Should I Tour an Apartment Before Signing a Lease?

There are a few reasons why signing a lease sight unseen is inadvisable.

Touring an apartment in advance can prevent a lot of future headache because it can help you assess any prior damages that need to be addressed. Unknown damages can cause a lot of problems down the line, and certain damages are easily overlooked if you sign a lease without touring the property.

Even if the apartment is damage-free, an apartment tour can give you a better idea of the size and flow of the apartment. Two apartments with the same square footage may feel bigger or smaller depending on how the apartments are layed out. In the same stride, it is hard to visualize how your furniture will fit into a space without actually measuring the prospective apartment.

Touring an apartment before signing can also clue you in to other not-so-appealing areas of the place, such as a lack of natural lighting or noisy neighbors. Photos only tell half the story, but an apartment tour can fill in the details.

Although it is never advised to sign a lease before touring an apartment, there are some scenarios where this is unavoidable. For example, if you are moving out of the country and cannot In this instance there are some things you can do to avoid running into problems with your living situation.

If you find an apartment that looks like it could be the right fit for you but are unable to tour the apartment, call the property manager of the prospective place. Ask the property manager any questions that you would typically ask when touring an apartment.

• What is the pet policy?
• Has this property had a history of infestation?
• Is this apartment furnished? What furniture is included?
• What appliances are included with the property?

Another important thing to do when signing sight unseen is to request more pictures of the property than what was posted on the listing site. Ask for multiple photos of each room in the apartment, and if possible, ask the property manager to film a video walk-through of the apartment.

If the information is not already posted online, ask for the exact measurements and the layout of the apartment. That way, you can begin to better visualize yourself and your furniture within the space.