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- Find a reputable broker you are comfortable with. Buying an apartment requires making many decisions, so working with someone you are comfortable with and have confidence in makes the process significantly easier.
- Do some homework before beginning your search to determine your budget and such issues as the type of building you want, the services, the size of the apartment and location.
- Plan ahead and make certain your credit reports are in order and find out and prepare the types of personal and financial information most co-op boards, landlords or banks want.
- Look for possible problems such as water damage, leaky faucets, large cracks in the walls or damaged carpets or floors. Listen for loud noises, such as traffic, which may bother you if you live there.
- Make a list of amenities that are important, for example, an eating area, or a second or third bedroom, and highlight the ones that are mandatory. This saves you time by quickly eliminating unsuitable apartments.
- Bring a notebook with you when viewing an apartment and keep track of the details and features you liked and the amenities that particularly interested you. This helps you remember specifics about an apartment after you have seen many and they start to meld into one. Also make note of what direction the apartment is facing. If you like a lot of natural light, you probably don't want a north-facing apartment.
- If you are unfamiliar with the neighborhood, take a walk around. Check out the variety of shops and visit several. Also, visit the site at different times during the day to see, for example, if there is a lot of noise in the morning, or too much, or too little, street activity in the evening.
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