2nd Floor Apt on busy block

facing front of building or back? how much traffic on that street? any bus stops nearby? is it on a bus route?

moderate traffic. no bus stops nearby. faces front of bldg - avenue on one side and street on the adjacent side.

other than being comfortable with the traffic noise / buses, et al, I can't think of much. You happy with sound levels? get enough sunlight (which really has more to do with the direction you face and how tall the other buildings are)?

is there a rooftop adjacent to your windows that could be easily accessible by thieves? That would be the only other thing I could think of... maybe someone else here has some other thoughts.

I live on the 2nd floor (and by chance, I have done so each of my apartments,rented and owned) and I like it because there is no apartment below me so I don't have to worry about my heels clomping on the floor or the noise that comes with having a small party. Sure, there's a bit more street noise on lower floors but it doesn't bother me. I like to be able to see people walking on the street and view some treetops but I guess it's a trade-off for a quieter higher floor.

Street noise--mild distraction. Not having to use the elevator--priceless.

Before moving to the city, a New Yorker once said it helps to live a minimum of six floors above street level. Has anyone else heard that? I think noise is the key issue when living on a lower floor, but street lights may also require you to use "block out" blinds at night. The nice thing about low floor apartments is you can always use the stairs--so no waiting for the elevator.

PMG, i have a horrible stairs phobia. going down them. when i was in college i broke my leg on the bunny slope rather seriously and had to have a couple of surgeries, six months of crutches, i learned to despise down stairs and escalators. the blackout was horrid, although the building really stepped up after the first few hours.

pmg - never heard that maxim before or since living here and its been over 13 yrs. This really depends on the neighborhood, street traffic, neighbors (lots of bars nearby or do you live on a quiet residential street). I knew someone in a high rise on UWS years ago, and though they were ~15 floors up, you could clearly hear some street noise, and yet I've lived in 2nd and 3rd floor apts where you hear next to nothing. Just depends.

If you're buying vs renting, soundproofing your windows can work wonders. I was in an apt on the second floor of a building on Madison Ave in the 80s the other day...new sound-reducing windows worked really well even with window a/c units (around the a/c's, the owners had installed a double layer of plexiglass separated by an inch of dead air in the place where the accordion wings usually are).

On the positive side, lower-level apts tend to have great water pressure and lower maintenance.

http://www.brickunderground.com/blog/2009/03/living_the_good_life_in_the_middle

If/when the building requires scaffolding, it will be right outside your window, a safety hazard at the least and an eyesore at best. Check local law 11,I think, which covers requried facade inspections.

Also, the 2nd floor usually gets less light, if that's an issue for you.

AR, I have a skateboard phobia for the same reason;)
I've lived in two 2nd floor apartments. Both were on side streets but one was pin drop quiet, while the other wasn't. The noisy building was Related's first 80/20 rental, by Columbus Avenue, and the bus brakes were the worst. I recall being at home on the phone and the other party would occasionally say, "WHERE are you?". This being in the 80s before cell phones, I was annoyed and said, "in my apartment!" That apartment lasted less than two years. Now I live on a high floor and it's also pin drop quiet, but like tandare says, a high floor is no guarantee of quietness. It depends again, I think, on proximity to noisy avenues or busy cross-town streets.

What's on the first floor below the unit? commercial, residential or professional space?

goose - i remember an apt in the past year that was on 2nd floor, directly above the lobby and that they were using this as a selling point (no one to be bothered by your sounds, and no need to put carpets down). Unfortunately I can't remember which building

in fact I'm surprised there isn't a real estate term for such apartments - the one I remember was marketing itself to people who hate carpets, might have kids and make noise. or maybe there is a term for this and I just don't know?

Also, people on the street can see into the apartment, especially at night. Good if you're an exhbitionist, possibly not so good otherwise.

People often make too much of this point, especially if you are looking for loft space or other apartment types that typically are found in buildings less than 10 stories. Sure, ever few feet count, but street noise, particularly trucks/sirens/horns, etc., is not going to be a lot lower a few floors higher. In old loft buildings, the ground floor often has very high ceilings, so your are pretty far removed from the street. Also, the ceiling height in old converted loft buldings typically decreases on each successive floor so you may trade off ceiling height as you get higher.

As 30yrs points out, a much more pertinent question is what is on the ground. Living above a bar, restaurant, fast food joint etc. brings with it noise, vermin and smells.

Soot from the avenue traffic. Leave your window even slightly open for a few days and your windowsill will have a layer of black.