell. There is (still) ONLY ONE New York City!

Bluaholic… now in Lisbon, Portugal

NYC is NOT just Manhattan. I've lived in Forest Hills for over a decade. It is probably the most stable of all the communities in all of NYC, and you can get a comparable apartment to the one above in Forest Hills for under $300K. We just sold our old "Junior 4" to a couple that rented on the Upper East Side, and they told us they don't know what to do with all their space! Forest Hills has all the amenities of Manhattan, including a quick subway ride, plus far more trees. Don't lump all of NYC together--it can be very affordable.

Holy crap! This isn't even a nice rental and on the 1st floor with no laundry?! Yeow...just because it's UWS?

There are too many other better places too live. These folks need to get a RE agent and have a realty check.

Forestdweller- I think you were very generous with your helpful advice as to how Wilhelm12 can improve his staging.

Here's to keeping AT forums positive and supportive!

I completely agree that you can't compare NYC real estate with the rest of the country. It's pointless and not necessary to get all nutty about New York prices. It costs more to live here because (generally) the salaries are higher and because there's a richer amount of "stuff" here than most places. Your apt may not be a "mansion with several acres" but when you walk outside you get all the culture/restaurants/art/experiences you could ask for. Furthermore, we don't (generally) have car payments, gas expenses, and NY maintenances include taxes and most utilities. I personally adore NY and wouldn't live anywhere else, but I wouldn't freak out about how and where other people choose to live.

I think the staging comments are very unnecessary. If you like a place, you will buy it and can see past someone's personal taste.

Finally, I wanted to ask Wilhelm12 a couple of questions: Is the apt is street facing or does it faces the back? If it's street facing, is it on the street or raised above?

And, are you having an open house this weekend?

Thanks!