Mid-range 1BR railroad apartment, Greenpoint

Nicole Levitz, 27, research scientist
Rent: $1,600, including heat and hot water
Broker: Katarina Golianova, Brooklyn Prime Real Estate (718-210-3387, realestate11211@gmail.com, brooklynprime.com)
Broker’s fee: One month’s rent
Deposit: Two month’s rent
Moved in: March 2012

THE SEARCH: “I wanted to make the switch to North Brooklyn, since almost all of my friends are here. I reached out to friends’ landlords, and though I didn’t end up finding a place through any of them, it gave me a good sense of how much I would end up paying. I used Padmapper [padmapper.com] and StreetEasy [streeteasy.com]. I love both of these tools, as you can see exactly where the apartments are. I looked at six apartments, plus took three video tours before finding this apartment on Padmapper. I put in my application about 24 hours after seeing the place—which is actually the longest it’s ever taken me to apply in NYC!”

THE APARTMENT: “[There’s] an entry space, a long hallway with the bathroom, the living room and then the bedroom. The kitchen has lots of cabinets, and the bedroom has an entire wall of storage space—I don’t even need a dresser. Each room feels like a separate nook—with actual walls between the spaces. And you can see the Empire State Building from my bedroom window if you crane your neck.”

THE NEIGHBORHOOD: “[At first] I looked on the opposite edges of Williamsburg. What I didn’t like about the Lorimer area was that it felt grittier—not necessarily less safe, but less friendly. Greenpoint, on the other hand, was palpably neighborhoody. I now live within ten minutes of three of my best friends and I am in the delivery zone for most restaurants in Williamsburg and Greenpoint.”

“I wouldn’t have told you this when I was choosing the apartment, but being able to stroll a few blocks to Manhattan Inn[632 Manhattan Ave between Bedford and Nassau Aves, 718-383-0885, themanhattaninn.com] for an amazing cocktail and burger on a Tuesday night, and sitting in McCarren Park[Bayard St to Nassau Ave between Leonard and North 12 Sts; nycgovparks.org/parks/mccarrenpark] on a Sunday morning munching on a bagel and reading, absolutely makes the Greenpoint experience. I’m really happy with what I’ve found—and I’ve yet to meet someone who wasn’t sold on Greenpoint after having a Peter Pan[727 Manhattan Ave between Meserole and Norman Aves; 718-389-3676] doughnut.”