1) Where are the stores? You'll need to eat, do laundry, probably buy some hardware (to hang stuff or whatever), get dry cleaning (if needed), and vet care.

2) Is the apartment under Rent Control or Rent Stabilization (a NYC thing, mainly)?

3) Why did the prior tenant leave (because they were living next to a bastard blasting music all night?)?

4) Where is mass transit located?

5) When is garbage and recycling pickup?

6) What time is the usual mail (USPS) delivery?

7) Does the lease say the landlord can enter the apartment "at will" (if so, get some goddammed hidden cameras)?

8) Where's the closest hospital, police precinct, firehouse?

9) Is the area served by taxis or car services?

10) How far are you from social services (assistance as well as an unemployment office you might have to visit)?

11) Are there any probation offices, drug treatment centers, or criminal courts nearby?

12) How close is the nearest bar and do they play live music (not what you want nearby during the summer)?

All I can think of at the spur of the moment.

#2 is very important in SF too.

A landlord will never give you a truthful answer to #3 if that would cast the apartment in a negative light. You should try to talk to the prior tenant directly if at all possible.

In California an "entrance at will" clause in a residential lease is unenforceable. The reasons and notice requirements that a landlord may enter a tenant's apartment are set out in law. If you see in it your lease it does suggest that your landlord doesn't know the law very well though.

1. Ask about neighbors and noise.

2. Check the voltage output. Many older places can't handle too many wattage and the circuit breaker can flip easily. Sucks for tech folks.

3. Drive around and check how ease of turning out into traffic is. Some places royally suck and makes it insanely more time consuming.

4. Personal but ask about typical things like washer, dryer, dishwasher, etc...

5. Check how strong or weak a toilet is. I've had a toilet in the last that almost always clog even with constant flushing to ensure nothing is in there. They eventually had to replace the entire toilet.

6. If its a brand new construction, especially large condo complexes, stay clear. Tons of random issues will come up.

7. Check deposit and move in fees, policy.

>Drive around and check how ease of turning out into traffic is. Some places royally suck and makes it insanely more time consuming.

Alternatively, make sure the place is near transit so you don't need a car at all.

I really like the drive around and check out ease of turning out into traffic. That's one that I've buggered up before.

WalkScore.com isn't just about scores. There's actually a great (and unsung) apartment finder available. Give it a go: http://www.walkscore.com/apartments/CA/San_Francisco?openmen...

Unfortunately Walkscore's coverage is pretty variable, and it's downright useless outside the U.S...

A few friends and I did a map hack of rat population vs. median rent price in NYC: http://fergle.com/ratstoriches/

It's only really useful if you're looking to live in Manhattan, and probably completely skewed by Sandy... but interesting nonetheless.

Here's the TOW centre write up with some of the other hacks: http://towcenter.org/blog/tow-center-mapathon-2012/

Go by at night. Sometimes neighborhoods that are fine by day are sketchy after dark.

Even better if you can get inside the apartment at night. It's probably when you'll spend most of your time there, and the lighting and neighbor noise levels will be different.

It's more of a checklist than a lifestyle hacking post?

How about checking for Aircraft traffic?

Isn't that what all lifestyle hacking posts are?

Good one with the aircraft. Another one is to check crime stats.

Check for annual parades, festivals, street fairs, and so on that might affect you.

I failed to do that when deciding between two apartments in Pasadena, CA. The one I picked was a block away from the Rose Parade. That was very annoying.

Trulia has commute-time searches, which is pretty cool. So I can say "Show me listings within a 30 min commute from my office."

It's not perfect -- and certainly in some cases is way off -- but it's pretty new still and its a good start.

Check which ISPs offer service there. For example, if you intended to get DSL, the new apartment might be far from the central office or you might only get a service that the apartment management has an agreement with.

If the area you're searching is more suburban or, for any other reason, mass transit isn't a factor, look at the cars parked nearby. New and well-maintained cars reflect positively on your neighbors.

Site down. Coral cache:

http://happyinspector.com.nyud.net/apartment-hunting-hacks/

It must be back up, it works for me.

Make sure your neighbors aren't complete human trash.

I assume last one was a joke?