Chapter 4

Questions to Ask at an Apartment Showing

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The Complete Guide to Finding an Apartment in 2023

furniture to use during an apartment showing

Once you’ve reached out to landlords from rental listing sites, the next step will be scheduling an apartment showing. The landlord will be interested in meeting you, as well as asking questions on your rent payment history and rental history. However, this is also a great chance for you to ask the landlord questions on the property, the type of landlord they are, and what to expect.

Below, we’ll dive into questions you should ask to make sure the apartment is a good fit for you.

Ask About the Apartment Itself

The landlord should give you a complete tour of the unit and building. If they don’t do this already, you should ask to see every part of the building available to you — including the laundry room, exercise facility, storage space, yard, parking spot, etc.

You should ask about features in the unit, too. Do you need to do anything to maintain the appliances or floors? Is the fireplace a gas fireplace? Will you be responsible for replacing the furnace filter? Not only are these useful things for you to know, but they will also indicate to the landlord that you’ll take care of the unit while you live there.

Ask How the Apartment is Managed 

It’s important to find out more about how the property is managed.

  • Who should you contact for maintenance problems?
  • Who should you contact if there is an emergency maintenance issue?
  • What’s the typical response time for maintenance requests?
  • What is the procedure if you get locked out? Is there a lockbox with a spare key?
  • Will the locks be changed before you move in?
  • Can you make copies of the key?
  • Can you pay rent online?
  • What utilities are included in rent and which ones will you be responsible for setting up?

Ask About the Rental Lease Terms

If you like the apartment, it’s a good idea to ask more about the rental terms before you dive into an application.

  • What is the rent price? You can always try to negotiate the price.
  • How long will the lease term be?
  • Are pets allowed?
  • Is renters insurance required? If so, Lemonade will have you covered in seconds.
  • Are there any specific rules, such as quiet hours, that you should know about?
  • Is a lease renewal an option?

Ask About the Application Process 

Find out what the application process entails. Typically, the screening process will include a rental application, and then a credit, background, and eviction report. These reports will tell the landlord that you’re a responsible tenant.

Ideally, your landlord will use a third-party service to have you authorize the reports. If not, ask your landlord if he or she has heard about Avail. With Avail, your landlord will never have to see your social security number, making it safer and faster for everyone involved.

Also ask if the rental application will require references, and if so, which ones are preferred. That way you can gather reference information that will be most useful to the landlord as you fill out the application.

Ask for an Application 

If you go to an apartment showing and you love the space and the landlord, then the next step is applying for the apartment. Continue reading to learn exactly how to apply for an apartment — we’ll even show you the best way to apply to multiple properties without doing any extra work.