Location is everything in real estate, and not just where your building is located, but where your apartment is located within a building. NY1's Jill Urban filed the following report.

When buying a home everyone knows the importance of location, location, location. But many don’t realize that where you live within a building is as important as the neighborhood.

Teri Rogers of the Brick Underground recently surveyed some engineers who say from a construction and noise perspective some apartments are definitely better than others. Before you buy, you need to consider what’s above, below and to the sides of a unit.

So which spots often pose the most risk? Well for one, a home right under the roof or a setback terrace.

"Every engineer we spoke with told us if you live there long enough you will have a leak. And it's not necessarily an easy thing to fix. It can go on for years," says Rogers. "And noise. If the windows are open can you hear your neighbors cocktail parties? Can you smell their barbecue smoke?"

While the top floors can be an issue, so can the bottom. Aside from common safety issues often thought of with ground level units, sometimes you can also deal with lobby and street noise as well as issues from underground. If there is a boiler room or a garage underneath, there could be heat, vibrations and fumes. Same applies if you live next to a mechanical room on a higher floor.

Rogers says you may also find issues with homes next to an elevator shaft.

"The kinds of things people complain about are the rattling of the cables as the elevator goes up and down, the little bell that goes ding, ding, ding when the elevator opens and closes. You might hear the chatter of your neighbors as they're waiting for the elevator … And they can hear you too," says Rogers.

Same applies to a compactor shaft. Some people complain they can hear garbage falling or the door slamming.

A building playroom is a nice amenity, but check for noise before you buy a unit nearby.

And if a home overlooks an airshaft, it may seem quiet, but check first what’s at the bottom.

So, where are the best places to live? Rogers recommends anywhere in the middle of a building, and not higher than two to three floors from the roof. But again, make sure you investigate what’s around the unit in addition to what’s inside.