Upper East Side

I'm crazy about the Upper East side. Hoping to stay in this area when we finally find an apartment. I'm not sure why I love this neighborhood so much. Perhaps it has something to do with all the cool architecture? The people here can be so-so, of course depending on which direction you go. I love Madison AVENUE. It's great for shopping - but 'some' of the people there can be a bit too snooooooty for my taste. Not that I dislike them or anything. No offense to those living on Madison AVE. - that's why I said 'some' people. 

Anyhow - every so often I frequent real estate sites & came across a gorgeous town home here on the Upper East side. You can actually check out all the details here on StreetEasy. Way beyond affordable in my world, but no ONE says I can't look & say "WOW".

Anyone else in LOVE with the East side of NYC? Or do you have another favorite area in NY you prefer?

Anyone else in LOVE with the East side of NYC? Or do you have another favorite area in NY you prefer?

 
 
-images via street easy

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Renting: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Hi! I'm Jamie from the blog [kreyv]. Because of Mr. Hubs' medical schooling, residency, and fellowship, we have rented for nine of our eleven years of marriage. Here are my thoughts on the good, bad, and ugly.

The GOOD

 
I would say that my favorite thing about renting is not being responsible for major maintenance issues. If anything gives you problems or breaks, it's not your problem. At our current rental, the maintenance manager even prefers to change our light bulbs, so that the lighting fixtures don't break (which wouldn't be the worst thing in the world...more on that later)! Aside from maintenance, we love having a pool, fitness club, and clubhouse to use whenever we like.

We have found that most landlords/managers don't mind if you paint, which is a big relief, because chances are, I'm going to want to change the colors of the wall. Some places either charge you or ask that you repaint to the original color. However, if you are renting a private resident, many landlords will agree to let you change things at their expense. Our last rental was a single family home. We changed wall colors, bathroom vanities, light fixtures, and window coverings. Our landlord paid for all of it. We were able to make the home ours, and the landlord got free labor. Win win...for everyone except my husband who did all of the work!

My final "good" is that there's not a huge commitment with renting. We have lived in four different states that, prior to moving, we knew nothing about. Finding a home to buy when you only have a weekend to look is completely scary. Plus, we don't have to worry about leaving an unsold second home when we move again.

The BAD

We are allowed to paint in our current rental, but here's the catch: we have to either repaint the entire thing, OR pay tons of money to have them repaint it. So, we've only painted the entry and the living room, and I just live with the ugly not my favorite paint in all of the other rooms.

I am obsessed with interior design and believe that paint color and lighting are both crucial elements to a good design, neither meet my expectations in our rental. We have no overhead lighting in our living room, which is common in rentals, and I hate it! I need light! We installed a track lighting in our living room, which helps, but isn't the same as good lighting. And, speaking of lighting, the light fixtures here are not one bit cute. But, when renting, you can't be too picky. I guess I'll live with the bad lighting in exchange for granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and good floors.

And finally, space and storage--or more accurately, the lack of. We are lucky to have walk-in closets in every room, which helps a ton, but we still don't have enough storage. It forces you to be very creative by adding shelves and exercising the art of organization.

The UGLY

 
Having a two year old adds some additional items to our wish list. I wish we had a yard. We are super close to lots of parks, but there's something to be said about a fenced in yard of your own. Besides the privacy, the worry of unknown dangers and strangers isn't such an issue. Other "uglies?" Knowing exactly what movie your neighbors are watching or what songs they are listening to, neighbors who add lawn ornaments, benches, and lighting to the teeny, tiny shared grass areas (we live in town homes), and people who drive around the parking lot as if it's a race track. 

I guess I could some up those last items by saying neighbors. Neighbors that are too close! Luckily, our immediate neighbors are wonderful. Thank goodness!

For now, the good outweighs the bad. I think that regardless of where you live, the important thing is that you make your house a home that reflects the people who live there.

Are you RENTING??
 
