A doorman is an employee of a building's management tasked with manning the entrance to a large building — usually, a building with many residential units inside.
A doorman is occasionally only responsible for manning the entrance, especially in larger buildings, but often takes on other similar duties, too.
A doorman stands at the door, but what exactly do they do there? A doorman's responsibilities overlap slightly with those of a concierge but don't range as broadly. Primarily, a doorman should monitor the traffic into and out of the building, ensuring that no one comes inside without permission or a reason to be visiting.
A doorman can also help you receive packages, even if you're not home at the time it's delivered. Lastly, a doorman will usually open the door for you when you arrive — both for the building and for the vehicle you arrive in. This may seem like a small thing, but when you arrive home with your hands full, you'll likely be quite thankful.
As with any luxury service, there are some downsides to living in an apartment with a doorman.
Finding an apartment with a doorman is pretty straightforward, especially if you live in a larger city where an apartment doorman is common.
Using the same website you'd usually use to find apartments for rent, you'll likely come across apartments with "doorman" listed as a feature or amenity of the apartment.
Timothy Harris is a freelance writer based in Albuquerque. He brings a professional background in event marketing, residential real estate and journalism to the table to provide useful and relevant content for the modern renter. Timothy has previously written content for Karsten & Associates in New Mexico and Up 'til Dawn, a philanthropic fundraiser that benefits St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.