How to choose an apartment? Expert advice when buying a home

Last update: 04-01-2020

In this article, we’ll look at how to choose the right apartment to buy in 2021 ; we’ll figure out which apartment is better to choose – in a new building or on the secondary market. What to pay attention to - renovation, floor, area, seller, etc.

Changing an apartment will not be as easy as buying , so you should take this process seriously.

BUT, in order to have a more complete picture of buying an apartment with a mortgage, first of all I recommend reading the following notes:

What documents are needed when buying an apartment with a mortgage?
Procedure for purchasing an apartment with a mortgage
Weigh everything. Is it worth taking out a mortgage?

The following two articles will also be useful: tricks and tricks of realtors and scams when selling apartments, ways to protect yourself when buying.

In which area is it best to buy an apartment?

You need to start your choice not with the apartment itself, but with the area where you would like to live. You need to weigh the pros and cons.

As a rule, in remote areas of the city prices can be significantly lower. BUT , pay attention to the following important points that accompany the decision to buy further and save:

Wasting time traveling to and from work instead of doing something truly useful.
The need to wake up earlier, and most likely significantly earlier, and as a result, the next point.
Fatigue, which will only accumulate, which in one way or another affects your health.
Travel expenses, if converted into money, can eat up all the benefits from a cheaper purchase in a few years.

Let's do the math.

Let’s say you have to live in the purchased apartment for more than 5 years.
Points 1 and 4: the journey to work takes 1 hour, back another hour. Those. We spend 2 hours of time per day, this comes out to about 40 hours per month (20 working days * 2 days on the road). Just think about this figure - 40 hours a month!!!!!! - this is a whole working week that goes to virtually nothing. And this is not the limit. In a year it will be about 18 days!!! If you convert all this time into money, then how many years will it take you to pay off the overpayment for an apartment in the center?
For example , you are paid 300 rubles/hour, then in a month you will lose about 12,000 rubles + the journey to work also takes money. For a year (we take 11 months, because minus 1 month of vacation) we get 132,000 rubles in lost profits !!!
Or in 5 years, about 650,000 rubles!!! And this does not take into account the growth of your income and the interest that you could receive on this amount.
And this has not yet been addressed by the other two points.
Consider points 2 and 3: the consequences will accumulate and affect you, your health, and mood. Which may later result in trips to doctors, which is a waste of time and money.
Nowadays, “pleasure is not cheap.”

Anything to think about?

What should be near the house where you will live?

I think this point is all clear and there is no point in describing it in detail.

Within walking distance from the apartment (or 15 minutes drive) there should be:

the shops
public transport
kindergarten and school
hospital

The more things are nearby, the better.

Update: The comments suggested something about parking. Indeed, now almost every family has its own car, or even two, and the issue of having a place to leave the car becomes acute. In many cities there are almost wars for parking spaces.

New neighborhoods are often built without taking into account the further needs of residents. Just to pass, and then suffer yourself.

And even if you don’t have your own car now, what will you do in the future?

This is also worth worrying about in advance.

By the way , buying a garage or parking space loses its meaning, considering that renting it will often cost an order of magnitude cheaper.

In which house is it better to buy an apartment, brick or panel?

We’ve decided on the area, now let’s move on to choosing an apartment, but we need a good apartment.

Perhaps there won’t be much of a difference inside, but on the outside, panel houses lose their appearance much earlier, and their service life is shorter.

For clarity, see the photo below.

Brick or monolithic houses 10-15 years old look much better than 3-year-old panels.

In the future, if you want to sell an apartment, it will be easier to do this in a brick house.

In addition , a common problem with panel houses is freezing of the seams, and, accordingly, the walls of the apartments. Audibility also leaves much to be desired, but if the area is large, then you can spend money and soundproof the rooms where you relax. The comfort of your stay in such houses will directly depend on the quality of work of the management company.

It’s worth buying an apartment in an old panel house only if you have very little money. Repairs to it will never pay off, and it is unlikely to be sold at a higher price.

Brick houses also have disadvantages - they shrink in the first couple of years. Think for yourself how critical this is for your repair. If the house has already stood for a couple of years, then you don’t have to worry about this.

