Tour Checklist for a Brand-New Apartment

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.

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 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 explains adjacency in more detail.

Heat and HVAC

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.

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

At move-in, take photos of every room before you unpack. Then follow our 7- and 30-day 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.