Alan is a super nice guy. On the day we arrived he was there setting up a bed, and he gave us lots of tips where to go eat, how to transit, and even gave us a ride to the restaurant!
What isn't mentioned in the posting is that the apartment has 3 rooms that are rented out. Alan does not live there. The kitchen (very well stocked) and bathroom are shared between all the guests that cycle through. We were there 7 nights so got our fair share.
The subway is 12min walk to Myrtle Station. There you can catch the M or J train. Appx 30 mins to lower Manhattan and 45-60 mins to Midtown and higher.
Overall we would give our stay a 4 star out of 5! We had a wonderful time in New York!