A friend is debating whether to move into an apartment with a view today, which is pushing this question from the theoretical into the concrete.
Nora Ephron once gave this tidbit of real estate advice to Joy Behar: “Buy something, but..make sure it [has] something special about it — a fireplace, a view or something to help when it came time to sell.”
Now, obviously, in the rental game, we aren’t concerned about resale value. Does the general advice still hold though? Is seeking out something special worthwhile?
Over the course of six apartments in my adult-life, I have either lived in dives with a view, or nice apartments that were dark and view-less. Looking back, I have fond memories of all the dive-y apartments — with toilet rooms off the kitchen, 7 ft ceilings, vinyl floors, no real kitchen, odd layout — mostly because of how they made me feel. A sense of peace looking out at quaint views of yards and brownstones, views of downtown Manhattan or San Francisco. The nice apartments with views of other people’s windows, I moved out of as soon as I could. They made me feel shuttered in, enclosed, and creeped in on by the city.
Is there an argument to be made in favor of spending more, just for an amenity you don’t need? Rationally, it feels like a strong no. I like cheap. But, looking back over my experiences, I feel like that is a hint at yes.
What would you do? Would you pay more to live in your exact same apartment, but with sweeping views of San Francisco?
)
