The NYC Apartment Tour Checklist: What to Inspect, Measure & Ask On-Site

You walk into an apartment you might live in for a year or more, and the clock is short. A tour rarely lasts long, and that's just enough time to fall for the light or miss the fact that the water pressure is a trickle. The difference is a plan. Walk in with a checklist and you turn a pleasant walkthrough into a real decision. Here's what to bring, what to test, and what to ask before you leave.

What to Bring

You need less than you think. A tape measure earns its place every time, so bring one or use the measuring app on your phone as backup. Your phone is the other essential: it's your camera, your notepad, and your signal tester. Jot down the unit number and the date in your notes before you start, so your photos and measurements don't blur together with the next three apartments you see that afternoon. If a specific sofa, bed, or dresser has to fit, write its dimensions in your notes app before you arrive.

Test the Things That Don't Photograph

Finishes look great in pictures. Function doesn't, so test it in person. Turn on the kitchen and bathroom faucets at the same time and watch the pressure, because weak flow or slow drains are hard to fix later. Flip every light switch and check which outlets are dead by plugging in your phone charger. Open the windows: do they actually open, and what do you hear when they're up? Check your cell signal in the back bedroom, where bars often drop. Open the fridge and the oven. Run the bathroom fan. These ninety seconds catch problems that a glossy listing photo will never show you.

Photograph, Measure, and Walk the Building

Shoot a short video of the whole unit, narrating as you go, such as "this is the bedroom, north-facing window." Measure the rooms you care about most: the bedroom wall where your bed goes, the living room for the couch, the closet depth. Note natural light by time of day. Then step outside the unit and inspect the building, because that's where you'll spend real time too. At The Anthem, that means the secure package room, the on-site laundry, and the 24/7 doorman desk, where you can confirm coverage is genuinely around the clock. Peek at the resident lounge, roof terrace, and the on-site Crunch Fitness while you're there.

Questions to Ask On Site

Save your sharpest questions for the leasing agent, who is standing right there. Ask what's included in rent and what isn't. Ask how heat works: New York's heat season runs October 1 to May 31 as a matter of law, but confirm the building's specifics. Ask about the application. New York caps a tenant application fee at $20, and income guidelines often follow a 40x-annual-rent rule of thumb with guarantors around 80x. These are common norms rather than guarantees, so confirm the exact requirements with the office. Ask about move-in logistics, internet wiring, and pet policy rather than assuming.

To run the checklist for real, schedule a tour at The Anthem by calling (212) 684-3222, and bring your tape measure. Browse available residences first, then book a tour to see the space in person.