Real Life of an MSW

An old or new home is not necessarily a bad thing. However, buildings constructed decades ago might have unique issues. It’s wise to ask when the unit was built or last renovated, when the appliances and any carpet were installed and when the walls were last painted. Peeling or cracked paint could be a concern if the paint contains lead, as it often does in older homes. This is especially worrisome if you have young children.

At the same time, a fresh paint job is also worth inquiring about, Gregg says, because it could be concealing a problem. “As a home inspector, that always puts what I call our ‘spidey senses’ tingling,” he says. “You just want to ask a few questions of the landlords as to why it was done.”

The other challenge of renting a brand new or newly renovated space is that you’ll be the first tenant to discover any defects. This was the case in one of my past apartments. Because no one had lived in it before, we were the lucky ones who got to discover that the heat was insufficient come winter.