All About Condo Living

Condo’s being of height can be quite challenging when it comes to issues regarding the weather such as rain and high winds during stormy weather, warm and hot air when it’s sunny. A simple fix can be to use special window films if the windows are not treated with them to shield you from the hot sun keeping you cool and saving on power with the AC. Wind seeping into your unit can constitute quite a headache for dust and other contaminants can easily get into your unit and even water if the winds are strong enough. They can damage hardwood floors and even furniture so be sure to draft check the unit from time to time. Glass panes on patio’s should be either tempered or strengthened glass which is tougher than normal glass with the addition of several layers of polycarbonate plastic making them similar to bullet-resistant glass used on armored vehicles. [Read more →]

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There is a notion in today’s environmentally conscious world that green is in which is mostly a very good choice yet not always the best for old condos that were built when caring for mother earth wasn’t always the norm of the time. But this doesn’t mean you can’t do your own little part in the greening of your particular unit for the simple act of changing all your lighting with CFL’s or energy saving lamps may be a good start. Old buildings also had a menagerie of appliances that were not too good for the environment, these appliances can be replaced by better newer ones that are more efficient and thus saving you more in terms of electrical consumption. [Read more →]

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The fad of collapsible furnishings that can be torn-down and re-assembled easily creates a hidden danger in the home for they release VOC’s that are known to have harmful side effects to you and your family’s health. The solvents and glues used on such products eventually begin to leach out of the wood thus exposing you to cancerous compounds that should be avoided considering the small confined spaces in such homes. [Read more →]

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Unlike full blown houses, one of the disadvantages of condos it it’s relatively smaller space. One tip to mange the space is to create a focal point in every room. Focal points make a room feel spacey and homey at the same time, and doesn’t need you to extensively put designs in everything. Keep your space free from clutter, as a messy condo makes it easy for you and any visitor to feel stuffy and cramped. If you have any inner doors you can make do without, try replacing them with curtains for a more open feel. You should also pay particular attention to your windows, as keeping them clean will allow more light to flood into your living space. In cleaning, using smaller vacuums are recommended as they can maneuver around smaller spaces better.

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Most people have heard of housing cooperatives and the utter difficulty of getting into them that even some of the most influential people have been denied access to them. Condominiums operate on the concept that you are buying real estate as if it were a single family home much like a real home on a lot except your property is stacked one on top of the other. This is good for you pay people and the developer who normally owns the property and maintains it. Housing Cooperatives on the other hand owns the building itself as a corporation, with the residents living within it’s walls as tenants/co-owners rather than sole owners. The cooperative owns the unit you live in and you get a lease/rental contract with the building maintained by the cooperative.
This type of housing arrangement is advantageous for it can have the same benefits as a condominium but without the hefty taxes for a cooperative is considered to be a small business entity that falls into a group of non-profit businesses. Tax discounts and other incentives are given by the government for such housing groups allowing more people to enjoy the benefits of communal living that is not only cheaper but more community than business oriented.

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Condo’s are a compact urban community that exist on multiple dimensions; up down, left and right you have neighbors and they can be both boon or bane depending on your relationship with them. First, make it a point to get to know the people within the community for they are the ones you’ll be living with for some years. Learn to give and take, a noisy party during a birthday may be excused so as you get the favor returned when you take the stand.
Participate as much as you can so you get the who’s, what’s and if’s of the community and so you get to know issues before they affect you. Fostering a sense of community even in box like a condominium is a worthwhile effort that would make you an integral part of a harmonious community.

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A plant may be healthy when you bring it home from the nursery but it dies after a few weeks in your care. If it was given the correct amount of water, the culprit could be the lack of enough sunlight. With very little sunlight, the leaves often turn pale, wilt or the plant will not grow - which means no food energy is produced. On the other hand, if the plant has too much sunlight, its leaves will get burned. If too much sunlight comes through your window, move the plant back from the window or put a see through curtain on the window because plants lean toward the direction where light is coming from (photo kinesis). To have healthy houseplants, give their pots a quarter turn every time you water them.

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Where any group of people live side by side, there’s bound to be some friction. A condominium set up is no exception. The most common points of conflict in this particular community are: parking, parties, people,pets and politics.
Parking spaces are being used by members and their guests irresponsibly. People often have noisy parties late into the night disturbing other members. Here are some steps to resolve condominium conflicts:

• Let the parties concerned have an open dialogue. More often than not, airing complaints diffuses the tension especially when coupled with contrite promises to mend erring ways.
• If the first step course of action was not successful, then the next step is for the complainants to get in touch with the condominium board of directors and formalize their complaint(put it in writing).
• Get an intermediary or “referee”. This option could be in the condominium’s bylaws. A condominium lawyer or a professional mediator could be present to hash out the problem and come up with an agreement mutually agreeable to all the parties concerned.
• If mediation has not been successful in resolving the issue, then arbitration procedures may me started. The parties concerned select a single arbitrator, if they don’t agree, they each select their own and then select a third one to act as chairman. The arbitrator is a professional one. He/she now, can accept evidence under oath. The arbitrator’s decision is then entered into court.
• If everything else fails, then the complainants can now pursue the matter in court and wait for its decision.

In conflict resolution, it’s up to the concerned parties to seek legal opinion on how to resolve issues, via arbitration? or the litigation route. However litigation could be uncertain, lengthy and expensive.

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Nowadays, because of the increasing population and the decreasing available land, homes are getting smaller and the trend is to go up. Condos are becoming more popular and the home of choice for young professionals. If you’re planning to invest in one, there are some factors you might want to consider:
location – as with any real estate investment, location is key. A good location will mean a high resell value and a good return on your investment. Also, consider what you’re needs are. If you want to be close to work, with shops that are readily accessible, then a city condo is for you. But if you want a location with less noise, traffic, pollution and are planning to raise a family, then a condo nearer a suburb and schools may be what you’re looking for.
Monthly dues – monthly dues can vary according to the amenities and services a condominium has. Calculate how much you can afford – remember, these dues will be in addition to your mortgage and can’t be taken off, even if you’re not using the condo’s amenities.

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Condominiums: Owner has a deed for unit, has a separate mortgage, pays property tax on the unit plus a percentage of the common areas and pays a monthly maintenance fee. A board of directors governs the complex with the owner having one vote. The condominium owner has a fee simple absolute unrestricted ownership and is individually responsible for property taxes and maintenance fees. Use the sales price of condominiums with similar size, appeal, age, neighborhood, incurring similar maintenance fees, etc. to determine market value.

Cooperatives: Most co-ops are incorporated and a board of directors governs the complex with the owner of each individual unit having one vote. The owner has no deed, only stock and a proprietary lease which has a term from 10-50 years renewable automatically or at the discretion of the shareholders. He/she cannot refinance his unit as a condo owner can. Mortgage, property tax and maintenance fees are paid pro rata by the owner according to the percentage of the overall size of the unit. Property tax appeals involve the corporation and the stockholders.

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