Weve all heard the standard apartment-renting advice: Test all the faucets, windows, and appliances.
Hang out in the lobby and ask current tenants if they like living there.
I dont know about you, but I find a lot of that advice unrealistic.
How long have you been managing this building?
Are most tenants here long-term?
Are they mostly students?
This is also another good way to gauge the landlords personality.
This is a pet-friendly building, right?
This is another open-ended question thatll give you a lot of information if you just listen.
Maybe your landlord will talk about the one tenant who lets their cat run up and down the hallways.
Whatever they say about pets, confirm its okay with you.
Which utilities am I responsible for, and how much do they usually cost per month?
Nearly all landlords will be able to tell you which utilities are their responsibility and which ones are yours.
Lets say the sink starts dripping.
How does maintenance work?
I know were in a [wooded area] [old building].
What kinds of insects should I be aware of?
How do trash and recycling work?
Some apartment complexes make it very easy for you to dispose of your trash and recyclables.
Others make it very difficult.
How does parking work?
This is like the trash/recycling question.
(Bonus points if the landlord takes the time to show you where tenants park.
What happens when tenants receive packages in the mail?
Do all packages get left in a big pile under the mailboxes for tenants to sort through?
Theres no perfect solution to the package situation, but check that youre happy with the solution thats presented.
If you have additional questions that are important to your apartment hunt, add them to your must-ask list.
make a run at frame them as open-ended questions, and give the landlord the opportunity to keep talking.
That way, youll find out everything it’s crucial that you know.
