What to Look for During an Apartment Walkthrough

Do you have plans to move into a new apartment? If you've been through the apartment hunting process before, you know how tedious it can be.

First, you need to narrow down your search to where you're looking to move. Then comes the exciting but exhausting part of scrolling through endless available apartments on the market to try to find an apartment that meets all your needs. Then comes the fun but nerve-racking part of taking a tour of the apartment and hoping it's exactly how it's described in the listing. If it is, you know you'll have to move fast before someone else beats you to the signing the lease.

The time between the tour and giving your final decision goes rather quickly. However, don't let that distract you from making sure that everything in the apartment is up to your standards. Here's a little apartment inspection checklist you should have top-of-mind for future walkthroughs.

Are all the locks functional?

It's important to make sure there aren't any issues with any of the doorknobs or windows in the apartment. Twist every doorknob — especially on the doors that you'd use to access your apartment from the outside — to make sure they aren't wobbly and that they lock correctly. Similarly, test out every window — especially if you're on the ground floor — to make sure they open easily and that they can be locked from the inside. You don't want any of your windows or doors to be loose and ensuring that all the locks are functional will help keep you safe.

Do all the safety features work correctly?

Don't rent an apartment unless it's clear that the property owner is concerned about the safety of their tenants. Make sure that all the smoke detectors work. Inquire about whether the building supplies their tenants with carbon monoxide detectors if that's your responsibility to install them. Check if there are extra security features outside of your apartment. At all of our properties, for instance, we use a virtual doorman to help keep our buildings safer, and we also use Amazon Key as an extra layer of security for package deliveries as well. These are all things you should want in a future apartment.

Are the amenities in working order?

If the apartment touts having amenities as part of their listing description, make sure that all of those amenities actually work or your monthly rent payments will be higher for nothing. Test out the fridge, the stove, the dishwasher, and the washer and dryer to make sure that every single appliance is working exactly as it should. You can even ask about how a property handles any appliance issues just to make sure they have a solid, reliable maintenance action plan.

How is the overall condition of the apartment?

Make sure you're paying attention to every room as you're doing your walkthrough. Is there any water damage on the walls or ceilings? If there's carpet, are there any noticeable stains or tears? Are there any rodent droppings under the sink or in the pantry? These issues will be a headache to deal with after you've signed the lease if you don't address them immediately. And if there are too many issues, keep looking until you find something better.

If you're looking for an apartment in the New York area, specifically Manhattan, check out all of our available rental properties on our website!