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

[tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com]

i realize this is probably out of your control, but for me, a reliable place to park my car is more important than on-site laundry. (altho i love that i have on-site laundry. it's coin-op in the basement but i don't have to get dressed or leave the house to wash my clothes.) it doesn't have to be a space in a driveway or a lot, but at least the knowledge that i can come home late at night and not have to drive around for half an hour looking for a parking space would be fabulous.

but if this is out of your control, it's out of your control, and not everyone's going to have the same need that i do.

i live by myself in a two bedroom which i honestly think is too big for me, but i like having an extra room. i can have guests. :D the difference between big kitchen/big living room and galley kitchen/smaller living room comes down to a. how the galley kitchen is laid out (are there enough cabinets, is there good counterspace, is there any storage, what's the lighting like), and b. whether or not there's enough space for a table in the living room. a gorgeous galley kitchen and a gorgeous little living room are useless if the living room is too small to live and eat in.

i think other people's suggestions about the kitchen are good ones, especially m00n's suggestion to have some counter space next to the stove, and dial_zero's suggestion for a good-size sink and space for a dish drainer if you don't have a dishwasher. (which is my situation right now - no dishwasher, but a double sink and space for the dish drainer. i don't actually mind it, but i think it would be worth it in rent to add one, if you're renovating anyway.)

counter space and cabinets. (and good lighting. :D ) you can make a useful kitchen out of a small space with that.

[junesrose.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the suggestions!