Monolithic houses are the quietest when all the renovations are done, but while they are doing it you will hear the hammer drill even after several floors. Again, the service life is much longer compared to sockets.

As for communications , in various Khrushchev buildings everything has already rotted, and if it has not yet been replaced, then there is a possibility that it will change under your watch. And the layouts of such apartments are not the best. An exception can be considered old, almost pre-revolutionary, brick houses (featuring high ceilings, spacious rooms), but they are usually located in the central area of the city and are expensive.

Expenses and income

As already mentioned, you will expect obligatory expenses on repairs and furniture. It is preferable to rent out economy class apartments furnished, but wealthy tenants prefer to furnish expensive apartments to their liking.
Of course, it is impossible to predict which tenants you will come across and how responsibly they will approach the issue of operating the apartment, so it makes sense to make fairly economical repairs. But if you buy an apartment in a new building without finishing, it is better to spend a fair amount on renovations, purchasing durable building materials and high-quality equipment.
The same applies to an apartment purchased on the secondary housing market if it is in disrepair. By carrying out high-quality repairs once (and you will need to replace all plumbing, electrical, doors, flooring, etc.), you will save on cosmetic repairs, which will inevitably have to be carried out when changing tenants.
It is not recommended to furnish an apartment in the spirit of Soviet times with carpets on the walls and a wall of furniture - this is no longer relevant for a long time. Inexpensive but stylish furniture will do.
Consider the issue of home insurance - both property and civil liability to third parties.

What to choose: new building or resale?

Each option also has its pros and cons. Depending on who is buying the apartment, it will depend on what else to pay attention to. A young family will have its own priorities, pensioners will have theirs, and singles will have theirs.

Let's look at the advantages and disadvantages common to all.

Pros and cons of new buildings

Pros:

New communications and repairs will not be needed soon.
Even if in 10 years you decide to change your apartment, it will be easier to do so; the price is unlikely to fall (although it may).
If the apartment has a rough finish, then it is cheaper to do the renovation from scratch than to redo the old one.

Minuses:

For the next 5 years, be prepared for constant noise due to renovations.
There is a high probability of floods from above.
Confusion with the Criminal Code.
If the house is in a new microdistrict, then the infrastructure will be poorly developed for the next couple of years.

Pros and cons of secondary

Pros:

It is clear what condition the house is in and whether it is worth buying an apartment here.
The renovations were completed a long time ago, and the noise will be much less frequent than in a new building.
The infrastructure is developed.

Minuses:

Repairs will cost more, in houses older than 20 years everything needs to be redone, in newer houses you need to look, but the main thing is that the bathroom is done.
Apartments in old buildings begin to lose value faster over time.
Decide to sell - the repairs will not pay off.

It will also be useful to know how much it costs to renovate an apartment.

How to choose the right apartment to buy: resale has many legal nuances

With all its advantages, buying a home on the secondary market is a pig in a poke. How to choose an apartment to buy with minimal risk? A universal rule is to collect all possible information. For any deviations from the standard situation, involve specialists or look for another option.

Here are typical examples of such deviations that require special attention:

the apartment was received as a result of privatization - if one of the residents registered in it at that time refused to participate in privatization, then he retains the right to live for life without being the owner;
an incapacitated person or a minor will participate in the transaction - if the purchase of an apartment is contested in court, the chances of losing your purchase are very high;
the apartment is sold by an heir , especially one who recently received an inheritance - due to the risk of judicial cancellation of the transaction by other heirs;
The last change of owner of the apartment was registered less than 3 years ago - this is the period that provides some insurance against fraudsters or the consequences of judicial termination of previous transactions.

On what floor should I buy an apartment?

Let's figure out which floor is best to buy an apartment on. Maybe it’s in vain that everyone is sweeping away the first and last floors.

