Halil is a really good and friendly host. He speaks English very well. I booked the apartment and got the keys on the same day. The apartment is really big and has 3 rooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen and two terraces with a nice view. It has a gas furnace so you can turn the heating on and off whenever you want. The location is really nice, there are a couple of supermarkets and a huge shopping mall nearby. The Uskudar marmaray station is 10-15 minutes away. I really recommend staying in the Halil apartment, you will not regret it.