[The North One]

It's not so much we hate balconies it's just that 99% of the time they're a design after thought so it ends up looking terrible.

I would live perfectly fine without one, especially if my building had say rooftop access and if there were public parks nearby and I wouldn't consider an elevator ride a "trek". There's not much you can really do on average balconies anyway. I guess they're essential if you're a smoker, a private rooftop seems a thousand times better than any cramped balcony on a high-rise though.