Am I the only one who prefers walk-ups over doorman/fancy buildings?

Submitted by helloder27 t3_xyfif4 in jerseycity

I switched from the fancy/modern buildings to a pre-war walk up and I actually love it here. Just 6 apartments in the building, everyone mostly knows each other. I can text my landlord any time, there is no stupid corporate and careless leasing agents to deal with, this feels more flexible and human. With leasing companies even the rents are determined by a stupid algorithm.

When I get a package I just have to go out and pick it up all done in 15 seconds - compare that with these luxury towers where sometimes you have to wait in line for 10 mins just to pickup your package. Plus these old brick walkups have excellent sound insulation and sometimes your own private backyard.

Maybe its just me, because all (yeah, 100%) of my friends stay away from walkups and consider it a downgrade. They don't even consider walk-ups as an option when renting. With walkups though - I prefer the first and second floors only, maybe third at the max if its really good.

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Jazzlike_Drawer7174 t1_irgwy7o wrote

Only negative is plenty of package stealers in the city. You wont be home or awake all the time. If you rely on delivery then you are screwed.

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helloder27 OP t1_irgx9vz wrote

Yeah I haven't had any packages stolen in the 1+ year I've lived here, especially because our outer door locks too. (usually there is an inner+outer door to walkups) But I do have to be at home to buzz them in. I definitely have to plan around it and make sure I am at home during the delivery days. If its something too expensive I just pick it up from a locker.

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objectimpermanence t1_irh0vdy wrote

It’s not such a black and white issue in my experience.

I’ve lived in both and each has its pluses and minuses.

For what it’s worth, I used to live in an 1890s building that appeared to be very solid. The apartment was huge with taller ceilings than you’d find in any high rise, but the building turned out to have the worst sound insulation of any place I’ve ever lived.

Personally, the convenience factor of a doorman building is worth it to me. A few months ago, I accidentally locked myself out of my apartment late on a Saturday night. Didn’t realize it until I got home around 1 or 2am. I simply asked the doorman for my spare key and problem solved.

In my old building, which had no live-in super and a landlord who lived 1,000 miles away, that same situation would’ve been a big hassle.

I’ve also rarely have to wait more than 2-3 minutes for a package. And I never have to worry about being home to make sure a valuable package isn’t stolen off the front stoop.

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asfelith t1_iri1sd3 wrote

What was the 1890s building? 299 pavonia?

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objectimpermanence t1_iridjj7 wrote

Nope, it wasn’t downtown. Too small a building to name specifically without doxxing myself.

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asfelith t1_irihseq wrote

Ah gotcha. Knowing it's not is enough for me! Thanks!

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deaddabrain t1_irgxiuc wrote

Im all about my first floor walk ups. Major plus is you actually can call/text the owner. No middle man bs management company.

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helloder27 OP t1_irgy81i wrote

Kinda underrated but you also get more space (more bang for your buck), often renovated. People actually pay 2700 for studios in luxury buidlings when they can get a 2 br in a walkup for the same price.

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Yumucka t1_iri9oo0 wrote

Just started renting in a really nice brownstone in Bergen-Lafayette and I couldn’t agree more. It’s 2 BR, 2 BR, 2nd and 3rd floor apartment and the rent is 2,300. It’s still much more expensive than we were paying in Philly, but $2700 for a studio? Yikes.

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[deleted] t1_irih2ms wrote

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deaddabrain t1_irikrxh wrote

I didn’t mean it like it is always the case. It is just a plus if you get a walk up with that.

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carcosa___ t1_irh481j wrote

I live in a modern walkup. Best of both worlds :)

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whybother5000 t1_irgyjdi wrote

Pros and cons to both. I feel safer in a doorman building and hear neighbors more in an older walk up.

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Laterdays82 t1_irh3a5m wrote

I think doorman buildings give a false sense of security, especially the huge ones. I'd be curious to see the statistics on this.

