Skip to main content
Fulltext search
FILTER RESULTS BY:
RECOMMENDED IN RENT
Moving to NYC after college? Here's how to find a rental apartment
RECOMMENDED IN BUY
How buying real estate in NYC is unlike anywhere else
RECOMMENDED IN SELL
A guide to using a no-fee renovation loan from a NYC real estate firm
RECOMMENDED IN IMPROVE
How to make your NYC renovation more pet-friendly
BEST REAL ESTATE WEBSITE!
National Association of Real Estate Editors
BEST REAL ESTATE WEBSITE! National Association of Real Estate Editors
Brick Underground
Social Links
follow:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Flipboard
  • search
Brick Underground
☰ Brick Underground
Brick Underground
Brick Underground
☰
Brick Underground
  • Buy
    • Buy
    • The Market
    • Investing
    • New Construction + Condos
    • Affordable Housing
    • Co-ops
    • Negotiating + Financing
    • How to Buy in NYC Guide
    Looking down on New York streets from the top of a skyscraper
    New Construction + Condos
    New York state budget greenlights more condo conversions, new housing vouchers, but no down payment assistance
    Haley and JP move to Prospect Lefferts Gardens
    New Construction + Condos
    From Prospect Heights to Prospect Lefferts Garden: We wanted three bedrooms so we could each have a home office
    one-bedroom condo at 702 Hancock Street
    The Search
    7 reasons why ground-floor apartments are desirable—instead of dealbreakers
  • Rent
    • Rent
    • Affordable Housing
    • Roommates + Landlords
    • The Market
    • The Search
    • How to Rent in NYC Guide
    New York City, East Village Apartment Buildings
    Roommates + Landlords
    Rental assistance program helps NYC tenants pay back $1 million in arrears, avoid eviction
    Robert Pullen at London Terrace in West Chelsea
    The Search
    Why I returned to NYC from Miami: ‘Constant heat, humidity, and sunshine is not my jam’
    Aerial view of NYC residential buildings
    Rent
    FARE Act takes effect: What NYC renters need to know about the new broker fee law
  • Sell
    • Sell
    • Staging + Open Houses
    • Negotiations + Closings
    • Getting Ready
    • How to Sell in NYC Guide
    Madison avenue and East 67th Street, Manhattan, New York City
    Sell
    Median sales price for Manhattan co-ops and condos jumps to $1,165,000
    new condo building and older co-op buildings in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
    Sell
    Brooklyn median price nears $1 million but the spring market is a question mark
    View of NYC condo buildings from New Jersey
    Sell
    Private listings: What NYC sellers and buyers need to know about the off-market controversy
  • Live
    • Live
    • Neighbors
    • Kids + Pets
    • Neighborhood Intel
    • Products + Test-drives
    • Troubleshooting
    FlatRate moving brick underground
    Live
    How to troubleshoot your move in advance
    Sponsored By flatrate
    There are nine candidates vying to win voters on the June 24th ranked choice Democratic primary.
    Neighbors
    How the Democratic candidates for mayor would fix NYC's housing crisis
    NYC apartment buildings with fire escapes
    Neighborhood Intel
    Can you sit on a fire escape in NYC? 5 things to know
  • Improve
    • Improve
    • Small Spaces
    • Small Projects + DIY
    • Renovations
    • Design + Architecture
    • Products + Services
    • How to Renovate in NYC Guide
    Manhattan Pressurized Walls temporary wall with plexiglass window
    Renovation
    Turn one room into two: The insider's guide to temporary pressurized walls
    An image of the top of a brick New York City apartment building, including its parapet.
    Design + Architecture
    Parapet inspections: What NYC boards and building owners need to know about Local Law 126
    This is a photograph of a street in the Upper West Side in NYC viewed from the Summit in Central Park through bare tree branches.
    Renovation
    Fewer buyers, steeper rents, and costlier renovations: How tariffs could impact NYC real estate
  • Boards & Buildings
    • Boards & Buildings
    • Boards
    • Finance
    • Insurance
    • Legal
    • Property Management
    • Structure & Systems
    • Sustainability
    Burned and Boarded Up Windows
    When should your board hire a public adjuster?
    Manhattan GM
    What should we consider when renewing insurance for our building?
    Facade of NYC buildings
    How much is insurance on a NYC co-op or condo building?
  • Advertise
    • Advertise with us
    • Sponsored Content
    • Experts
    FlatRate moving brick underground
    Live
    How to troubleshoot your move in advance
    Sponsored By flatrate
    Building facades in New York in winter
    Roommates + Landlords
    Ask Altagracia: I withheld rent due to inadequate heat and I'm being hassled to pay it back. What should I do?
    Sponsored By Outerbridge Law P.C.
    big apple moving NYC
    Troubleshooting
    How can I save money when hiring a moving company in NYC?
    Sponsored By Big Apple Moving
  • Brick Report
  • About Us
  • About Us
The subscription service is currently unavailable. Please check again later.
Fulltext search
FILTER RESULTS BY:
New Main menu
  • Buy
    • Buy
    • The Market
    • Investing
    • New Construction + Condos
    • Affordable Housing
    • Co-ops
    • Negotiating + Financing
    • How to Buy in NYC Guide
  • Rent
    • Rent
    • Affordable Housing
    • Roommates + Landlords
    • The Market
    • The Search
    • How to Rent in NYC Guide
  • Sell
    • Sell
    • Staging + Open Houses
    • Negotiations + Closings
    • Getting Ready
    • How to Sell in NYC Guide
  • Live
    • Live
    • Neighbors
    • Kids + Pets
    • Neighborhood Intel
    • Products + Test-drives
    • Troubleshooting
  • Improve
    • Improve
    • Small Spaces
    • Small Projects + DIY
    • Renovations
    • Design + Architecture
    • Products + Services
    • How to Renovate in NYC Guide
  • Boards & Buildings
    • Boards & Buildings
    • Boards
    • Finance
    • Insurance
    • Legal
    • Property Management
    • Structure & Systems
    • Sustainability
  • Advertise
    • Advertise with us
    • Sponsored Content
    • Experts
  • Brick Report
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Advertise
  • About Us
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER →
Social Links Footer
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Search
Take It Or Leave It [ SPONSORED ]

Is this tiny Manhattan studio cute and charming or just crazy cramped?

