All About Condo Living
Everything, Anything, All About Condo Living!

When you hear of Sea Isle City, the last thing that would probably pop into your head is history. Known for its beaches and as a lively tourist summer destination, the small town of Sea Isle City is in fact home to a beautiful piece of Victorian-style building – The Colonnade Inn.

The Colonnade Inn, built in 1883, was built a summer hotel back in the day when the city was even more popular as a summer destination than it is now. During that time, summer hotels cropped up around the place to accommodate the crush of tourists that came during the summer months and disappeared the rest of the year. Nowadays, while tourists are still plentiful in Sea Isle City during summer, the summer hotels are gone with only one of the old historic hotels left standing.

The summer hotels were not the only pieces of history that have slowly been erased from Sea Isle City’s map. In fact, just recently, backers of a really old lighthouse lost the battle to developers, resulting in the historic lighthouse being torn down.

The Colonnade Inn is one of the last pieces of history that is still standing in Sea Isle City, and perhaps the only one that is worthy of being called historical due to the restoration process it went through in 2004. Perhaps the fact that it is a hotel, making it profitable, that has allowed it to survive the ravages of time. Or perhaps it is the love of formers owners, the Dorsem family, who clung on to it for a really long time. Whatever it is, it’s a good thing that a small piece of history still has its place in Sea Isle City.

Condominium living in Calgary has been gaining more and more popularity over the past few years. Is it the desire to live downtown and be part of the pulse of the core and uptown 17th? Is it the dream to be central enough to leave the car at home and walk to work? Is it the fancy to be an urbanite and reside in a chic, modern elevated suite in the sky? Maybe it is yes to all of these, and perhaps more!

Calgary Condo Living provides the maintenance free, lock up and go attitude that a lot of individuals crave. Whether you lead an active, busy existence and don’t have the need for a lawnmower and snow shovel, or whether you just wish to take off into the mountains for a weekend; condo living is probably your ideal lifestyle. If you’re a current Calgary Condo owner, then you know exactly what I am talking about.

Our current Calgary Condo market is an exciting one! The May 2009 statistics released by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB) shows likewise as our market is gaining strength in 2009 as sales are up and listings are down – the perfect blend for a healthier, balanced real estate market. Here are some numbers to further my explanation:

The number of condominium sales for the month of May 2009 was 653, an increase of 13 per cent from the 579 condominium transactions recorded in April 2009, and an increase of 13 per cent from May 2008, when 577 condominiums changed hands.

Calgary metro condominium new listings added in May 2009 were 998, up 3 per cent from April 2009, when the MLS® saw 967 condo listings coming to the market. This is a decrease of 35 per cent from May 2008, when condominium listings were 1,538.

Our CREB president, Bonnie Wegerich mentions “All signs indicate we are moving to a balanced and stable market. Consumer confidence is improving, prices are holding steady and inventory is trending downward.”

For those hopeful Calgary Condo buyers out there, check out the “Purchase Check List” at my Calgary Condo Living blog on WordPress – http://calgarycondoliving.wordpress.com/

This will provide new buyers with some quick tips on Condo Living and ownership.

For the current Calgary Condo owners, contact me for a free consultation. I can provide a market evaluation, staging assistance, and anything else that may be useful to you and your condo experience.

There are many benefits to having a condo as opposed to an apartment. One asset has to so with large about of extra storage space available in condominiums. If have a lot of furniture and other household items, buying a condo is probably a good idea. Storage space is a valuable asset in any home, and more so in apartment-style condominiums. Whether you are buying new or resale, keep in mind your need to store unused luggage, ski equipment, camping equipment and perhaps that crate of comic books from your youth.

Some buildings offer a cage in the parkade, and this might even be suspended over the hood of your car, which is not the most convenient thing. Others will offer a larger walk-in cage, but which is also exposed to the dust and dirt brought in by vehicles. The smallest amount of storage options are found in many conversion buildings. Some four-story walkup buildings with outdoor parking do not have a basement, so some offer no storage outside of the suites. In addition, if an existing closet in each suite has been converted to a laundry room, there can be precious little space for storing your coats, much less your bicycles and luggage.

A few condominiums come with a separate bicycle storage room and lockers. This is the best standard, and one that all new-condo builders should strive for. Since condo bylaws prohibit storing bikes and other clutter on balconies, an alternative should be offered. While lockers in condo buildings are usually assigned common property, they can also be surveyed and titled. If they are titled, you have assurance that you will never be told to change lockers, or have it taken away, but you will pay a small monthly condo fee on the space. While these storage condo units have had a tax assessment of zero, the City of Calgary will likely start taxing them in 2004.

Buildings with inadequate storage, can address the problem in-house. With the developer gone, and the condo Board of owners in charge, look around for unused space that could be converted to lockers. Most buildings offer under-stairwell gaps, hallway dead-end spaces and other nooks that can be used. Basements and boiler rooms can offer lots of space, but watch that you do not allow access to mechanical equipment, or break fire regulations.

If you are assigning new lockers, make sure you avoid month-by-month arrangements. Such details are too hard to keep track of, so rent them out either by the year, or virtually sell them off for a lump sum in exchange for a 99-year lease. Post the associated suite number on each locker door, so in future you will know whose it is. Unlike with titled lockers, you cannot go down to the Land Titles Office to confirm who “owns” a locker leased on the common property. As to the cost of construction, it is not likely to exceed your lease revenue, and all your corporation wants to do is break even and provide the storage.