Rental pick of the week

A West Village one bedroom is only asking $2,500, so you should be a little skeptical

By Nikki M. Mascali  | December 4, 2018 - 1:00PM
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This below-market one bedroom in the West Village has lots of charm, including these wood-framed windows.

Compass/StreetEasy

The West Village is one of the most sought-after neighborhoods in New York City to call home. While the beats, bohemians, musicians, artists, and other counterculture types that walked this maze of streets are pretty much long gone, you can get a good sense of the history here by following in their footsteps.

But clearly, the days of starving artists are long gone: Today’s median asking rents in the area start at $2,995—for a studio, according to StreetEasy. Want a one bedroom? That’ll set you back at least $3,950.

Which is why this one bedroom, 128 West 13th St., #28 is worth a look. It's listed for $2,500, which is unusually far below the median. 

The listing is missing a lot of the usual photos and information, which should give you some clues as to why the rent is low: There are no photos of the kitchen, only a half-shot of the bath, no floorplan, and no square footage given.

But what you can see might look and sound pretty good for the right tenant who wants to live in this desirable neighborhood. The apartment’s lease term is 15 months, and ends on March 31, 2020. According to the listing, there will be no rent increase going into year two.

The apartment has many prewar details, as well as crown molding around the windows, high ceilings, and, per the listing, “unique” light fixtures and “deep closets.”

The sizable living room has two large windows that let in lots of light and appear to look out onto a nearby building, though the listing says it overlooks West 13th Street.

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Compass/StreetEasy

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Compass/StreetEasy

The bedroom is also light-filled, and seems like it may be large enough to fit a queen-sized bed and other furniture.

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Compass/StreetEasy

The current tenant is using a corner of the bedroom for clothing storage, which might make you wonder if the room is without one of those deep closets. At closer inspection, though, the mirror’s reflection in the below photo appears to show a door opposite, so that could be a closet. 

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Compass/StreetEasy

In the partial photo of the windowed bath, the shower curtain is closed, so there's no way to know what condition the shower and tub are in. What is visible looks like the room is in decent condition. 

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Compass/StreetEasy

There is no photo to confirm that the apartment has the “full-sized” kitchen mentioned in the listing, or what condition it is in.  

The apartment is an elevator building with a restored white marble lobby with stained-glass windows, on-site laundry and a resident super. Two things to keep in mind about this rental: There are no dogs or temporary walls allowed. 

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Compass/StreetEasy

The building is in close proximity to many notable West Village’s eateries and other hotspots, such as the Village Vanguard and hip vintage shop, Beacon’s Closet. Italian restaurants Sotto 13 and Gradisca are within a few doors, and Murray’s Bagels is just across Sixth Avenue.

In addition to being in one of the city’s most exciting neighborhoods, the apartment has plenty of transit options. The 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, L trains are within a two- to four-block radius, and the 4, 5, 6, N, R, Q trains are four blocks away at Union Square. 

 

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