If you'd like to share, the good, the bad, the ugly of living in a rental, email me your submission with 3-4 pictures of your apartment! Pls use the same format as above!

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Renting: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Hi MadeByGirl readers! This is Dorkys from Dry As Toast here to share the good, the bad, and the ugly sides to renting in New York City

The GOOD

Aside from the obvious perks of saying you live in NYC, renting an apartment here gives you the freedom to try out different neighborhoods with relative ease. Once your lease is up, you can move to another borough and get to know a whole new ethnic enclave.

While it'd be great to have a home to call my own, I'm glad I don't have to deal with a mortgage or maintenance and that if something falls apart, I can always run downstairs to ask my super to fix it. I think of renting as a test drive to maintaining a home before buying a house someday and a blank slate that challenges you to truly make it your own.

The BAD

One of the biggest downsides to renting in NYC is the price tag on location. If you want to live in Manhattan, expect to fork over a pretty penny for the zip code. Those who don't mind a slightly longer subway ride can find better deals - and much more space - in the outer boroughs.

Other cons include limitations on what you can do with your apartment's layout, architectural features, and, most importantly, your neighbors (mine has delusions of channeling Mariah Carey whenever she sings) and the noise levels around you.

The UGLY

There are so many details I would change if I could. The exposed radiators painted in metallic grey, the ugly gate to secure the window to the fire escape, the lack of space in the kitchen area, and the fact that all my windows face another wall of windows limiting the amount of sunlight that gets in each day. 


But I've compensated on some of those drawbacks by draping sheer curtains over my windows to let in light while shielding the view, having an extra cabinet installed in the kitchen, and using a pantry cart as a movable island for food preparation. It's all about the little things you can do to make this into a comfy home.

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Renting: The Good, The bad, The Ugly

Hello everyone! This is Jackie from York Avenue blog, I'm here today on MadeByGirl talking about my rental experience! 

Renting in a city like New York has a ton of ups and downs. There are many challenges that come with living in, and decorating, a rented (and tiny!) space, but I think the happiness to be gained by living in a city you love far outweighs the downsides of being a renter!

The GOOD

Living in a rented apartment forces you to find creative solutions to the dilemmas that come with your space. If you can't paint, you have to bring in color in different ways. If you can't put down carpet, you have to use interesting area rugs in varying configurations. And on and on. It really opens up your creativity and forces you to think outside the box! Another thing I actually enjoy about renting is not being responsible for every single thing that happens. When something breaks, I can call my building maintenance staff, instead of needing to find a repair person on my own. Of course, this varies depending on your situation, but when I think about owning I just think of so many things that I would be solely responsible for, and forced to deal with all on my own, and then I feel happy about being a renter! One more upside: if I lived in my own space, I would feel a lot of pressure to make it perfect and renovate every inch. As a renter, if something is ugly and there's nothing I can do about it, I just learn to live with it. It actually turns out to be a good thing-I've learned to be flexible and not demand absolute perfection from my space. I've learned to do what I can (which is a ton), and be happy with the less-than-perfect bits of the rental. These things give it personality, I say! 

The BAD

Of course, the big downside to being a renter is that you are stuck with those less-than-ideal features of your rental. I have an odd window situation and not very much light in my apartment-it's not what I would have ideally chosen, were I buying, but again, you find ways to manage. Another downside of renting a small space is the urge to decorate every inch of it! It's so easy to go overboard and want more, more, more, but I've found that in a tiny space, keeping things simple and airy is a MUST.

The UGLY

Then there are the really ugly things in a rental that you simply can't do anything about. For me, this would be the unattractive, dated kitchen cabinets. No chance of a total kitchen renovation when you're renting! But as I mentioned in "the good," I've learned to live with this imperfection and embrace it. As Deborah Needleman points out in her book The Perfectly Imperfect Home, (which is the best design book I've ever read, by the way), every home needs a little bit of ugly!

