living in a walk-up

We live in a 3rd floor walkup co-op with a 2 month old and a 2 year old. We moved from an elevator/doorman building. It's been fairly unpleasant at times but our 2 year old can go up and down by himself (holding our hands), and by next year he'll be able to do it alone. We also get most of our groceries delivered.

Of course, the tradeoff is that we were able to afford a 3br apt. with a w/d, vs. a small 2 br in an elevator building.

As for resale, well, we paid less than we would have on the first floor, so if and when we sell we'll price it commensurately.

I would look very carefully at the foyer design. Is there space to stash an umbrella stroller, and would the other shareholders allow it? There are only 5 of us in the building, and 3 have young kids so it's not a problem. It's nearly impossible to hump a kid, a stroller, a diaper bag and whatever else you have in your arms up 3 flights of narrow stairs.

Posted by: guest at May 11, 2008 4:24 PM

How big is the place? Are the non-master bedrooms really only nurseries or are they really big enough (in future buyers opinions) for grade school kids or teens. If they're big enough, then don't worry too much about not having buyers later. If they are very small, some people with infants/toddlers won't be interested.

Fresh direct has an annual delivery fee of something like $100. I tip the drivers $1/flr, but from the gratitude they show every time I do, it's clear many people give them nothing.

There are times it will suck, but that's life with kids anyway. They're not convenient. That's not why we have them.

I personally couldn't handle a dark ground floor apartment. The sunlight, the views, having nobody walking on the ceiling over the baby's room after they finally go down for a nap - all worth every extra step.

I realize some people would never want such a high walk up but am always surprised when people don't recognize that many people prefer them.

Posted by: guest at May 11, 2008 10:22 PM

My wife and I live on the top floor of a four story townhouse and would only ever choose to live at the top of a building in the future. It's quiet, bright, we have outdoor space, and private.

In all, it's not really that many steps and, considering that the buildings in the neighborhood are all over 100 years old and are all walkups, you're not the first to live on a top floor with children. People have been doing this for a long time; it's only recently that we expect everything to be so easy.

Buy the apartment and turn it into a home - you'll get your money back and then some when you sell in a few years.

Posted by: guest at May 12, 2008 8:05 AM

last fall i bought an apartment on the 4th floor of a walk up building... the walk can sometimes be difficult but sometimes i am surprised and don't really notice it - it all depends on what kind of day i am having. despite the walk up i am always happy to walk in the door to my sunny and bright apartment. i am planning on having kids in this apartment and i know it is going to be a pain in the butt most of the time but my husband and i felt it was worth it... we otherwise wouldn't have been able to live in such a great location in the school district we wanted. i am sure i will be cursing the decision at times once i am struggling up the stairs with 2 small children... but i'll deal with that when the time comes and hey, it beats going to the gym!
i say go for it.

Posted by: guest at May 12, 2008 11:19 AM

I love stairs! Stairs are a great workout. Studies say short bursts of heavy activity like that are essential to building strength in bones.

I've never lived on the top floor in a walk-up but I would not be turned off by that. I'd rather walk up stairs than have pounding feet above me, like we experienced being on the 2nd floor. Horrid. We are now in a house, 2-stories plus finished basement den, so I'm up and down all day. I dig it. It's a sad day when I become too overwhelmed or weak to use stairs.

The first post that said to pay attention to the foyer and whether there is room for strollers and things - that is most important. Whether you're on the 2nd floor of a coop or the top floor you do not want to have to go up and down bringing child and parcels, then double-back for the stroller.

Posted by: guest at May 12, 2008 2:03 PM

You can't just look at the foyer for room for your junk, you have to ask the board if leaving a stroller there is permitted. Most coops/condos have clear rules that forbid using common space for personal items. In our coop we decided to permit 1 stroller (folded and hung) per child under 5. We had to do this after finding big wheels and baby SUVs repeatedly blocking the entry of the first floor owners. People can be so rude.

Posted by: guest at May 12, 2008 2:19 PM

I second the advice to verify that you will actually be allowed to leave a stroller downstairs. I live on the 4th (top) floor of a walkup with a 4 month old and have found it pretty unpleasant to lug a stroller and growing baby up and down the stairs. I'm not sure how I will do it when the baby gets bigger or if I have a second child (even children who can walk sometimes get too tired or might be sleeping and unable to get themselves up the 4 flights). When we moved into the building, there was always a stroller in the entryway, but now the coop has gotten stricter about rules. There's plenty of room for strollers, but they have threatened to dispose of anything (including a stoller) left in public areas.

Posted by: guest at May 12, 2008 3:37 PM

Look around the lobby/foyer in the building. Do you see any strollers? That'll be an indication of the board's willingness to allow for stroller storage downstairs.

Personally, I don't think the kids are going to mind stairs. The parents on the other hand...

Posted by: guest at May 12, 2008 3:38 PM

the resale of the babies will be dependent on several factors including, but not limited to, race, sex, and various parental characteristics. for an accurate quote, i would need more information about the child and its biological parents. thank you.

Posted by: guest at May 12, 2008 3:54 PM

Go for the stairs! You'll all be healthier for it. If it's the top floor, I saw in Time Out NY kids where someone who had an apt on the top floor of a bnstn that took over the hallway space for extra storage, treating essentially like a coat closet - m for coats, umbrellas, boots, rollerblades, strollers, etc.

Is there a W/D in the apt?

Posted by: guest at May 12, 2008 7:34 PM

I am a mother of two, ages 4 & 6 and we live on a fourth floor walk up in PS. I wouldn't trade the air and light for a lower floor. Just be sure that your apartment has a washer / dryer and you will be fine!

Posted by: guest at May 12, 2008 9:51 PM

Heather,

$20 tip on $40-60 worth of groceries for which I already pay a delivery fee is going to seem like a proposal.

Posted by: guest at May 12, 2008 10:41 PM

We do it with no problems. Top story brownstone. It forces you to stay in shape. It'll be tough to sell anything for a profit going forward for several years. If you're concerned about selling don't buy at this time.

Posted by: guest at May 12, 2008 11:28 PM

We live in a 3rd flr apt w/ a 21 lb. 10 month old and I'm 7 months pregnant! We have no storage for a stroller in the foyer and no w/d. It's extremely difficult lugging everything up and down those flights of stairs solo. Make sure you get a w/d up there; it'll be one less headache for mom, plus it helps resale value. If you love the nabe enough, it's worth it.

Posted by: guest at May 13, 2008 10:10 AM

$20 for FD? Are you insane? These people are not like the takeout delivery guys who ride to and from the store on bikes two or three times an hour. They just go down the street in their truck making a dozen on more. If everyone tips them $3 they're making $30+ an hour. I can't even process what they'd make at $20 a pop. Tipping is totally out of hand in this city.

Posted by: guest at May 13, 2008 5:18 PM