Tugba and Aytac are wonderful hosts. There place can be wonderful depending on the needs of you the guest. I rented the place for myself and my son because it was close to Istanbul University. Hence this was our main goal behind picking the location. However, the space may not be accommodating to your needs if you occupy the space along with more than one person. The bedroom is small and has one closet that is closely adjacent to the bed because of the size of the bedroom. There are no corner cabinets in the bedroom. The kitchen and living space only has kitchen cabinets. There is a small dining table that can serve two people. There is not coffee table . There are no other cabinets outside of the bedroom closet. The bathroom sink is very tiny and washing up your face can easily result in water dropping on the floor because of its tiny size. So be gentle and careful when you use the sink.
Water, electricity and WiFi are reliable in the apartment. We only experienced WiFi issues twice and water disruption Twice.
The neighborhood itself does not boast anything touristic. Only coffee shops and local restaurants.
The Balat area is known as a low socioeconomic area which is why it can be cheap. Nonetheless, it is not an area that displays sophistication or environmental decorum. Trashed streets and littering is common sight.
The building itself is clean and well maintained.
So keep this context in mind when you plan your trip to Istanbul when and if you consider this flat.
Again, if you are looking for good value for the dollar, it is fair. If you are looking for etiquette, decorum, cleanliness, and sophistication, you will not find it in this area.
People are kind and very sweet though. People are generous and helpful as well. We did experience locals who took advantage of our ignorance of the language and currency. So be careful especially with local taxis.
This is my most objective and accurate assessment of our experience. Again, our assessment is subjective and relative to our own preconceived perceptions and biases. You do not have to take anything we say seriously, but you can do your own investigation online and arrive at your own conclusions.