Disadvantages of an apartment on the ground floor:

damp and cold, especially when the heating is turned off; if the house is poorly maintained, there will be many problems
We need additional security measures against thieves
noise on site
through the windows you can clearly see both passers-by on the street and residents in the apartment (I rented an apartment on the first floor at one time, it annoyed me)
if there are dubious personalities, all sorts of preachers, etc. up to the last floors. they just don’t get there, then they may be frequent guests on the ground floor

Pros of an apartment on the first floor:

no problems with moving or repairs - no need to go far and high
no need to worry about your neighbors downstairs, flooding them, or the like.

Disadvantages of an apartment on the top floor:

if the house is poorly maintained, then various roof leaks are possible
rise high, especially if the elevator breaks down (what it will be like to climb to the 17th floor, for example)
any repair or purchase of furniture will result in a severe ordeal or large expenses for getting up to the apartment
A common problem in high-rise buildings is low water pressure or cold water

Pros of an apartment on the top floor:

there is no noise from the neighbors above, and I’ll tell you this is a very important plus (what to do if the neighbors are noisy)
upper floors are usually warmer
good view from the window + no one looks at you from the street
your neighbors will not flood you, which is more likely than a flood due to roof leaks (read what to do if you or your neighbors flooded in the following notes: part 1, part 2 - personal experience)

As you can see from the above comparison, an apartment on different floors can both make life easier and more difficult.

The best option can be considered from the 3rd to 5th floors.

General criteria

There are also general criteria that will help you understand how and where it is better to look for an apartment to buy:

area and infrastructure;
layout;
materials for construction;
floor;
elevators;
communications;
price;
neighbours;
finishing.

These criteria are important both when purchasing secondary and primary real estate.

Infrastructure and area

It is more logical to look for an apartment near work, school or kindergarten. If you cannot find suitable housing in a certain area within walking distance from them, you can look at real estate further away. The main thing is that you don’t have to travel too long or have transfers. It is better to plan the public transport route in advance.

It’s good if there are shops near your house, but you need to pay attention to their opening hours. It happens that they are open only until 19-20.00, and those who come home late from work may find this mode inconvenient.

If there is a 24-hour shopping center nearby, this is a minus for those looking for housing in a quiet area. There will be no silence there: during the day hundreds of people go shopping in the shopping center, and at night the areas near them can be “occupied” by young people in cars and with loud music.

For those who like to save money, areas with newly developing infrastructure are suitable. Housing there is sold 15-30% cheaper than in places where there are already schools, shops, kindergartens, clinics and private clinics. But it all depends on the material from which the house is built:

for example, a two-room Khrushchev apartment in a developed area will cost about the same as a new two-room apartment in a less developed area.

Layout

Planning is one of the important points. In new buildings, apartments are built mostly without walk-through rooms. The old ones have them. This is inconvenient if the family is large or guests often come.

Now there are several types of layouts:

European planning. All rooms are isolated, but there is no partition between the kitchen and living room. The advantage of this solution is in a large space, the disadvantage is the possible odors during cooking. But for many this is not critical.
Free. There are no walls at all in the apartment. The owner can plan the location of the premises as he wishes. They are sold 5-10% cheaper than the average market value and only in new houses. They can also be found on the secondary market, if a person bought a home from a developer and then decided to sell.
Highlet - housing with ceilings from 3.2 m. This height visually increases the space and is suitable for implementing design projects.
Linear. All rooms are isolated, located one after another along the corridor.

There are also rare-format housing: penthouses with open terraces, two-level apartments, bay windows, and windows in the bathrooms. Buyers should prepare a considerable amount for the design of the project: apartments with unique layouts are more expensive to finish than standard ones.

Material for construction

Comfort and sound permeability largely depend on the type of house. Currently the market is dominated by:

Panel. Sound insulation is poor, they are inexpensive. There are many load-bearing walls, it is difficult to remodel. If there are seams between the slabs, it will be cool in winter.
Monolithic. They are built according to individual projects and are more expensive than panel or brick ones. Ceilings are usually high and energy efficient. Sound insulation is much better than in panel or brick ones.
Brick. Sound insulation is at an average level. The average price is higher than for panel ones, but lower than for monolithic ones. Good energy efficiency. Brick houses are practically not built now; they are easier to find on the secondary market.

Note! If the amount to buy an apartment is limited, you can buy it in a panel house, and then soundproof it. It will cost about 100,000-200,000 rubles. depending on the technology and area of housing.

