Getting started with Augrented: your first building lookup
Category: Getting Started
Read time: 3 minutes
You're about to sign a lease on an apartment you can't stop thinking about. The listing photos look great. The broker says the building is well-managed. But the city's public databases — the ones that track every violation, complaint, and permit ever filed — tell a different story for most buildings.
Augrented pulls those 50+ government sources into one report so you know what's real before you sign.
Step 1: Search an address
Go to augrented.com and type a New York City or San Francisco address into the search bar. You can enter a street address, apartment number, or landlord name.
No account needed. No credit card. Your first 3 building reports are free as a guest. Create a free account and you get 10 free reports per month.
The search covers:
- New York City: All five boroughs — Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Staten Island
- San Francisco: All neighborhoods
If we can't find an exact match, we'll suggest the closest verified address. Double-check the street spelling — a single character off can return the wrong building.
Step 2: Read your free report
Once the search finds a building, you'll see the free building background check — a snapshot designed to tell you if something is obviously wrong. This includes:
- Safety grade & neighborhood percentile — How this building compares to nearby ones of similar size and age
- Headline violation count — Total HPD violations and open complaints
- Prediction forecast — The 12-month risk score estimating the probability of major maintenance issues
- Public records tables — The 10 most recent HPD violations, DOB complaints, and 311 complaints
A clean free report isn't nothing — it's confirmation. It means the public record shows no red flags at this address.
If you want the full picture — every violation ever filed, the landlord's entire portfolio, rent stabilization status, and the AI-generated narrative — you'll need to unlock the premium report with a credit or subscription.
Step 3: Decide what to do with the data
The report gives you one of two outcomes:
| If the report shows… | That means… |
|---|---|
| Low risk, clean record | The public record supports what the listing says. You can negotiate or sign with more confidence. |
| High risk, active violations | You have leverage. Ask the landlord about specific violations before signing. If the response is vague, that's data too. |
| Mixed signals | Some issues but nothing catastrophic. The AI summary will tell you which ones to ask about and which are already resolved. |
A clean report doesn't guarantee a perfect tenancy — new violations can be filed any day. That's why the Renter plan includes building watch alerts so you know the moment something changes.
What's next
- What's free vs. what requires a plan — A complete breakdown of every tier
- How to read a building report — A section-by-section guide to the premium report
- How credits work — When you need them, how they're spent, and that they never expire
Curious about your next building? Search an address — free for your first 10 buildings.