By John-Scott Johnson · February 2026
A practical checklist for assessing an apartment, its monthly costs and the building before making an offer.
An apartment showing should help you decide whether a home works for you and what you need to investigate before making an offer. Look beyond the furniture and finishes. Pay attention to how the rooms function, what you hear, what ownership will cost and whether the building permits your plans.
This NYC apartment viewing checklist is designed for co-op and condo buyers. Use it on your first visit, then follow up on the important unanswered questions before committing to a purchase.
Start with the rooms you will use every day
Walk through the apartment in the order you would normally use it. Where would you put coats, groceries and luggage? Can you open the bedroom door with your bed in place? Is there a workable spot for a desk? Does a room require you to pass through another bedroom to reach it?
Bring measurements for furniture you intend to keep. Check room dimensions, closets and narrow doorways rather than relying entirely on a floor plan. A stated square footage figure needs to be evaluated alongside the actual layout and the source of the measurement.
Note any steps within the apartment and how you reach it from the street. If accessibility matters, check the complete route, including the entrance, elevator and thresholds.
Check light and noise at the right time
Record the time of the visit and which way the main windows face. Look at what is directly outside them: a courtyard, another building, a busy street or mechanical equipment. Consider how much of the apartment's light comes from lamps and whether the important rooms receive the daylight you want.
Pause quietly in the living room and bedrooms. Listen for traffic, nearby businesses, hallway activity and building equipment. Ask whether the windows can be closed during the visit so you can compare. If noise or daylight is central to your decision, arrange another visit at a different time.
A quiet weekday showing cannot establish what a bedroom sounds like on a weekend evening. Make the second visit answer the question that matters to you.
Look closely at condition and basic functions
Examine ceilings, window surrounds and areas beneath sinks for staining, swelling or signs of repair. Ask about the cause and what was done to address it. Fresh paint alone cannot establish that a leak has been resolved.
With permission, test faucets, doors, windows and accessible appliances. Ask how heating and cooling work, who maintains the equipment and whether any systems are being replaced. The New York Attorney General's buyer guidance recommends inspecting physical condition and checking basic functions, including plumbing and appliances. [1]
Record concerns with photographs where permitted. A showing gives you questions to pursue; an appropriate professional inspection can assess issues you cannot establish by looking. Coordinate any inspection and further investigation before signing, with timing confirmed by your attorney. [2]
Ask what has been changed
A relocated kitchen, combined apartment, added bathroom or washer and dryer may be important to how you plan to live. Ask what approvals and records support the work, and flag it for your attorney's review.
If you hope to renovate, ask about the building's alteration agreement, permitted work hours, approval process and restrictions. A wall that looks removable may contain structure or services. Have the right professional assess feasibility before pricing an apartment on the assumption that you can change it.
NYC's Building Information System and DOB NOW provide records of permits, filings, occupancy information and violations. These records can help your transaction team investigate work and unresolved conditions. They need to be interpreted alongside the apartment and building documents. [3]
Get the complete monthly cost
Ask for current figures and supporting information, including any assessment. For a condo, property taxes are generally separate from common charges. Co-op maintenance generally includes the building's property taxes and may include payments on an underlying building mortgage. [4]
Cost | What to ask |
|---|---|
Maintenance or common charges | What is included, and is an increase announced? |
Condo property taxes | What is the actual bill, and does a tax benefit affect it? |
Assessments | How much is due for this apartment, for how long and for what work? |
Other expenses | Are there separate charges for utilities, parking, storage or services you need? |
Write down the figures instead of comparing apartments from memory. Ask whether unusually low taxes reflect a temporary benefit or whether low monthly charges depend on a subsidy that will end.
Our building financials guide explains how to assess reserves, debt and planned work. Keep one-time purchase expenses separate; our NYC closing cost calculator provides an initial estimate.
Confirm that the building fits your plans
Bring up the rules that could change your decision: pets, subletting, use as a second home, renovations, purchasing with family or holding the apartment through an entity. If you are considering a co-op, ask about its financing limit and financial requirements before deciding that the apartment is within reach.
An answer at a showing is a starting point. When a particular use is essential, obtain the relevant written policy and have your attorney confirm it before signing. Our co-op versus condo guide explains how the ownership types differ.
Also consider the building's day-to-day operation. Ask about deliveries, move-in arrangements, elevator availability and any services you expect to use. Walk the surrounding blocks and test the journey you would make regularly.
Your checklist to take to a showing
[ ] Record the address, unit, visit time and asking price.
[ ] Check room dimensions, storage and furniture fit.
[ ] Walk the route from the street to the apartment and note steps.
[ ] Evaluate daylight, window exposure and nearby obstructions.
[ ] Listen in the bedrooms and main living spaces.
[ ] Look for staining, water damage and signs of recent repairs.
[ ] Check basic functions with permission and note equipment condition.
[ ] Identify alterations and ask what approvals support them.
[ ] Record current monthly charges, taxes and assessments.
[ ] Ask about planned building work and how it will be funded.
[ ] Confirm the rules that matter to how you will use the apartment.
[ ] List the documents, second visit or inspection needed before proceeding.
Turn your notes into a decision
After the showing, separate what you observed from what you were told and what still needs verification. A note such as “bedroom quiet during a Tuesday afternoon visit” is more useful than “quiet apartment.” “Washer installation approved according to the listing agent; written confirmation needed” identifies a clear next step.
Decide which questions could affect your offer, which need professional review and which are simply matters of preference. If the apartment merits another visit, make that visit specific: measure the rooms, listen at a different time or inspect a concern you noticed.
Once those questions are clear, our guide to making an offer on an NYC apartment explains how to connect the property review with price and terms.
View apartments with BRN
We specialize in representing buyers and help you evaluate the apartment, its asking price and the building that comes with it. Our experience in law, banking and real estate informs that work, with direct involvement from our team through closing.
You never pay BRN a brokerage fee. We return half of the commission we receive from the seller to you, up to 1.5% of the purchase price.
Send us an apartment you are considering, and we can discuss the questions to resolve before an offer.
Sources
[1] New York Attorney General — Before You Buy a Co-op or Condo.
[2] Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Schedule a Home Inspection.
