Vantaggi
The job had great potential, and the work seemed to sit at the intersection of real estate and public information. The salary was decent and the medical benefits were good. The company also did a nice job of hiring bright and enthusiastic people on the urban planning team (including team leads), and at first we were all excited to collaborate on the product together.
Svantaggi
Unfortunately, what started as a unique take on the real estate marketplace quickly devolved into a (worse) facsimile of its competitors. Micro-management by internationally based executives was a constant source of frustration. The company advertised itself as an insider's take on New York City, however planners' opinions were frequently overruled by people with no knowledge of the city or its neighborhoods. This was a huge demotivator for the planning team and made it hard to take initiative. It's too bad, since the team was full of thoughtful, dedicated planners who ultimately ended up feeling frustrated and underwhelmed. There were also only 15 days of PTO, and zero professional development.