/nyc-apartment-tips

The pro-tips things you should do when looking to rent an apartment in New York

NYC Apartment Inspection Guide

Introduction

Renting in New York is scary. Between the popular myths (and not-so-myths) about rats and roaches, absentee landlords, and neighbors with pet crocodiles, moving here can be pretty daunting. Our goal here is to help keep track of helpful questions to ask and things to check.

The Checklist

The Building / Landlord

This is the most labor-intensive and, honestly, least fun part of the search. I know, you're seeing pictures, imagining moving in and starting a new life. But be careful: this is a relationship that will relieve you of 25-50% of your income. You best make sure your partner is as committed to a working relationship as you are.

  1. Determine the target address
    • Put the name here:
  2. Determine who the landlord is in advance. This is often a limited liability company (LLC)
  3. Where applicable, look at the complaints listed
    • Violations: Look at any recent ones. Violations are ECB (Environmental Control Board) or DOB (Department of Buildings)
    • Assess:
      • Recency
      • Egregiousness
      • Frequency
      • Repeat
      • Flat-out Shady?
  4. Since you now have the landlord entity, visit ACRIS and see if you can get a picture of their holdings
    • Multiple properties?
    • In a similar area?
    • Is your unit part of a portfolio for them, or are they small-time (and need your rent on-time OR ELSE)?
    • Advanced: If you've decided against a certain landlord, make sure that the property you're interested in isn't a shell LLC for the other property. Look for duplication of deed holder names.
  5. Additional picture of the landlord
  6. Legal picture of the landlord
    • Search eCourts for lawsuits, play with the names to match the owning company etc.
    • This is labor-intensive, but worth it!
  7. All this action needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Some tenants are lawyer-happy. Some owners are. What you're looking for here is a trend of litigiousness or carelessness.

The Unit

OK, so the landlord didn't scare you off. Here are some things to check, based on room. Bring a measuring tape.

General

  1. If the unit doesn't have central air (rare), verify windows support AC units. Overbuy BTU for AC unit. Have them installed before you move in.
  2. Determine trash situation pickup (if slow, on your floor invitation for pests). Do you have to recycle in your home? That means additional trash-sorting furniture.
  3. Try to visit at a noisy time (8:00 am / 5:00-6:00 pm). How much noise comes in through the windows in the bedroom? In the area you plan to work?
  4. Bring a shout buddy. Have the buddy go down to the sidewalk on the side where there is pedestrian traffic or where your bedroom window faces. Have them yell "HEY MAN!" How well did you hear it? If well, everyone who yells "HEY MAN!" at all hours of the night will be audible to you. Know this before you sign anything.
  5. Electricity Check
    1. Inspect for outlet count. Many of the apartments in Manhattan date from the time when the number of applicances was few beyond a tube-based radio for checking "Little Orphan Annie." For those with phones and computers, this might be a factor
    2. Determine the availability / electricity model of the place. Many pre-war apartments still use fuses. Do you know where to get fuses? Is the fuse-box accessible / well-maintained?
  6. Water stains on ceiling. Look over your radiator covers where neighbors upstairs (i.e. in the same "stack") have their radiators too. Trapped moisture will lead to bubbled paint / water stains. This is a concerning sign.
  7. Doorway and Passageway Verification
    1. Depending on your size, you my find that the doorways into the apartment and within it might be uncomfortable. Additionally, consider other passageways or architectural features) like a framing "pillar" around an entryway door. Or, consider a small hallway into which a door might be recessed.
      As landlords cut more corners to carve more profits, the results can be small inconveniences that rob you of joy.
    2. Consider: a very narrow bathroom door, with a springy doorstop behind it, and a "lever-" style doorknob. Now play this scenario through: you open the bathrooom door that's not much wider than you, the door encounters the stop and it's not, therefore, perfectly open. This shaves some 5-8% off of the aperture width. Did you cound on that? You walk past in your fluffy white bathrobe when its belt-loop runs smoothly and silently over the level doorknob. As you step past the door, mother-fuc! you are snared, startled, and enraged as you figure out how the heck you are no longer walking forward.
    3. Same scenario as above, but in trying to avoid the belt-loop snare, you stub or break a toe, catch the lever to your gut, etc. Small passages can make you miserable.
    4. Also check the width of the entry (and whether it's framed by other passage-ways or architectural features) and make sure that the door can accommodate moving your stuff in! We didn't and discovered that neither our couch nor one sitting chair could even fit in the building.

Windows

  1. Check the windows for:
  2. Soundproof-ness
  3. Open / close-ability
  4. Validate the provision (or not, usually not) of window coverings. You're going to need to buy these.
    • For each of the windows (you can stop after you have a clear picture) are the windows precisely cut into the wall. In pre-wars these holes were often chaped by hand. As a result a standard blind size will not work. You'll have to get them custom. Measure top - middle - bottom. If the measurement is the same, you have a precision cut window. Else...

Bathroom

  1. Put some pencil shavings or shredded up toilet paper in the bowl. Flush. What was the verdict. If the bowl clears forcefully and completely, great, you've got a good one. If the flush is weak or leaves something behind you, your guests, your spouse are going to be dealing with that reality. Fix or abort.
  2. Shower pressure: Forceful? Instant? Hot?
  3. What's the ventilation system in the bathroom? Vent? Window?
  4. Does the bathroom have heating elements? What are they? What's their condition?

Kitchen

  1. Gas Range:
  2. Check that you can light the stove top easily
  3. Check that you can light the oven easily
  4. Check that you can light the broiler easily
  5. Discern the microwave status. If it's not built in, can you bring one in? If you need to bring one in, is there a place for it on the counter? If it doesn't mount it's going to cost you precious counter real estate
  6. What's the ventilation system in the kitchen? If it's "window," this is not ideal. See if the LL will install a ventilation fan for you. If you are going to make do with "window," make sure that it's easily accessible for opening and closing. Also realize that many windows are above ranges, so if you have something on the range and need to open the window, you're out of luck. If "window" is the ventilation system, greasy vapor will collect on your ceiling and will collect on cabinets / cupboards and you will need to clean it regularly. Given the space constraints these spaces often have seasonal bakeware. You will have to degrease them on each use.
  7. Does the kitche3n have heating elements? What are they? What's their condition?

Guidelines

  1. TRADE TIME FOR REPAIR: once you're in it'll never get fixed. Agree on a todo list and agree that you will not move in until that list is done to your satisfaction. Even if you have to pay a higher up priced month to month at current place, get your new place READY before you go
  2. Trade money for a good, regular house cleaner (word of mouth is best)