A viral Instagram video showcasing the tiniest apartment in New York City has ignited a wave of social media outrage. Douglas Elliman agent Omer Labock posted the controversial real estate tour on Monday, revealing the microscopic living space that comes with a hefty monthly rent of $1,200.
Filmed outside a building in Midtown Manhattan, Labock introduces the tour by stating, “The tiniest apartment in Manhattan can be found in this building, so let’s check this out, it’s nuts.” Opening the door to the third-floor rental, he reveals a small, empty room featuring what he calls a wardrobe “probably from Ikea” and a single window with a view of the fire escape and neighboring buildings. Notably, the apartment lacks both a bathroom and a kitchen.
“I’m not the biggest dude, but I can almost touch both sides here. I think we can consider this the absolute smallest apartment in Manhattan, and the total rent is $1,200 a month,” Labock comments.
To address the absence of a bathroom, Labock leads viewers down a hallway to a shared space where the communal bathroom is situated, complete with a sink, toilet, and shower.
Social media users expressed their disbelief and dissatisfaction with the tiny living space, with comments ranging from questioning the legality of such accommodations to comparing it unfavorably with living out of a car and using a gym membership bathroom.
One user criticized the terminology, stating, “No bathroom then it’s not an apartment. It’s a room in a rooming house. Stop renaming things like this. This is not an apartment. Stop allowing landlords to price these rooms as apartments.”
Others shared their own contrasting living situations, emphasizing the exorbitant nature of the $1,200 rent for such a minimal space. The widespread sentiment was one of astonishment and disbelief at the conditions and cost associated with the compact living arrangement.