What to look for on a pre-construction floor plan

A “two bedroom plus den” can be a real second room or a corner with no door. Check the width of the bedrooms, the length of the living room, and whether the dining area is a separate space or a slice of the hallway.

Look at where the windows are. A deep unit with glass only at one end will feel darker than the rendering. Note the balcony or terrace depth. A six-foot balcony and a four-foot ledge are both called a balcony.

See whether the kitchen can hold a normal fridge and a counter you can stand at with someone else. Check the linen and coat storage. On a townhome or detached plan, find the mudroom and the route from the car to the kitchen.

Ask what is on the other side of the bedroom wall. A suite beside the elevator, a garbage chute, or a garage entry is a different home from the same plan on a quiet stack.

Count sleeping spaces you will use in year one and in year five. A den is not a bedroom if someone has to sleep there every night. If you work from home, the plan needs a door. If you have family staying over, it needs a place for them that is not the living room.