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garth_meringue t1_irh0nf6 wrote

A lot comes down to luck either way. I think the main advantage is that if you have a benevolent lord of the land and you don't rock the boat, your rent won't get jacked up a crazy amount like a corporate building would do. If you like your apartment it'll be easier to stay in it longer.

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nycdevil t1_irgzkug wrote

I think that the virtual doorman is the optimal setup. There are benefits and negatives to both the full-service and the walkup buildings, but the virtual doorman feels like the best of both worlds.

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gearheadsub92 t1_irigtjj wrote

My bf’s mom building has this and I agree it’s quite nice. Bonus, she had all her kids (and us +1’s) download the app and she logged us in using her credentials, so now we can buzz ourselves in the front door or open the garage door from the street whenever we visit.

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Front_Guarantee_2915 t1_irh2pas wrote

I gotta be honest. I could make all the money in the world and I wouldn't live in a doorman building. Nothing against the people who do. I just don't need to know extra people? Maybe? Forced socialization is tough.

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[deleted] t1_irhbvi8 wrote

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Front_Guarantee_2915 t1_irhcm4c wrote

Oh yeah I don't usually know my neighbors just because. They're either friends or they're just some person. I'm aware that's a me problem 🤣

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heavyunsure t1_irh7nv6 wrote

LOL I'm doing it rn reluctantly and I am trying to love it. But, it's weird. I don't like having to say goodbye/hello to someone every time 😩 and I worry about what I look like. I just feel very observed.

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JeromePowellAdmirer t1_irjvqgo wrote

Used to think like this but if they're a chill person they won't actually care about appearance (you become the "oddball friend we love") or if they care then they're not a good person anyways

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heavyunsure t1_irncr0j wrote

Yeah I've slowly gotten closer to/used to my door people but my gf is much better at fraternizing and she jokes around with them. They openly prefer us to others in the building which is very sweet and kinda funny.

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jjvvllxx t1_irh03fs wrote

noooo I love the older, charming walk up buildings. I regret moving to a fancy building. it just doesn't " feel like home " or the cozy feel to it.

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a_teletubby t1_iridgx4 wrote

There are thousands of small and big buildings it depends on which one.

I lived under a family with kids in an old building with wood ceilings and it was hell. The kids decide my sleep schedule, not me. Also too noisy to WFH and there were roaches and mice.

Moved to a high rise with concrete floors. No noise, no pests. Best decision ever.

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cbuzz8 t1_irh36x8 wrote

I hated having doorpeople because they would gossip and actually ask me (a resident) to deliver packages up to other floors if I was going to walk their dog or something. Or, one of my pet peeves would be when they just harass you to talk to them despite times you might not feel like being chatty. Super annoying.

Have also lived in a place with an awful management company, though no doorman. Absolute nightmare with management, super thin walls. Ended up breaking my lease instead of dealing with the numerous headaches (awful neighbors, noise, smoking, roach infestation).

Living in a walk up is nice, especially because I have a great landlord now who cares and takes care of things. It helps when your landlord also lives in the building. Definitely the best human experience I’ve had to date. Reasonable price for rent, but just actually takes cares of things and keeps up on maintenance. I’d happily pay more for what I have. If I could go back a few years and start renting all over again, a walk up is what I’d look at first.

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burrito__supreme t1_irhbim2 wrote

not at all. i don’t live in as small a building as yours but it is a nearly 100 year old building. thick walls keep noise to a minimum, old style architecture gives us gorgeous details and huge rooms. couldn’t pay me to live in a high rise. i like hotels but i don’t want to live in them, and those “luxury” high rises all feel like hotels without the amenities that make hotels worth it.

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Laterdays82 t1_irh1nvu wrote

I hated having a doorman. Some of them were great, but a lot of them were very gossipy and didn't do much other than hand out packages.

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sbs49271 t1_irh51fw wrote

I love living in a charming older building. It feels like home. I toured many high rise apartments, and they felt very cold and office-like. I already work in an office in a high rise and I can't stand the idea of living in a place similar to my office. It would be claustrophobic.

