Apartment viewings in Almaty in person and online: how I inspect a home for you

I show apartments in Almaty in person, or by video if you haven't arrived yet, and at every viewing I check what photos don't show: walls, windows, ventilation, signs of leaks, noise, the entrance and parking. As a result you see five to seven apartments picked in advance, not thirty.

In short

On Almaty's resale market in 2026 there are 7–8 listings per buyer, so the choice is wide and filtering saves weeks
Almaty has 2,339 residential buildings that are not earthquake-resistant; rules for certifying buildings in seismic zones were approved in April 2026
The whole city lies in a magnitude 9–10 seismic zone, with weaker ground north of Raiymbek Avenue, where groundwater is high
I spent about 4 years on a construction crew and went through the buy-renovate-sell cycle about 15 times
At Kaspi Bank I worked through about 140 properties when selecting premises for branches and Magnum stores

How a video viewing of an apartment in Almaty works

The viewing is a live call on WhatsApp or Telegram, with no editing and no flattering angles. I start outside: what's next to the building, where to park, what the entrance looks like. Then the stairwell, the lift and the stairs, and only then the apartment.

Inside I open the windows and taps, switch on the extractor fan, look under the sink and into cupboards on the outer walls. At any moment you can ask me to zoom in, go back, or put any question to the owner. After the viewing I send a short rundown: what's good, what's worrying, what it costs to fix, and what a reasonable discount to ask for is.

What I check at a viewing as a former builder

I spent about four years building turnkey houses, then renovated apartments. So I look at an apartment the way a site foreman does before naming a price. In a new build I add one more check: in 2019 I had my own concrete plant in Burunday, so I look at the concrete grade and material certificates separately.

Walls and structure

Cracks around window openings and in corners, especially diagonal ones. Signs of remodelling: removed walls, a relocated kitchen, a widened doorway. In an earthquake-prone city, taking out a load-bearing wall is a safety issue, and legalizing it afterwards can be impossible.

Windows and heat

How the sashes close, whether there is condensation and black spots on the window reveals. Cold corners in winter and mould behind a wardrobe are usually visible straight away if you know where to look.

Ventilation and leaks

Whether the kitchen and bathroom extractors actually draw air. Yellow stains on the ceiling, swollen laminate near the risers, one freshly painted corner. On top floors I ask to see the service floor or check with the neighbours about the roof.

Noise, the entrance, parking

I listen to the apartment with the windows shut: a tram, a bar downstairs, a playground under the window. I look at the state of the stairwell and lift, at the notices from the owners' association (OSI), and at where residents leave their cars in the evening. That tells you more about a building than any brochure.

A tour of Almaty districts in 1–2 days

If you're flying in for a short time, I put the viewings into one route. On day one we drive through the districts that fit your brief and stop where your real life will happen: by the school, the office, the shop. On day two we look at the apartments on the short list.

I plan the route around traffic: in the morning it's easier to drive downhill, in the evening the other way round. You can't learn the whole city in two days, but working out where you feel comfortable almost always happens.

If you're looking at both rentals and purchases, I combine them in one route. The apartment you rent for the first months also becomes an observation point: you live next to buildings you may later buy in, and you see them on ordinary weekdays, not just on viewing day.

How to avoid wasting time on 30 viewings

Thirty viewings usually means the filter didn't work. Listings in Almaty often show the best angle, old photos, or an apartment that's no longer for sale.

I filter options before the viewing: I call the owner, ask for documents, and check the floor, the year of the building, the structure, the reason for selling and how long it has been on the market. If something doesn't add up, we don't go. Out of twenty listings, five to seven usually make it to you.

Another filter kicks in after the first two or three viewings. I listen carefully to what you didn't like and narrow the search: floor, view, layout, noise. Usually by the fourth or fifth property it's clear what apartment you need, and the next viewings hit the target.

What to watch for in an online viewing

Video is convenient, but it has blind spots. A camera doesn't pick up the smell of damp, a draught or noisy neighbours. So if you're viewing by video only, I tell you separately what I sensed on the spot.

If the owner refuses a live call and only sends a recorded clip, that's a reason to be cautious. One more thing: don't pay a deposit on the strength of a single video. Documents get checked first, then money changes hands.

What viewings include and what they cost

The price depends on the number of properties and the format, and we fix it in writing before we start. If the viewings end in a purchase, the commission on the deal starts at 1%.

Pre-screening listings and calling owners
In-person viewings and live video viewings, with a rundown after each one
An assessment of the apartment's condition and a rough renovation cost
A district tour over one or two days
A price recommendation and arguments for negotiating

I'll show you apartments while you're in another city

Send me links to listings or describe what you need. I'll weed out the poor options and run a video viewing of the best ones.

Message on WhatsApp

Questions and answers

Can I view an apartment in Almaty online?

Yes. I run a live viewing on WhatsApp or Telegram, show the building, the entrance and the apartment without editing, and answer questions as we go. Afterwards I send a written rundown of the pros and cons.

What should I check when viewing an apartment before buying?

Cracks and signs of remodelling, windows and reveals, ventilation draw, leak stains near the risers and on the ceiling, noise with the windows shut, the state of the entrance and parking. In Almaty the year of construction and the building's structure matter in particular.

How many apartments should I see before buying?

If the options are screened in advance, five to seven viewings are usually enough. Lots of viewings more often point to a poor filter than to a difficult market.

Can I choose a district in Almaty in two days?

You can work out where you feel comfortable. I put together a route through suitable districts and a short list of apartments so that in one or two days you see both the city and specific options.

How can I tell if an apartment has had a leak?

Look for yellow marks on the ceiling, a swollen floor near the risers, fresh paint in one corner and a smell of damp. It helps to ask the downstairs neighbours and the head of the owners' association (OSI).

Do you show new builds?

Yes, both finished buildings and ones under construction. In a new build I look at the quality of the frame and joints, and I check the documents separately: the shared participation agreement (DDU) must be registered with Kazreestr.