New York City-based Real Estate Agent and Influencer Reveals the Things You ‘Would Never Think To Ask’ When Shopping Around for your Dream Home

A real estate agent who doubles as an influencer has lifted the lid on the things you “would never think to ask” when searching for an abode in New York City—but that make a huge difference.

Caroline Walker is a luxury home-selling pro who frequently shares her tricks to securing the best apartments in the Big Apple with her 21,000-plus followers on TikTok.

Walker most recently took to the video-sharing platform to dish on the topics you should be inquiring about when scouring Manhattan for your dream home.

In a viral video, which has so far amassed over 99,000 views, Walker reeled off several things future homeowners forget to look for when touring pads.

“These are the things you would never think to ask from a New York City real estate agent,” she said.

“No. 1, do you have a garbage chute on your floor? If not, you’re going to have to carry your garbage down the stairs and down to the basement, and that’s not going to be fun,” Walker noted at the beginning of the video.

Next, she told viewers that people often take dishwashers for “granted,” adding that many apartments don’t have them, so you need to keep an eye out for one.

“The next thing you really need to look for, when you go into the entryway, there will be a pest control sheet, which is super normal, but you need to check and see how many names are on it. If there are a ton of names on it, your building is infested,” she explained.

Her following tip was one she feels “very strongly about” as she urged viewers to “take this seriously.”

“Do not move into the West Village because you feel like you have to. I know people living in borderline squalor to live in the West Village, paying absurd amounts of money and you have to have roommates still.

“The West Village isn’t what it used to be like a few years ago. Now, it’s really only a bar scene. You won’t care what trendy restaurants are nearby when you have to do extra labor because you can’t afford your apartment,” she explained.

Walker ended the viral clip with a tip for picking the best location for your new home.

“Pick your apartment based on the general vicinity of where you want to live or where you work,” she advised. “Do not confine yourself to one neighborhood.”

People on the web flooded the comments section and praised the home expert for her “good” advice as they also shared some of their own tips for future homeowners.

Many social media users suggested people “turn on the showers and sinks” to check the water pressure when touring a property, while others noted you should check for “laundry in unit or laundry in building.”