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jersey-city-park t1_irgyb25 wrote

Every one has their preference. I personally wouldnt live in a walkup in JC

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Lo_Mayne_Low_Mein t1_irimppk wrote

Nope! Hate big apartment buildings they make me feel like I’m living in a dystopia in a tiny box with hundreds of other boxes like some sort of cage lol. Walk ups only.

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immadane t1_irh3r4b wrote

I moved from one of those high rise Newport buildings to a walk up in Hoboken. No regrets so far . Completely agreed with jacked up rents by greedy Newport landlords and forced socialization. Also, Hoboken feels much more like a community. Although, sometimes I do feel I’m in a small town in Italy lol

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helloder27 OP t1_irhbmlc wrote

You lived in the wrong part of Jersey City. Newport is more of just a housing community for people who like to be close to work in Manhattan. Lots of nice old world charm in Historic Downtown, similar to the Hoboken vibe but with grown adults not college kids like in Hoboken.

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cookiesarenomnom t1_irhdp80 wrote

I've lived in both, and have had good and bad experiences in both. I couldn't really pick one over the other. They both have their advantages and disadvantages.

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Desi_techy_girl t1_irhewir wrote

I dont like walkups, lived in one and hated it. Moving anything in and out was pain especially in a old brownstone with weird angles. Carrying groceries up and down was pain too.

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peanut_buttergirl t1_iri8kp0 wrote

Walk ups are cool but it’s the single landlord that’s the problem. If your landlord sucks, good luck, since you deal with them and them only.

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mathfacts t1_irh9yku wrote

No way, luxury for life!

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foot-trail t1_irhv1hp wrote

I felt the same as you, but not all landlords are the same, especially if your building has partial other owners. I moved into a "new" building in part because in my last place (which I loved and lived in for 3+ years) I didn't have laundry for 5+ months when things flooded last year, and forget the smell of living in a beautiful, but old, historical walkup. It's definitely a maintenance issue that I couldn't control. In my dreams, I'd love to buy a full brownstone or other building and make sure none of that ever happened, but its hard to control the just shitty factors that make life miserable without owning in some buildings.

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haiduz t1_iri6cpv wrote

You’re the only one OP! You’re a special little guy and never change!

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Successful_Pen_2387 t1_irh4wyu wrote

I'd prefer a walkup, but parking is a big difference that swings it for a condo.

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jgweiss t1_irhfypg wrote

i guess this is the unpopular opinion, but i absolutely loved my doorman building and would do anything to get back to that or a similar building with a great staff; its an amenity that cannot be replaced or replicated.

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helloder27 OP t1_irhifrf wrote

Yours is actually the popular opinion, there is this prestige attached with doorman buildings in the NYC area. Mine is the unpopular one of preferring walk-ups instead.

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Chilltopjc t1_irhk3lr wrote

Paying so much extra HOA for a doorman or elevator or pool that’s open 3/12 months is not worth it IMO.

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Immediate_Comma t1_iriuro1 wrote

How do you find a good walk up apartment? Everything I've looked at is either snatched up instantly or seems like a word of mouth listing.

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Crypty t1_irj02yk wrote

I HATED needing to take an elevator in and out of my apartment. That’s the opposite of luxury to me. Private street level entrance all day.

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Cuprunnethover2022 t1_irgzfdi wrote

I love the charm of the old walk-up buildings, but also love the central air and elevator at the high-rises. Sigh! You can't have it all.

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Blecher_onthe_Hudson t1_irhc3up wrote

Lots of the hi rises have PTACs not central air

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NoGoodNamesAvailable t1_irjyo5m wrote

Yeah the developers are not splurging for central air in most of these places. You get a PTAC with electric heat which is the most expensive way possible to heat a house. I will take landlord paid radiators any day.

