When you first see the bldg., do not be disheartened! I see why Sheldon doesn't post photos of the exterior. The bldg. is old with a neighborhood reminiscent of Berkeley, a bit grungy, a bit rundown. Homeless youths were drumming in the foyer of a nearby Kaplan’s testing center; at night, several homeless were sleeping on the steps of nearby offices; the odor of grilled meats and garlic filled the air for most of the day and night.
Fortunately, the bldg. has a locked main entry door with three flights of stairs to the unit. No elevator. The unit is in the far back of the bldg. and is surprisingly quiet given that the main façade faces the Avenue. We had a bit of a snafu getting the key. Sheldon was not around as host and his friend Mark had the key. Unfortunately, we were late in meeting Mark and Mark had a baseball game to attend. We did eventually get the key by meeting Mark at the Mariners game, so it all worked out in the end.
The unit is as advertised: a fairly clean, fairly quiet place. There is one main bedroom, a large living room, one small bathroom, a small sitting room, and a kitchenette. Unfortunately, the kitchen sink was backed up when we arrived and Mark was not able to fix it.
Sheldon provides soap, shampoo, toilet paper (nice touch – TP rolls in the kitchen drawer), towels, sheets, and ample amounts of coffee (terrific selection) and coffee makers. He also has suggestions for restaurants which he places near the front door. Several fans in the unit help to circulate air as it can become warm on the top floor, even for Seattle. The bathroom is small, but the hot water is immediately available. Currently, the only mirror is a small one in the bathroom.
The décor is late 20th century graduate student – I was having flashbacks to my own experiences as a grad student, down to the ancient harvest gold rug in the living room and the generic posters. The living room has a very large sofa sectional on which we planted our two teenaged sons. Sheldon also supplied wi-fi directions and where to get the best reception in the unit. Pls. be aware that there is no TV or phone. BYOD (Bring Your Own Devices). We had a rental car and did not take public transit. Parking is paid Mondays-Saturdays, but free on Sundays. We had no problems finding street parking, but it was a Labor Day weekend w/ no college events.
Overall, if you are looking for a convenient place near the University, don’t mind reliving your grad student days (or are a grad student), then give Sheldon’s place a try. Just make sure to be on time to get the key!