What to Look for Inside the Apartment

Congratulations on your move to Boston! As the oldest cities in America, Boston offers its residents a mix of historical attractions and modern facilities such as major universities, museums and beautiful public parks. This area is also renowned for its thriving real estate market for renters. When renting, it’s easy to pick the first apartment you fall in love with, but before you sign that lease and pack everything away in boxes, you should conduct a complete inspection of the place by assessing the walls, bathroom, windows, and appliances. Don’t take anything for granted – something that doesn’t work now means that you’ll have to deal with it right after moving day.

Bathroom: Check the water pressure in the sink and shower, and flush the toilet to make sure it operates properly. Also, make sure the hot water works.

Appliances: Check the refrigerator, the heating and air conditioning, the stove and oven and any other appliances that might be in the apartment.

Walls: If the buildings near a road, can you hear the traffic? Can you hear the neighbors next door? If near an airport, how is that noise?

Windows: Make sure they open and close easily, and make sure there are no holes or cracks in the glass.

Electricity: Where there’s a switch, try it out to make sure it works.

Smoke Alarms: Look through the apartment and locate the smoke alarms. There should be one in the living area and kitchen. If any are missing, be sure to talk to the real estate agent, landlord or broker, depending on who is showing you the apartment. Also, be sure to ask them what the procedure is for replacing the batteries, and whether they conduct safety tests every month.