The place is exactly like in the pictures. Even though not in the best neighborhood (many houses in very bad shape) it is very close to getting anywhere within a few minutes, whether you want to go to endless number of bars, alcohol shops, restaurants, Taksim square.... I actually really liked the place from inside out. The district has the potential to be like a Montmarte in Paris or streets in San Francisco one day and I was happy to see it before the transformation. I will definitely come again to see it in a few years. Generally, Istanbul is transforming rapidly and it would be clever to check which historical monuments are really open or not. But even with some monuments under reconstruction, Istanbul, as well as Handan's place, is definitely worth visiting. The house and apartment are super safe and after a long time I haven't had an urge to keep my passport all the time with me and I just left it in the room... The apartment is perfectly fine for a couple, but it would be a bit tight for more people. Also, the bed is more of a queen size so if you belong to XXL category couples you would need to cuddle a bit more :-).
Additional suggestions about Istanbul: Once in Topkapi palace, buy full tickets to be able to visit Harem as well. We found it actually the best part. Or buy the Istanbul Museum Pass which will allow you to go to main museums such as Galata tower (worth visiting), the Whole Topkapi palace complex, museum of Islamic arts and so on... Suleymanyi and Blue Mosque are under reconstruction for now and its not worth it to go inside as everything is covered. Basilica cistern and Grant Bazaar are closed too...