What are your pro tips when looking for an apartment?

I just found the 1BR of my dreams for $500 off listed rent with a second year option at the same rent (and utilities included!) Here are mine:

• Always check the water pressure, don’t be embarrassed to turn on the shower when visiting.
• Ask to see the electric meter room. My last apartment had retail on the ground floor, and you need to go through the store and it’s office to access the meters. Coned was unable to read my meter and I was charged crazy estimate bills. I then had to do the reading myself and that is a pain.
• Lookup the building on HPDNYC for complaints, bed bugs, everything.
• make sure there’s no construction/demolition sites starting nearby. If there is make sure you ask for a nice discount.
• Ask where the super for the building is located. My last apartment’s super lived 30min away and had 10buildings to look after. Had to wait forever for him, and once couldn’t shower or use my bathroom for 3 days.
• lookup the Listing History on StreetEasy. Generally nice apartments tend to lease for longer/days on market are smaller.
• Always, always, always make sure that you sign a lease with a second year option at a predetermined rent. No matter what brokers will say (“Landlord willing to offer option a couple of months after renting”) do not fall for that and make it clear that you will not sign without an option. If the landlord isn’t willing then you dodged a bullet. You can sign a two year lease but I prefer a 1 yr+option in case something happens that changes everything. This is all about protecting yourself against rent increases.
• When you fill the app and send it to brokers, keep on looking at other apartments. You want options in case they try to play your application against others/take their time.
• You shouldn’t be paying more than $30 for a credit report. If the management company is trying to charge an insane amount ($150 sometimes) run.
• Negotiate to have the Landlord pay for 50% of all extra fees. They’ll sometimes do it as a sign of good faith.

Remember you are not only looking for a great apartment, but also a good landlord. You want this to be a long term apartment as living in the city is exhausting enough without having to move every 2 years.

I would recommend looking at condos since the owner is not a huge company. They are people who want to have stable income, and will normally be preoccupied with their own careers instead of trying to squeeze their tenants out of every dollar.

What are your tips?