Think twice, act once
Pros
The other tenants in the building were kind and helpful. There’s a food market across the street, walking distance to subway, around the corner from a parking garage, and a laundry place down the street.
Cons
The landlord comes to live in the basement without much of a heads up and definitely does not know how to interact properly with tenants. Has the tendency to get aggrieved easily and then bother you in-person at times (such as middle of the night. He only has a good relationship with a long-term couple in the building. But tends to make new and single/women tenants feel very uncomfortable. This is important as he’s around the house a lot and can stay for months at a time, without notice for how long he’ll be around). There’s construction going on behind the unit which can get noisy during the day. The water in the kitchen is extremely cloudy and concerning. This is a smaller deal, but you don’t have a dedicated mailbox per unit. The bathroom tub and sink need a desperate update — the good sign is that the building is being renovated in pieces (but you don’t usually get an update when things are being upgraded, so there can random people and loud noises for an unclear/extended period of time). If you’re a woman thinking about living there, I suggested being cautious and definitely asking questions before committing to the place. Owner went into the unit without prior notice or permission, just fyi. It’s not the worst place you’ll come across, but I really recommend thinking twice.
Advice to the owners
Work on respecting boundaries and behaving properly around tenants. Be open to listening to tenants instead of being defensive when they express concerns. But above all, learn how to interact with the tenants without being defensive and threatening.
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