If you are reading this blog post, you have likely scheduled a walkthrough and tour at one of the various apartments in West Chester (hopefully ours). While you might feel relieved to have finally found a place that you may potentially call home soon, it is important to not start relaxing — not yet at least. When looking at apartments in West Chester, it is important to be hypervigilant when taking the tour of your new home, after all, wouldn’t you want to know if there are issues before you move in rather than after?

In today’s blog post, your source of West Chester apartments, the Lakes At West Chester Village will be discussing a few of the things that you should be looking for when touring an apartment, whether it be one of ours or one of our competitors.

The Two Types Of Apartments In West Chester

Before we dive into today’s topic, we want to discuss why it is important for you to take such great notes during your walkthrough. There are two types of apartment complexes in the area, and two different reasons that your notes might come in handy.

The Apartment Complex That Doesn’t Care

All too often we hear nightmare stories from our tenants about their previous living conditions. When they did their walkthrough, everything appeared to be in perfect condition, but upon moving in problem after problem was discovered. Some apartments in West Chester will actually show you a unit that they know is in perfect condition when in reality you will be getting a different unit of lesser quality — all they are looking to do is get your name on the dotted line. Additionally, if you don’t notice issues with your West Chester Apartment until after you move in, they might try to hit you with the “How are we to know that you didn’t break that after moving in” statement — trying to save themselves a quick buck.

The Apartment Complex That Cares

At The Lakes At West Chester Village, we are on the opposite side of the spectrum. We want you to take notes and test things out during your walkthrough. Why is this? To put it simply, if something is broken that we are not aware of from the previous tenants, we would like to know before you move in so that it can be fixed in a timely manner. But what should you be looking for during your walkthrough?

Electricity And Appliances

When you are doing your walkthrough, it is important that you are sure to check the general function of the electricity in your new apartment. If you find an issue, you can report it to your West Chester apartment complex so that they can address the issue before you move in.

Lights – Do not be scared to touch every lightswitch that you see. Not only is it a good idea to do so to get a better idea of what switches turn on different lights, but it will also show you if the lights are working. If a light does not turn on, be sure to report it to your complex so that they can replace the bulb or wiring — whatever the issue may be.

Outlets – Much like the lights, it is important to check the outlets — as that is not a project that you could simply take on yourself once moving in. By bringing a charger and testing all the major outlets you can avoid having to call maintenance shortly after you move in.

Appliances – Open the fridge, turn on the stove, open the microwave! Be sure to test all of the appliances for function so that you can avoid eating takeout the first week of your move in!

Plumbing

A utility that is just as important to your apartment as electricity is water, and if your plumbing is not working that could be an issue. Briefly checking the plumbing of your potential new apartment can save you a lot of time and money.

Toilets – While it may seem a little odd to ask the employee conducting the walkthrough if you can use the bathroom, it really is not. By doing so, you can check the toilet to see if it works efficiently. Be sure to look for leaks, poor water flow, or any other issues that might suggest a plumbing issue.

Sinks – As you check the bathroom and kitchen be sure to turn on the sinks, once again looking for issues with the plumbing like leaks and poor water pressure. In doing so you can avoid having to call the front desk on your first night in your new West Chester apartment.

Safety

Arguably one of the most overlooked items in a walkthrough are the safety precautions that apartments in West Chester have. Think in terms of if you were in the apartment and a disaster happened. How would you get out? What tools does the West Chester apartment have to alert you?

Fire Extinguisher – Open cabinets and look for the fire extinguisher so that once you move in you can safely access it if need be. If there is not one, notify the employee that is showing you the apartment, as all apartments should have a fire extinguisher.

Smoke Detectors – While smoke detectors seem to be more annoying than helpful (considering you have not been involved in a building fire), they are an extremely helpful safety tool to have in your home. Smoke detectors should be located on the ceilings so that they can accurately detect smoke in your apartment. If you cannot find any, it is imperative that you alert your apartment complex.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors – Much like smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors are incredibly important to have in your home. Carbon monoxide is an odorless chemical that is extremely dangerous and potentially dangerous. Unlike the smoke detector, carbon monoxide detectors can be found on the floor level of your apartment. Unsure of where to look? Ask the employee that is giving you the tour where you can find them!

Being Vigilant Pays Off In The End!

As we stated earlier, it is incredibly important to properly inspect your West Chester apartment before moving in. If you do not you may be blamed by the damages by the apartment complex once you move in — unless you move in with us, that is. At The Lakes At West Chester Village, we want you to feel comfortable in your new apartment the day you move in! Instead of having you contact us the day you move in, we would like to take care of any maintenance issues that you might have well in advance — making your experience with us more enjoyable.

Are you interested in becoming a part of our community? Contact us today to schedule a walkthrough of one of our West Chester apartments!