Finishing

Luxury housing from the developer is usually built on a turnkey basis, and materials of average quality are used for finishing. Almost every company tries to save money. If the contract specifies one thing, and upon delivery it turns out that the repairs were done poorly, this is a reason to demand the fulfillment of obligations from the developer through the court.

Many companies furnish apartments on a turnkey basis and according to their own design projects. Such real estate is as expensive as possible. The quality is not bad, but buyers often have to fix defects on their own.

Standard apartments without pretensions to the “elite” are sold with an average renovation. Plumbing fixtures are usually the cheapest, but they can be used for a while.

You can buy housing with a rough finish, with a concrete floor and bare walls. This gives you space to implement your own design solutions, just like buying an apartment with a fine finish, where everything is already prepared for wallpapering, painting, laying laminate, etc. Real estate with a rough finish is always cheaper.

Floor

Apartments on the first floors are cheaper than on the middle floors. But life in them is constantly accompanied by noise from the entrance and curious people who like to look into the windows from the street.

The last floors are also cheaper than the middle ones.

Advantages and disadvantages

picturesque view if the windows face the street

frequent roof leaks, which is typical for old houses. It floods the top floors. If the house is new, this should not be a problem.

The elevator in the house may break down, and then it will be difficult to climb the stairs to the top floor, especially for parents with small children. You will have to wait for the elevator to be repaired, and this often takes several days.

Neighbours

In a house under construction, for obvious reasons, it will not be possible to find out about the neighbors. If the house is partially occupied, you can get to know them so that you get an impression of who you will live next to.

If real estate is purchased on the secondary market, you can ask the seller about the neighbors. But he is unlikely to tell the truth. Even if a conflicting neighbor lives nearby, the seller will remain silent about it: he needs to sell the house.

Communications

When buying a home in a new building, all communications are new, and the likelihood of an accident is negligible. If the living space is purchased resale, it is worth asking the owner when the batteries and pipes were changed. If it's recent and he can provide receipts from contractors, that's good.

If the communications are old, you should prepare for the fact that during a major overhaul you will have to change them. These are additional costs.

Important! The buyer should also ask the seller about the availability of meters. If they are not there, they must be installed after purchase, otherwise charges for electricity and water supply will be charged at average rates. It is always more expensive than using metering devices. Also, meters must be verified in a timely manner, and each has its own expiration date.

Elevator

Old buildings have standard elevators, usually one for each entrance. This is inconvenient when moving: you will have to bring and transport a minimum of things. If the house has both a passenger and freight elevator, this is a plus.

Price

If an apartment is sold on the secondary market at too low a price, the buyer should be wary. There is a possibility that they are trying to get rid of it faster. Before concluding a contract, it is better to check it:

the owner will not talk about legal problems with her.

It is more profitable to buy an apartment from a developer at the initial stage of construction. With the passage of each stage the price will increase. Ready-made housing is the most expensive after it is put into operation. If you buy living space in a house under construction, this will save up to 30% of the cost of the finished apartment.

Are you tired of reading? We’ll tell you over the phone and answer your questions.

Which apartment layout is better to choose?

In fact, there are now a lot of options to choose from, and the main criterion will be the buyer’s taste.

A couple of thoughts about what is convenient and what is not:

If one of the rooms is a walk-through room , this is convenient while there are no children in the family; as they appear and grow older, they will have to remodel or change the apartment.
The windows of the apartment face opposite sides of the house - this can be convenient; in the morning the sun is on one side, and in the evening on the other. The apartment will be brighter.
The number of rooms is an individual matter, for some it is better to have 3 with smaller rooms than a two-room apartment with more spacious ones, but remember that every person needs to be alone from time to time, and in an apartment where a large family lives there may simply not be room .
Polygonal rooms - on the one hand, everyone is accustomed to standard rooms and a pentagonal room may not seem comfortable, on the other hand, this is an opportunity to get creative when arranging it.
The northern side , and for the most part the eastern side - the apartment will be dark all year round, and this means additional costs for lighting, and just discomfort. Although the eastern side is even less tolerable during the day.
South and west sides - if your climate is hot, you can’t live without air conditioning. These are additional costs. In the summer it will be like in a greenhouse. If you have a small child , then think in advance what is better: air conditioning for the south side or a heater and lights on for the north side.
A separate bathroom is convenient (you don’t have to wait while someone is washing or someone is in the toilet), and a combined one is spacious (if it’s large).
Kitchen-studio - if it’s a single kitchen and a family lives in it, then it’s not convenient; if this is a 2-room apartment, then consider that you have a one-room apartment with a large kitchen (there is no particular point in this), but a 3-room apartment with a studio kitchen, then it is much more convenient when the kitchen is combined with the living room, because Most of the time is spent in it, but at the same time there is more free space.

