Pros:
New heating system, modern appliances, nice cleaning team, monthly pest control from a decent local company, close to Western Beef grocery store, nice view of the city, close to B57 bus stop, chill street parking, the closest laundromat has cheap wash-and-fold, near some popular nightlife venues (Knockdown Center, Elsewhere, etc.)
Cons:
Buzzer always broken, maintenance guy slow to respond & often outsourced labor to unlicensed workers that did not speak English (had a catastrophic ceiling leak once and it took nearly 3 weeks to be fully addressed - management gave me $100 for the traumatic encounter which left many of my belongings damaged), emergency maintenance hotline was non-functional, disgusting basement where the washer + dryer were (which both malfunctioned often) that often flooded & had a gross flooding and rat issue, the hallway/staircase often had a strong mold-like smell except on the days when the cleaning family came, the management (Ben was our main contact most of the time) was difficult to reach & highly secretive. Roof access was promised during showing but a year into tenancy they locked it off - a shame with such a nice view. The kitchen was comically small & the unit was cut up into 4 rooms making the hallways very tight . The management seems to be largely white men & they often treated me and my roommates (all woman of color) in a condescending manner. Near the end of our lease they often showcased our apartment to groups of people identified as "the bank" often without notice & once randomly gave us a $25 gift card after such an occasion for, and I quote, "pizza & beer" - very tone-deaf. The building is quite a walk from any train stations & the walk to the L train is very desolate as Flushing avenue in that area is mostly wholesale warehouses that close at 6pm. No good delis nearby, the closest one was a 10-minute walk up a sharp hill - same for a laundromat. Horrible air-quality as there are few trees on the block & trucks run down the road out front - also it is next door to a sketchy mechanic operation - an air purifier & mask when walking is recommended for long-term health.
Advice to owner:
Make sure employees are conducting basic responsibilities? Actually respond to emails & phone calls, treat tenants respectfully, renovate apartments to be more spacious prioritizing livability over profit, finish the basement & add necessary safety measures to the roof, prioritize DEI in your communication & perhaps hiring practices, require tenants to have renter's insurance (& to provide proof), do not promise things in the lease or showings that you can not maintain or deliver upon, act on emergency situations competently.