Tour checklist
Questions to bring to your next showing.
Use this as a starting point when you tour an apartment. Adjust based on what you see in the reviews (noise, heat, pests, responsiveness, etc.).
Basics about the unit
- What floor and exposure is the unit? (Street, alley, courtyard?)
- How is heat and hot water provided? Who controls the thermostat?
- Are utilities included? If not, what are typical monthly costs?
- Are there any known issues with water pressure or hot water consistency?
Noise and neighbors
- What are quiet hours in the building or complex?
- Is there a history of noise complaints from neighboring units or bars?
- Can you hear footsteps, pipes, or street noise with the windows closed?
Maintenance and responsiveness
- How do you submit maintenance requests?
- What's the typical response time for urgent vs. non-urgent issues?
- Have there been any recurring problems (leaks, heat outages, pests)?
Lease, deposits, and move-out
- What are the conditions for getting the full security deposit back?
- Are there any non-standard fees (amenity fees, move-in/move-out fees)?
- What's the policy on subletting or early termination?
Building-specific concerns
Before your tour, skim the reviews for this address and add questions about:
- Any repeated issues (e.g. heat, noise, pests, deposit disputes).
- How those issues were handled, and whether they were fixed.
- Anything you're nervous about that's not in the listing.