Online viewing vs on-site viewing
| Point | On-site viewing | Live Tour on aptari |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | You go there, often in working hours | You join from phone or laptop |
| Who shows it | The agency or the current tenant | The agency, live |
| How many see it | Whoever fits in the stairwell | Many people at once, in the browser |
| What you can judge | Noise, smell, light, the building, the street | Layout, rooms and condition as the camera shows them |
An online viewing is a filter. It tells you in a few minutes whether a flat is worth a trip or an application. It is most useful when you live far away, move from abroad or cannot leave work at 2 pm.
How a Live Tour works
- An agency on aptari offers a Live Tour for one of its listings.
- You join in the browser, from your phone or your laptop.
- The agency walks through the flat live, for everyone who joined.
- You decide: apply, ask for an on-site viewing, or move on.
Live Tours are offered by agencies that list on aptari, as soon as partner agencies list on aptari; none have yet. So today you will rarely meet one. The agency holds the tour inside its own plan: Growth includes 20 Live Tours a month, Enterprise 50.
When you still need to go there
- Before you sign. A camera does not show noise at night, smell, damp corners, the cellar or the neighbours.
- When something looks too good. A low rent in a tight market deserves a second look in person.
- At the handover. The condition of the flat is recorded on site, with you present.
Three rules against fake adverts
- Never pay before you have seen the flat in person or are sure the landlord is real. No fee for a viewing, no "reservation", no key by post.
- Never sign a contract unseen with someone you cannot check.
- Know how a real deposit works. Under Art. 257e OR the landlord must place a deposit with a bank, in a savings or deposit account in the tenant's name. For homes it may be at most three months' rent. A request to wire a deposit to a private account or abroad is a warning sign.
This is general information, not legal advice.