By Insurent  | February 17, 2016 - 11:59AM
image
SHARE:
Share to Facebook
Share to Twitter
Print
More...

Veteran renters like us have seen a lot of small NYC apartments, and we have to admit this is one of the tiniest ones we've seen thus far. But it's also rather charming.

The $1,725 studio co-op is located on 81st between York and East End, so it's also a long walk (about 15 minutes) from the subway.

But it's got nice touches like exposed brick, a decorative fireplace and a separate kitchen (with a dishwasher!). And it's about $250 a month less than the area median.

So is it worth trying to squeeze into?  We 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: Studio
Location: 519 East 81st Street  (between York and East End), Yorkville
Cost: $1,725
Flexible layout: No
Days on the market: 22
Subway:  4,5,6 to 86th

"This apartment feels a bit like a dorm room, sure, but it's a really cute and charming dorm room. I love the exposed brick, and the Deco fireplace, and the kitchen and bathroom are nicely renovated. Plus, the fact that it's a co-op, and probably doesn't allow more than two years of renting isn't a problem here, since you're not likely to want to stay in such a small space for so much longer. That said, you may have to pass the co-op board and it looks like there's a broker fee." —Lucy

"There’s no sugarcoating the cramped space in this little UES studio. But it has its charm, and the price is right." —Zeb

"I’m a touch obsessed with the snug bed tucked right against one wall of this micro-studio. This feels like the sort of cozy spot you’d want to be in while a storm rages outside. On the other hand, the tiny-ness of this place, which looks more like a cabin on a cruise ship, might get very old, very fast." —Lambeth​

Who would this apartment be perfect for?

 "A single person (please do not try to move in here with another person) who likes the quietness of Yorkville and proximity to Carl Schurz Park." —Lucy

"A student or new arrival to New York sticking to a tight budget who is a good walker — since this is almost a mile from the nearest subway stop. " —Zeb

"A single who likes the price, isn't bothered that this might be on the first floor (it's listed as apartment A) and doesn’t mind the huge schlep to the subway." —Lambeth

The verdict(s):

TAKE IT "It's really cute (and a co-op, so chances are the owner will take better care of it than your average large management company), and if your budget is under $2,000 in Manhattan, you could do much worse." —Lucy

LEAVE IT "If this studio fits your needs, you could do a lot worse for a starter apartment in Manhattan." —Zeb

LEAVE IT "Especially if you’re claustrophobic. Are they kidding by suggesting that you could sleep in the loft space? " —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.

 

Brick Underground articles occasionally include the expertise of, or information about, advertising partners when relevant to the story. We will never promote an advertiser's product without making the relationship clear to our readers.

topics:

rentals renting Small Spaces Take It Or Leave It
SHARE
TWEET
BRICK’S PICKS
Historic brick facades of NYC apartment buildings
Getting overcharged by a landlord? Here’s how the Tenant Protection Unit helps rent-stabilized tenants
Apartment buildings in Soho
New Rent Guidelines Board report justifies a rent freeze, tenant advocates claim
Brooklyn apartment buildings
Understanding net effective rent: Here's how to calculate your real monthly rent
image
How much should you renovate your NYC apartment or house before selling?
Council Member Shahana Hanif hold press conference before the City Council vote on Arrow Linen spot rezoning.
City Council signs off on 10-story towers for Arrow Linen site
couple standing close, only jeans-clad legs showing
Can my boyfriend claim ownership of my condo if we break up?
Follow Brick on Instagram
@brickunderground | #brickunderground
Brick UndergroundBRICK UNDERGROUNDREAL LIFE. REAL ESTATE. REAL NEW YORK.
Social Links Footer
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Search
Main menu footer
  • Buy
    • The Market
    • Investing
    • New Construction + Condos
    • Affordable Housing
    • Co-ops
    • Negotiating + Financing
    • How to Buy in NYC Guide
  • Rent
    • Affordable Housing
    • Roommates + Landlords
    • The Market
    • The Search
    • How to Rent in NYC Guide
  • Sell
    • Staging + Open Houses
    • Negotiations + Closings
    • Getting Ready
    • How to Sell in NYC Guide
  • Live
    • Neighbors
    • Kids + Pets
    • Neighborhood Intel
    • Products + Test-drives
    • Troubleshooting
  • Improve
    • Small Spaces
    • Small Projects + DIY
    • Renovations
    • Design + Architecture
    • Products + Services
    • How to Renovate in NYC Guide

Get more news you can actually use...

Email Address

Delivered to your inbox weekly - for free.

*By signing up you agree to receive occasional emails on behalf of our sponsors

Footer Menu
  • About Us
  • Advertise

Copyright 2009-2024 by BND Ventures Inc | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Ad Choices | Login