We’ve been here for a month with our two kids. This is a very good place to stay in Balat. It’s a historic neighborhood with lots of small shops, restaurants and friendly local people. It has a very authentic feeling. It’s close to lost of tourist places in Istanbul, but you won’t see much tourists at the place itself. There are several supermarkets in the walking distance.
The apartment was clean and well-maintained. It has a small fridge, electric cooking panel and an oven for you to cook. Although the food in Istanbul is so good that you will rarely need it :) Beds were comfortable, and heating kept the place warm during the nights.
If you will have any issues or problems, just ask Serdar to help and he will get everything sorted.
If you are going with kids, be prepared to move a lot, as there is not much to do for them in the walking distance. That’s not that hard, just go to the nearest bus stop and wave your hand. You won’t have much success with taxi apps though.