I enjoyed staying at Brahim's place. It was my fourth time in Istanbul but I never visited Balat, which I think is a great neighbourhood, authentic and still not far from some very nice cafés, antique shops etc. Once you've figured out how to get from A to B by public transport it gets easy to move around. Brahim is a very kind host and had some helpful advice for me. The apartment itself has all that is needed for a short stay, the neighbourhood is quiet and the people I encountered there were very friendly. I can certainly recommend this place.