Buying an apartment on the primary and secondary market – what to check?

The location of the apartment in relation to geographical directions

First and foremost, if you like bright, well-lit interiors, look for apartments with south, southeast, or southwest exposures. These apartments have access to daylight practically all day long. They are also the warmest, which is good in winter, but not necessarily in hot summers. If you work from home, it’s worth considering installing air conditioning to ensure your work comfort.

On the other hand, north-facing apartments are the least lit and the coldest. Therefore, the higher heating bills are offset by the lack of air conditioning. A middle-ground solution is east- or west-facing apartments, where direct sunlight enters the interior only during specific times of the day. These apartments don’t heat up as much and are adequately lit in summer and winter. This is especially important for people suffering from seasonal depression caused by a lack of light.

Apartment layout

Check it carefully and don’t trust developer floor plans in catalogs! These plans are often exaggerated, meaning they feature more furniture than can actually be accommodated.

To verify the floor plan, write down the dimensions of the rooms and compare them to the furniture you have in your home. This will give you a realistic idea of ​​what can be accommodated.

And of course, look for apartments that allow you to place a bed in the bedroom with easy access (at least 60 cm) from both sides. Also look for apartments that allow for an adequate amount of countertop space in the kitchen and allow for ample storage space. More on this in the next section.

Enough storage space

At least 12% of every apartment should be dedicated to storage. That much? Just that much! The truth is, we need to store more things than we think. And the more storage space, the more living space.

Your home is for you, not for your belongings. Look for apartments that allow for at least two built-in closets for storing clothes or household items. Organizing everything well also means less cleaning.

Access, proximity to kindergartens and nurseries

Green areas

The pandemic and lockdown have highlighted how important it is to avoid leaving the house on paved or asphalt roads. However, it’s worth remembering that proximity to meadows or parks may require the installation of mosquito nets. Ideally, the nearest green space should be no more than a 10-minute walk from your apartment. However, finding such properties can be challenging at the moment.

Opinions about the developer and the district

Be sure to check them before scheduling your first meeting. And, of course, verify whether they address real problems or fanciful expectations. It’s crucial to understand who is building a given building and under what terms. If you encounter reviews about non-compliance with warranties, long waiting times for complaints, or a lack of communication, this investment may not be the best option.

Construction method, quality of materials used

Ask about the company that installed the windows and check their reviews. Ask about the expansion joints between apartments, the wall thickness, the finishing of common areas, doors, and stairs. And be sure to ask about the possibility of providing all technical documentation for the apartment you’re choosing.

Very often, developers provide buyers with only a floor plan with dimensions, omitting a detailed floor plan indicating the electrical, ventilation, and plumbing systems. In 70% of cases, such apartments have construction problems, such as poorly installed electrical wiring. Pay attention to these issues, and if so, learn how you can resolve them.