Decent choices!

1. Studio in a condo building on 51st and 2nd Ave. Doorman, elevator, laundry in building, drugstore and Food Emporium around the corner. Clean, bright, southern exposure (so I don't wake up to blinding light), owners are a cute Jewish couple living in Florida and camping out in the studio til they find a tenant. $1950 a month, but with condo application fees (a whopping $725) and the part of the broker's fee I have to pay out of pocket ($510), it's really $2050 a month.

I liked it immediately, and even better after talking with the owners.

2. After seeing the condo and saying I'd take it, I went up to see one last place, a random apartment I found out about by walking by a sign advertising it. The "broker" is a chatty octogenarian with a penchant for patting me on the cheek. It would be creepy except that ... no, well, it just might be creepy behavior. Anyhoo. Fourth floor walk-up, no laundry, no doorman, no elevator... but sooooo cute. A true one-bedroom, with two healthy sized closets, new appliances in kitchen and bath, arched hall doorways. The building looks squeaky clean, and the apartment is -- I can't say it enough -- just darling. I love it. It's $1900, with no broker's fee, just a $75 credit check fee.

Thoughts? I put $300 down on the condo to take it off the market, which I lose if I back out of the deal. It's got the amenities and it's a 15 minute walk to work, versus a 5-minute walk to the subway, 10-minute ride, and another 10-minute walk to the office.

My head says condo, my heart recoils at the $3510 in broker's fees (though I get reimbursed $3000 of that) and $725 in condo application fees that go with said condo.

All thoughts welcome.