Sign in to view
member only content

When looking for a new home — especially one in an area you’ve never lived in before — there’s plenty of research to be done. Tools such as Homesnap — the app that offers information about any property simply by pointing their smartphone at it. However, it’s not always possible to speak to previous occupiers to get their opinion. Swapt is an apartment review platform that connects potential new tenants with those who have previously lived there.

Having just launched out of beta, the site currently hosts reviews of over 250,000 properties in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Seattle. Each review is written by a former tenant and offers an opinion otherwise not available to those thinking of moving in. For example, how do you know the landlord isn’t going pester? Are the neighbors nice? Will the school down the road make lots of noise? Each reviewer is verified through Facebook, which — although it doesn’t ensure they genuinely lived in the apartment — gives some confirmation that authors are who they say they are and not biased representatives.

Swapt gives a more transparent and honest look that real estate agents perhaps won’t provide, helping renters to make better decisions about such an important life choice. Are there other ways to help househunters make sure that a property is suitable for their own personal needs?