I'm sorry to say that my experience at Jose's place was similar to Andre's (he left his review in October, he was probably the guest before me). I had seen his review the day I was heading to NY and thought I'd keep an open mind, given that all the previous reviews had been positive. However, in all honesty, Andre's review is the most accurate, at least given the apartment's current state. Not sure how our experiences were so different from previous guests, but it is what it is.
The photos of the Airbnb aren't very accurate. It's smaller than depicted in the photos, and as Andre mentioned, cleanliness needs to be improved upon. The place is clean enough, but could be cleaner. Things were in disrepair, which should have been addressed before the next guest arrived. I admit the Airbnb is in a great location, close to the subway. The neighborhood felt safe at night, but other than that, I can't say this was the best Airbnb experience I've had.
I do have to say that despite my negative experience at Jose's Airbnb, Jose is a great host. I brought up my issues and concerns with him, and he was quick to respond to me and address my concerns, despite the fact that he was not in town. He was open to what I had to say and listened attentively. I can tell he cares about his guests, and having told him about my experience at his Airbnb, he seems to be working to improve the experience for future guests. I hope future guests will have a more positive experience than I did.