# New Apartment Tour Checklist: Model vs. the Real Unit > A printable checklist for touring a brand-new apartment: model vs. actual unit, STC/IIC 50 sound, HVAC sizing, unfinished amenities, the 48-hour form. URL: https://newapartmentsfortworth.com/guide/new-apartment-tour-checklist/ Last-Modified: 2026-10-26 Decision guide # Tour Checklist for a Brand-New Apartment A printable checklist for touring a brand-new apartment: the model vs. the actual unit, STC/IIC 50 sound, HVAC sizing for Tarrant's 101°F design temperature, unfinished amenities, and the 48-hour move-in form. Written by New Fort Worth Apartment Team [/about/#new-fort-worth-apartment-team →](/about/#new-fort-worth-apartment-team) · Updated October 26, 2026 ![Bright new apartment living room with large windows and wood floors](/images/featured/bright-new-apartment-living-room-with-large-window.webp) ## How should you tour a brand-new apartment? Touring a new building is different from touring an older one. The paint is fresh, the model is staged, and the amenities may not be finished. The goal is to see the unit you’d actually live in and check the things that are hard to change later. Before you go, find the building’s stage and true monthly on the New Build Board [/new-construction-apartments/ →](/new-construction-apartments/) . Here’s the checklist we use. Print it, or keep it open on your phone. ## Before the tour - Confirm the unit number you’ll see, not just the floor plan. - Ask for the fee sheet and the current special in writing. - Ask which amenities are finished and which open later. - Note the drive from the building to your job at your start time. ## Model vs. the actual unit Models are built to sell. They often have upgraded counters, lighting, and furniture that makes rooms look larger. The actual unit may be on a different floor, face a different direction, or sit next to an elevator. Ask to see your unit. If it isn’t ready, ask for a video walk once it is. Before the tour, our guide on what counts as a new-construction apartment [/guide/what-counts-as-new-construction-apartment/ →](/guide/what-counts-as-new-construction-apartment/) explains how to tell a ground-up build from a renovation. ## Sound New buildings follow the 2021 International Building Code, which sets STC 50 for airborne sound and IIC 50 for impact sound between dwelling units. That’s a solid baseline, not silence. - Stand quietly in the bedroom for a minute. Listen for the hallway, elevator, and neighbors. - Ask what’s above, below, and on each side. - Note any trash chute, stairwell, or garage door nearby. Our guide on how to pick the right unit [/guide/how-to-pick-the-right-unit-in-a-new-building/ →](/guide/how-to-pick-the-right-unit-in-a-new-building/) explains adjacency in more detail. ## Heat and HVAC ![Thermostat and HVAC return vent on a fresh white wall](/images/content/thermostat-and-hvac-return-vent-on-a-fresh-white-w.webp) Cooling systems are sized against a design temperature, and Tarrant County’s is 101°F. West-facing and top-floor units take the most afternoon sun. - Note which way the main windows face. - Turn the thermostat down and listen for the system starting. - Feel for airflow at each vent, including bedrooms. - Ask whether the HVAC was balanced after install. HVAC balancing is a common first-year fix. ## Kitchen and bath - Run the hot water at each sink and the shower. Check the pressure and how long it takes to warm up. - Open and close every cabinet and drawer. - Check that appliances are installed, level, and on. - Look under sinks for any drips. ## Doors, windows, and outlets - Open, close, and lock every door and window. - Check the balcony or patio door slides easily and seals. - Count outlets where you’ll put a desk, TV, and bed. - Test light switches and note any that don’t work. ## Amenities and the building - Walk the route from parking to your door. - See the package room and mail area. - Check which amenities are finished. If the pool or gym opens later, ask for the date in writing. - Ask about construction hours if a later phase is still being built. ![Printable apartment tour checklist graphic with room-by-room checkboxes](/images/content/printable-apartment-tour-checklist-graphic-with-ro.webp) ## Questions to ask the leasing office Bring these questions to every tour. Ask for written answers on anything that affects cost. 1. What is the base rent for this exact unit, and what special applies to it? 2. When does the special end, and what lease term does it need? 3. Can I have the current fee sheet? 4. How are water, sewer, and trash billed? 5. Who provides electric at this address? 6. Which amenities are open, and when do the rest open? 7. Is there construction nearby, and what are the work hours? 8. What’s the move-in condition form deadline? 