Summary

The answer to the question of how to choose the right apartment to buy depends on whether you are ready to entrust this to specialists or prefer to do it yourself. In the first case, the task essentially comes down to choosing a qualified realtor and lawyer. But when independently organizing the purchase of an apartment on the secondary market, you will need to go through a number of stages:

search for apartment options,
verification of documents,
inspection of housing, identification of hidden defects,
discussion of the deal,
preparation and execution of documents.

What to look for when viewing an apartment?

A very important point when you do NOT need to rush is to inspect the apartment. It is best to take photographs so that you can compare with other options, and this way you will eliminate the emotional factor and manipulation of both sellers and realtors.

So, what should you pay attention to when inspecting an apartment?

Who is selling the apartment

If this is a married couple with a child, then you should find out whether the child is registered in the apartment. If registered, this may complicate the paperwork process, because parents will need to obtain certificates from the guardianship authorities.
If this is a relative of the owner of the apartment and is selling by proxy, then you should carefully consider the documents. To be on the safe side, get title insurance.

Follow the link for a detailed article on what title insurance is when buying an apartment.

Condition of the apartment

Inspect the plumbing , heating pipes, radiators - this is one of the most expensive stages of repair.
Inspect the walls under the windows and in the corners of the rooms for traces of mold or freezing - this may lead to additional costs in the future.
If the apartment was or is being rented out , then you will have to at least change the locks, or even the entire door - this is another additional expense.
Check the electrical wiring , if you don’t understand it, it’s better to invite someone to help.
Look at the presence of meters for water and electricity - the absence indicates that over time their installation will become your headache; if the meters are installed, then look at the verification date.
If there is a balcony , then at least visually check its reliability. In many old houses it is dangerous to go out onto the balconies. Or another option, if the balcony is not glazed, then there is noise and dust in the apartment.
Balcony glazing can be different ; if it is sliding windows, then such a balcony cannot be insulated; replacement will be quite expensive. All other things being equal, give preference to warm glazing. There is no way to alter a balcony with façade glazing. Read which windows to choose.
Find out what remains in the apartment. Large wardrobes, furniture, household appliances - all this costs money, and then you will have to buy it yourself. If there are several options for apartments, then it is better to take a fully equipped one, as you can save a lot of money. An example of how we managed to save 70,000 rubles when ordering a kitchen.

All this is a reason for bargaining.

Who are your future neighbors?

Bottles or syringes lying near the entrance already say a lot, but the absence of them is not a guarantee that they will not cause you trouble. Sometimes seemingly decent people can behave much worse.
If drunks and homeless people live in the neighboring entrances, then this is also a reason to think about it. The solution to any problems in the house will be transferred to you, including financially.
If some of the apartments in the building are transferred for resettlement (from villages, old houses, etc.), then be prepared for the fact that you will have a mess, drinking and nothing will be done about it.

As you can see, there are a lot of nuances that need to be taken into account when choosing an apartment, but this may not always work out. But neighbors are probably one of those points that you should pay special attention to.

Read this link to find out how to deal with noisy neighbors.

What management company

Is the entrance clean?
Is there a cleaning schedule for the premises?
look at the bills for housing and communal services and compare with yours, preferably for each service
what has been done in the house for current repairs
The management company or homeowners association is engaged in home maintenance, find out contacts and location

The quality of work determines whether you will be comfortable living in the chosen place or not.