Choosing an apartment is an important decision. If it will be your home for the foreseeable future, you'll want to be sure it fulfills all your needs and fully supports your lifestyle.
Imagine walking into your new home. The lighting is perfect, the layout just works, and the building feels like home.
Now, fast-forward a few months, and everything's changed. You can hear every footstep above you. The living room is unusable because of a random column. Worst of all, there's a serious bug problem no one warned you about.
Choosing the wrong space is all too easy (and expensive) if you don't know how to look for an apartment the right way. In this guide, we'll break down the best way to search for an apartment, including the things you need, questions to ask, and red flags to avoid, so you feel ready to make a decision next time you tour a space.
An Apartment Hunting Horror Story
Most people think they know what questions to ask when looking at an apartment. But in some cases, you may not even consider something a major issue until it's too late. And it can happen to anyone.
According to Mukul Lalchandani, founder of Undivided, "I once had a buyer who bought a brand new development in Boerum Hill. It was a gorgeous unit built by a well-known, respected developer. At first glance, everything looked amazing, from the finishes to the common areas.
But right before the closing, the AC stopped working properly. The seller promised they would fix it. Fast-forward three years, and the building is now suing the developer. It turned out that the mechanicals were never designed correctly, and the heating and cooling never worked properly in many of the units. That's why I always tell my clients, "Don't just trust how it looks; not all apartments are created equal."
How To Choose An Apartment That Fits Your Lifestyle
How It Lives, Not Just How It Looks
One of the biggest things to consider when looking for an apartment is how it actually feels to live there. Just because it looks amazing online doesn't mean it will hold up in real life. So make sure to do a thorough walkthrough and try to imagine yourself living in the space.
Questions to ask when apartment hunting:
- Is there enough natural light?
- Do you have enough privacy?
- Will street noise be an issue?
- Does the layout make sense?
- Is there a random column that kills the living room?
- Is the layout chopped up or hard to furnish?
These are all things that are easy to ignore when you're excited about all the other aspects of the unit that may be great. But they can seriously impact your daily living experience and make you quickly regret your decision. So don't get too hung up on the finishes. The best way to look for an apartment is to consider how it feels to live there.
Think Beyond the Unit
The Building Is Half the Experience
The quality of the building is another one of the most important things to look for in an apartment. The building you're in has just as much impact on your quality of life. The building is half the experience. So, even if the unit itself is perfect, it won't make a difference if you're constantly dealing with pests or maintenance issues.
Things to look for when touring an apartment:
- Are the hallways clean?
- Is there a smell near the trash room?
- Any sign of pests? Roaches? Rodents? Bed bugs?
- Is it a pre-war building? (if so expect to hear footsteps from neighbors above you)
A beautiful apartment in a poorly managed building is still an issue. So, if you want to know how to pick an apartment, you'll need to pay attention to the subtle signs that may indicate a problem in the building.
Create An Apartment Wishlist
Know Your Non-Negotiables
While some units will be more attractive than others, ultimately, no apartment is going to be perfect in every way. That's why it's important to ask yourself what you need in a new apartment and what your non-negotiables are. There may be certain things you want but don't actually need, and others that would drastically impact your lifestyle. So, it's crucial to define what you consider the best thing in an apartment.
According to a survey by the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), the most popular apartment amenities among respondents were an in-unit washer and dryer (92%), air conditioning (91%), and soundproof walls (90%). So if any of these features are important to you, make sure to add them to your list and determine which are the biggest priority.
But how do you actually decide what matters most and what you can live without?
- Is it peace and quiet?
- Is natural light a priority?
- Do you need extra closet space?
- Is a pet-friendly policy a must-have?
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What about a short commute?
Ask yourself these questions and compile an apartment search checklist before you tour. That way, you clearly understand what you need in a new apartment and don't waste time looking at any spaces that won't satisfy your needs.
Things to Ask When Apartment Hunting
Red Flags That Cost You Later
Now that you've identified the things you need in an apartment, you'll also want to consider what should immediately raise a red flag.
Walk away immediately if you notice any of these things:
- Bad layouts
- No privacy
- No natural light
- Stuck windows
- Weird smells
- Peeling paint
- The apartment faces another unit (or worse, the trash room or elevator)
These are just the clues; usually, they mean something bigger is happening. You may think it only happens in old, worn-out buildings. But think about the client in Boerum Hill. On the surface, everything looked amazing until the systems failed. The mechanicals were never designed correctly. Three years later, the building is still dealing with it. That's the danger of falling for what's on the surface.
So, if you need apartment-hunting tips, don't be blinded by design. Check how it lives. Even if you walk into a unit and it looks amazing, if you don't evaluate it like a pro, you might miss something that turns into a big problem later.
Knowing how to hunt for an apartment is one thing, but determining whether it's a smart investment is a bit more complicated. Two units could be nearly identical, same size, same finishes, but one's overpriced, and the other's a hidden gem. That's where Undivided can help.