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JcpaNYC t1_iribumh wrote

My walk up has central air and is only up one flight. Easy to filter for this type of thing on Zillow/Redfin or whatever app you use

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The_GreatGonzy t1_irh6mx2 wrote

I mean I agree with most of what you’re saying. Except for the waiting in line for a package….Not sure where you lived before that walk up. The walk ups on 3rd street are super nice

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MuffDiving t1_irh6yd0 wrote

A higher rent walk up will always be better than a hastily built luxury building that only thinks about todays trends

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ROBOT-MAN t1_irh83xw wrote

Agree 100%. I live in a 4th floor walkup, and pay way less than market for a 2.5br. My landlord is fairly good as far as landlords go, too.

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Indecisively t1_irhckil wrote

It depends on how high up the walk up is. I’m currently in a pre-war building with an elevator, which I prefer to my previous 3rd floor walk up.

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Blecher_onthe_Hudson t1_irhda16 wrote

Talk to your landlord about Amazon "Key for Business". They will install at their expense a device on the buzz entry of >3 unit buildings that lets them open it themselves. Combined with a standard USPS key safe you can protect a large percentage of packages.

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JCYimby t1_irhikys wrote

It goes both ways, I lived in a small apartment building before and it was terrible. Now I live in a corporate-managed building and it’s far better.

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Life_On_Park_Ave t1_irigmyb wrote

Walk Up Lover Here! If you stay in one for too long your friends may play pretentious because they pay for someone’s boat. Just stay focused! A lease is a leash! Equity is everything! Remember that those buildings are mostly all Luxury Rentals. Wonder what happened across America. We bought into the corporations greed. But it comes with a gym and a pool. Lol. 😉🤙🏼✌🏼❤️

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Hulk_Runs t1_irh7grf wrote

Shhhhh. High rise people don’t know they’re suckers paying 25% more for 25% less space and trading having horrible maintenance for fancy amenities they rarely use.

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voyboy_crying t1_irhphv5 wrote

yea you're right, high ceilings, brand new white wooden floors and large windows is definitely terrible. I have cognitive dissonance too bro, but you're in another stratosphere

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JcpaNYC t1_iric8pb wrote

I have high ceilings, nice wooden floors and great windows in my walk-up.

Harder to find, but worth the search

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Hulk_Runs t1_iri0la1 wrote

My stratospheric cognitive dissonance because I don’t like soulless, cookie cutter, faux fancy decor.

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Ilanaspax t1_irij034 wrote

I think most of them just don’t want to deal with mice…

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theholdup t1_iri9uub wrote

I hear you but I also used to live in a walk up here and spent the whole summer without AC because my landlord was too cheap to actually replace the condenser. Now in my “fancy” building if something is broke I submit a ticket and they’re here the same day. What I miss most about my pre war walk up though was the brick. Now I live in 4 white walls…

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justcharliey t1_iribqrf wrote

Your friends are stupid and you go it right.

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Ilanaspax t1_iriiu5s wrote

The luxury rentals are fugly and overpriced but literally every walk up I’ve lived in looked nice but had a mouse problem and an idiot slumlord.

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Pizzacheezze t1_irrkssz wrote

I am looking to move into a walk-up but having trouble finding listings. If anyone is willing to share how they have found their walk-up, it would be greatly appreciated!

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Zulumus t1_irgzcbt wrote

Lived in both. Walk-ups are great if you don’t have a family, doorman buildings just feel more secure.

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Hulk_Runs t1_irh79eb wrote

Yea, once you move into a walk up you have a 50% of being murdered. Especially downtown.

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Zulumus t1_irh9mso wrote

I’ve lived in walk-ups in the Bronx, Harlem and Brooklyn; had a knife pulled on me outside of one, and was harassed and almost arrested by the cops just for sitting outside of another. I said what I said.

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Hulk_Runs t1_irh9w2v wrote

Except we’re not talking about those places. Also, that has much more to do with the neighborhood than the type of building.

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Furryexperience t1_irhko6n wrote

Ah shit. Another lux living in jc raising my rent.

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