What are the pros and cons of living on a higher floor versus a lower floor in NYC?
Finding an apartment in NYC is not easy. For this reason you will be making many tradeoffs. One factor to consider is the tradeoff between living on a high floor versus living on a low floor. One is not necessarily better than the other, although all else being equal, most people would probably choose to be on a higher floor because of the many positive benefits. But there are pros and cons to both. Let’s have a look.
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Pros to Living on a Higher Floor
More Light on a Higher Floor
Light is something sometimes hard to come by in a city so densely populated as NYC. Generally speaking, if you live on a higher floor in a building, then you will have less obstructions (i.e. usually other buildings). This makes it possible for more light can enter your apartment.
Better Views on a Higher Floor
The same logic with light applies to “views” as well. If you live on a higher floor, you will have more opportunities for views than living on a lower floor. Although, by no means does it ensure you will have any views at all of course.
Quieter on a Higher Floor….Usually
New York City can be very noisy. Most of this noise occurs at the ground level. So it stands to reason that if you live on a lower floor, your apartment will be noisier. HOWEVER, it should be mentioned that sometimes acoustics are a funny thing. The way sound bounces off buildings is not always obvious. It is strongly suggested to not assume a higher floor will be quieter but to check it out for yourself.
Easier Access To Roof Deck on a Higher Floor
If you have a roof deck, than if you live on a higher floor you will have easier access to your roof deck! This (maybe) sort of negates the point below about being able to get out of a building more quickly when you live on a lower floor.
Pros to Living on a Lower Floor
Cheaper on a Lower Floor
All else being equal, living on a lower floor usually means that your rent will be cheaper. This equation somewhat reverses in “Walk Up” buildings when – as described below – living on a lower floor may actually be more advantageous.
Lower Floor Better in “Walk Up” Buildings
Many buildings in New york City are “walk up” buildings. This means they have no elevators and they could be as many as five flights of stairs. For these kind of buildings, all else being equal, most people would prefer to live on a lower floor so they don’t have to walk up so many flights.
You Get To Your Apartment More Quickly on a Lower Floor (Especially if Elevator Goes out!)
Either walking up more steps or waiting for the elevator if you live on a higher floor means more time to get into your apartment. While it may seem like a small thing, some buildings are notorious for making tenants or owners wait 5 to 10 minutes for the elevators. When you are on a New York City minute, that can seem torturous. If the elevator is not working, you will be very thankful if you live on a lower floor!
You Can See The World As a Humans See It on a Lower Floor
While being on a higher floor and looking down on humans as ants can be cool for some people, others just love to be closer to eye level with their fellow humans. Over the years I have had several clients request to be on a lower floor for this exact reason. Not to mention that you can also more easily check to see if your fellow humans are using umbrellas or not.
In sum, while most may assume that living on a higher floor is always the way to go in NYC, as you can see there are several reasons you may want to consider a lower floor. Either way, understanding the tradeoffs can yelp you make an informed decision.
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This article was written by:
Phil Horigan, NYC Real Estate Veteran
Founder, Frēlē, the free and honest NYC rental marketplace
Producer, Phil’s NYC Rental Tips [YouTube Channel]
Blogger: flowfreely.com
Instagram: @philiphorigan
Phil has been a licensed NYC real estate agent since 2004 working for some of the top real estate brokerage firms in the industry. He founded Leasebreak.com in 2013, and Frēlē in 2017. Frēlē and Leasebreak are free and transparent rental marketplaces to search for or post apartments for rent in NYC
Go to frele.com to search for NYC apartments (free service).