If you'd like to share, the good, the bad, the ugly of living in a rental, email me your submission with 3-4 pictures of your apartment! Pls use the same format as above! 

 

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Renting: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Hi everyone! I'm Stephanie from Stephanie LeeAnn blog! Apartment living is great for those who love the flexibility to move around or who aren't ready to commit long term to being a home owner, but can we all agree that turning a rental in to a home has some benefits and some challenges? 

THE GOOD 

Apartment owners generally try to include features and amenities that enhance residents' lifestyles. Like upscale interior details, amazing views, or spacious (relatively speaking) floor plan designs. You can expect additional amenities such as certain utilities included in your rental payment, a health club or pool on site, a doorman, or a lounge area. While I love to keep my place neat and tidy, I don't love lawn care and general maintenance. So it's a WIN-WIN. Sometimes searching for the right apartment can be exhausting but once you find the one it sure does have it's perks. 

THE BAD

Since living in an apartment offers a lot of flexibility, typically where you are really limited is on space - closets, useable wall space, and cabinetry to name a few - so more things tend to go on display. That means keeping organized and being creative with the space you do have so that a room is used to it's fullest potential. That goes for hanging items too. You're forced to evaluate what you should and should not hold on to. Maybe that's a good thing, but for some people, like myself, it may mean offsite storage or selling favored items. Such a bummer, that is.

THE UGLY 

You definitely do not have the privacy that you have in a single-family home. That means at any time - literally all hours - you may hear your neighbors . You know when they are showering, what movie they're watching, how late they stay up at night. The list goes on! On the flip side, you also have to be mindful of your own noise levels. Especially when it comes to music and entertaining. Your neighbors may ask for you to quiet down. Or worse, pay backs at the most inopportune times. Ever have THAT neighbor? 

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Renting: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Hello there! This is apartment living by Erin at The Sparkle.

The GOOD

In this day and age, who likes an ironclad commitment?  (Unless you’re a woman rapidly approaching her mid thirties… but that’s another article for another time). Choosing to live in an apartment equals “freedom”.  For example: the neighborhood takes a drastic downturn and stilettos are now more of a weapon than a fashion must this season?  The warehouses next to the cannery have been converted into opulent concrete lofts and that’s where you’d like to relocate?  


Simply pack up stakes and step… that easy!  And hey, if your fridge breaks simply speed-dial the super and your problem of warm white wine is someone else’s problem. You won’t even have to break a perfectly manicured nail opening a toolbox!

 
The BAD

Picture this scenario: you’re about to leave the apartment at 8am and running late… your chatty/nosy neighbor is locking up the same time and is ready for a chat. That’s right – living in an apartment means a lack of privacy. They can hear you, and worst of all – you can hear them, and their bad taste in music (is Nickelback at 11pm really necessary?) 


Someone is always ready for a chat;  don’t let network TV fool you, it’s usually not a handsome French artist or an interesting and glamorous flight attendant next door.  My advice? keep your neighbors at arms length or before you know it, they’re standing at your door with a cup of coffee, a rash they want your opinion on and the latest building goss.

 

The UGLY

You have an invisible roommate - your landlord, and he has more say about what happens in the apartment as you do, so cozy up!  Maybe you’d like to spruce up your space with a fresh coat of paint in this year’s pantone pick?  Check with your invisible  roommate.  He may say yes, but the stipulation? You must paint it back before you leave, or there goes your damage deposit.  Maybe your dishwasher model is closer to what the Flintstones’ originally used? 


Getting it replaced will most often be a struggle. The best advice: do whatever it takes to stay the landlord’s favorite tenant above everybody else in that building.  That’s right, we’re talking birthday presents, Christmas presents, plenty of “please’s” and “thank you’s” and even accompanying their visiting mother-in-law to her eye-appointment. No one said getting what you want was going to be easy.

If you'd like to share, the good, the bad, the ugly of living in a rental, email me your submission with 3-4 pictures of your apartment! Pls use the same format as above!

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