Was this person better off renting?

Maybe. Do you have any rental comps? How much of the maintenance is deductible? What kind of financing was involved? What's the buyer's expected hold period for the property?

And by the way, where is it? Upper East Side? Miami? Kandahar? The Moon?

West, you need to follow SE more closely.

This apartment is a co-op on 14th Street between 2nd and 3rd avenue.

Thanks Huntersburg. I'm not sure following SE more closely would be the best thing for my mental or physical health, but I do appreciate the tip about the property.

This kind of thread amounts to playing Monday Morning quarterback.

>This kind of thread amounts to playing Monday Morning quarterback.

Very useful post.

Here West81:

http://streeteasy.com/nyc/talk/discussion/27846-wild-ballpark-did-this-guy-pay-for-this-apt