Curiousity killed the landord?

[junesrose.livejournal.com]

Hello all,

I have a question, an informal poll of sorts.

I'm at the beginning stages of remodeling my mother's house (she's not living there anymore). It's a two family home. The downstairs apt right now is a one bedroom.

Here's where your sage wisdom/expertise comes in:

I have the ability of making this space a nice, big, one bedroom apartment with a huge eat-in kitchen, large living room and bedroom; or I can take that "extra" room (the kitchen, believe it or not) and turn it into a second bedroom, and make a smaller galley-like kitchen, open to a common room/living room area, which, overall, would not be that big.

I know that it's difficult to visualize, and ultimately, it's my decision, but I"m just looking for what YOU ALL would be looking for in an apartment as a single renter, or with one other roommate.

As a single renter, is the kitchen important to you? The bigger the better? I know that kitchens in homes are massive these days, but do you all look for that in apartments too? Do you young'uns spend time in the kitchen like us old folk?

And, if you were to move in with someone else (have a roomate), how important is a larger kitchen for you? Do you consider the size of the living room/common space or are the bedrooms more important when sharing an apartment (these two bedrooms would be a good size).

Ok, I'm being redundant on both questions, just humor me.....


Also, in general, how important are laundry facilities on-site (ok, I think I know the answer to this one, but I'm throwing it out there as well...)??

Thanks in advance!

:D

~@~@~@~

ADDENDUM-DUM

Er... I know I should be asking a realtor this question, and I have fair idea, but what's the going rate these days for a large one bedroom apt close (VERY CLOSE) to Davis sq?????

Comments

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

i've been here for ten years ("here" being boston & surrounding areas, and moving almost every year) and i've lived without laundry ONCE. and i won't do it again. even if it's coin op in a basement, that's fine, but man, the time sink of laundromats, OMG. not to mention lugging stuff if you don't have a car (AWFUL) and all the things that can go wrong. (once i left my clothes drying, returned at close to pick them up and discovered the dryer broke half way through, meaning no clean laundry AND i would have to wash & dry it again the next day; another time there was ink in the dryer and ruined at least 3 pieces of clothing, etc)

/LAUNDRY RANT

as for the rest, bedroom size living alone or with roommates (but esp with) is KEY, for me, always always always. i can make a small room work, but i'd much prefer larger bedroom over larger common areas as that's where i spend most of my time.

kitchen is really a personal preference more than the rest imo, not dependent on age/sex/etc. in quincy my only gripe with that place was the kitchen, even one person cooking was sometimes a challenge, forget if my roommates (a couple) were trying to eat too. it would have been better if it had two entrances, or room for a table? but having only one narrow doorway in and out was terrible.

good luck!

[junesrose.livejournal.com]

Thank you!