Carla and Kalel's place was a steal. It was in an ideal location for my purposes (close to the university I was visiting), had good amenities and a clean bathroom/bedroom, and was in a generally safe neighborhood. All for an affordable price. The best part of my stay was how considerate Carla and Kalel were. My flight was delayed nearly 6 hours and I arrived to the apartment early in the morning (around 2 am) and Carla woke up and gave me some nuts and fruits when she heard that I hadn't had a chance to eat dinner. In addition, there were water bottles provided along with towels laid out on my bed.
The only real downside is the walk up the stairs, particularly if you have a lot of luggage. It's 5 flights of stairs - but I guess you could see this as a chance to workout.
If you need to be close to Morningside Heights, Harlem, or Upper Manhattan, this apartment listing is a great value.