We really enjoyed our 10 day vacation in NYC - Matthew is a very welcoming, caring and responsive host.
The location of the apartment is great - public transport and tourist attractions are just a few blocks away.
Nevertheless, you should be aware that it is very loud all the time (due to the traffic noise as well as drunk people from the the restaurant/pub downstairs) - you definitely need earplugs to find sleep during nights. Also maybe good to know is that the mattress in the bedroom is very soft and the couch in the living room is only suitable for a child due its softness and size.
As you are staying in an apartment where someone actually lives, there are of course a lot of personal items throughout the apartment, which means you cannot spread out as in an empty airbnb place. We used a lot of hanging storage (ex. a hanging toiletry bag on a heroclip in the bathroom) to accommodate.
During our stay we had no problems with mice (didn't see or hear any) as we had no food laying around - and no cockroaches, which is a big plus in such an old building with restaurants downstairs!
Overall the value for money is great and we can recommend Matthew's apartment if you are looking for a place for your NYC trip.