9. How are maintenance requests made, and what’s the response time? 10. Is the §92.0135 flood notice part of the lease packet? Take photos of the unit as you go, and note the unit number in each photo. When you’re comparing two or three buildings later, those notes make the differences easier to remember. ## After the tour | Step | When | | --- | --- | | Compare true monthly and year two | Same day | | Pre-check income and documents | Before any fee | | Read the concession and fee addenda | Before signing | | File the move-in condition form | Within the deadline, often 48 hours | | Send a written punch list | Day 7 and day 30 | At move-in, take photos of every room before you unpack. Then follow our 7- and 30-day punch list [/guide/new-apartment-punch-list/ →](/guide/new-apartment-punch-list/) to get first-year issues fixed in writing. We route up to four tours in one afternoon, or send a video walk of the actual unit. Tell us your list and we’ll set the route. ## Learn more about New Build Board We'll text you within minutes during our hours, then send a same-day shortlist. See the page [/new-construction-apartments/ →](/new-construction-apartments/) ## Questions renters ask about this ### Should I tour the model or the actual unit? The actual unit. Models often have upgraded finishes, staged furniture, and the building's top view. Ask to see the unit you'd sign for, or get a video walk of it. ### How many buildings can I tour in one day? We route up to four in one afternoon, grouped so you're not crossing the metro between stops. ### What is the 48-hour form? The move-in condition form. Many communities want it back within 48 hours of move-in, with notes and photos of anything that isn't right. ### What should I bring to a tour? Your phone for photos and video, a list of questions, the fee sheet if you have it, and a small tape measure for furniture. ### Do you guarantee the price or my approval? No. The community sets both pricing and approval, and we confirm them in writing before you sign. ## Related guides Guide ### How to Pick the Right Unit in a New Building Choose the floor, stack, and exposure with facts: 2021 IBC STC/IIC 50 sound ratings, Tarrant County's 101°F design temperature, and what sits next to the unit. [How to Pick the Right Unit in a New Building →](/guide/how-to-pick-the-right-unit-in-a-new-building/) Guide ### First-Year Defects and the 7-Day and 30-Day Punch List How to document and fix first-year defects in a new apartment: the 48-hour move-in form, written punch lists at day 7 and day 30, the common first-generation issues, and how to track repairs. [First-Year Defects and the 7-Day and 30-Day Punch List →](/guide/new-apartment-punch-list/) Guide ### Built-to-Rent Home vs. New Apartment: How the Costs Compare Compare a built-to-rent home and a new apartment side by side: rent, required fees, yard and pet terms, utilities, specials, and lease terms, with a calculator to run your own numbers. [Built-to-Rent Home vs. New Apartment: How the Costs Compare →](/guide/built-to-rent-vs-new-apartment/) Guide ### How to Compare New Buildings Side by Side on 24-Month Cost Rank your shortlist by what you'd actually pay over two years: move-in cash, year one after the special, required fees, tolls, parking, and year two at 0% and +3%. [How to Compare New Buildings Side by Side on 24-Month Cost →](/guide/compare-new-buildings-24-month-cost/) ## Where to use this ![Aerial view of new apartment communities across the Fort Worth side](/images/content/aerial-view-of-new-apartment-communities-spread-ac.webp) Find ### New Build Board A map and cards for every new community in scope, with the whole price on each card. Open [New Build Board →](/new-construction-apartments/) ![Printed move-in special flyer beside a calculator and lease folder](/images/content/printed-apartment-move-in-special-flyer-beside-a-c.webp) Find ### Fort Worth Apartment Specials Confirmed move-in specials at new buildings, each with base and year two beside it. Open [Fort Worth Apartment Specials →](/fort-worth-apartment-specials/) ![New apartment community in lease-up with a few furnished balconies](/images/content/new-apartment-community-in-lease-up-with-a-few-fur.webp) Find ### Lease-Up Apartments Buildings in lease-up, with stage, fill curve, and what's actually finished. Open [Lease-Up Apartments →](/lease-up-apartments-fort-worth/) Free to you · Your rent is the same either way ## Get the whole price before you tour Tell us your move date, budget, and where you need to be. We'll make the calls, collect the fee sheets, and do the math for every building that fits. Get my shortlist [/contact/ →](/contact/) See the New Build Board [/new-construction-apartments/ →](/new-construction-apartments/) What happens next: We'll text you within minutes during our hours, then send a same-day shortlist. We don't guarantee pricing or approval. The community sets both, and we confirm them before you sign.