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condos now "in" ?? - 8/10/2008 10:53:59 AM

pahunkboy

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From: Central Pennsylvania
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http://realtytimes.com/ click on high density. condos now in??

Mom went from a single home in small town to a 1st floor condo in a suburb/metro. She notices the lack of space. the noise even tho it is flexicor. she would like 2nd floor even tho she is a senior.

recently she said the monthly fee is going up.

Now myelf with injuries during the pain time- then the lawn thing and snow thing is good. but then- so does property set up. a big lawn of course needs more time work...

wha do you think??

in moms case the condo was her ONLY way to live in a good zipcode

Post #: 1

RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/10/2008 12:14:50 PM

candystripper

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Well, the oncept and reality of condomium living has been around quite awhile...and appeals to many. Myself, I've never been especially attracted to it because I like to be able to predict with some certainty what my housing costs are going to be -- and in most condos, the board has the power to increase the maintenance fee on a months' notice, as many times a year as they wish. I watched people in south Florida lose their condos as the cost of the condo insurance drove up maintenance fees far above what they had ever expected and now could not pay.

As for having someone tend your yard, yes that is nice...but I have that now...I just pay the guy directly. Should it ever become burdensome I'd have options....not so with a condo maintenance fee.

candystripper

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RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/10/2008 12:48:38 PM

DominaYork

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The area I live in is more rural and there is a big push here for people 55+ to sell their nicely paid off single family homes and move into Senior Living communities. These are small single story homes or condos with no fear of kids gettin' on your damn lawn! Seriously, I don't see the appeal. You're trading in a paid for home for one you have to make payments on just so someone will shovel your walk and mow your grass? It would drive me crazy having neighbors so close, watching everything like hawks. Condo living has great perks but eek gads it's not for everyone!

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RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/10/2008 1:36:04 PM

popeye1250

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I love condo living.
I step out the door and don't have to do a damn thing!
Yes, we have condo fees of $245 per month but for that we get; trash removal, water, sewer, all outdoor maintainance, pool maintainance, lighting, insurance (which is expensive) basic cable in all rooms which cost me $85 per month in N.H.
Plus we have a big cookout once a year and go to a super nice restaurant once a year and the condo fees pay for it all.
So, we get a lot for our money.
We're closing in on having $100k in our savings account and once that happens the condo fee will drop down to $200 a month and we'll "only" be saving $10- $20k per year.
These places are only 4 years old so it will be quite a while before we need new roofing etc and if we invest our money well we could have $1M "in the bank" in 20-25 years.
But, you get a lot more freedom living in a condo.
I only have to worry about where I want to go for dinner at night or if I want to use the pool or go to the beach.
I don't have to worry about cutting grass, trimming bushes, repairing or replacing anything outside etc, painting, washing the vinyl, none of the stuff that comes with owning a house!
I only have to buy insurance for the inside of my condo which is only about $200 per year.
Owning a house is *expensive!*
I'd rather spend that money on travel or a new car!
Heat AND electricity in January costs me about $85.
It was about $100 for last month with a/c.
I don't even want to tell you how much those things cost me for my house up in New Hampshire!
"OUCH!"

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RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/10/2008 3:07:14 PM

Vendaval

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Sounds like you have a good arrangement with the condo community there, Popeye. I can see the appeal of a house with the increased freedom and the drawbacks of incrased costs. And I would be careful to check the quality of constrution in either case. I know of too many cheap, poor quality condos and town homes that were built in this area that require endless repairs to the owners and occupants.

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RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/10/2008 3:23:54 PM

pahunkboy

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From: Central Pennsylvania
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well run HOA are the exeption tho- ild guess.

I can see how some would like it. Mom said if the fee goes up too much that it isnt too different then renting. a unit in her building is in default so now the otheres have to make it up. I wondered if they are insured for this type of loss...

hmm.

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Post #: 6

RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/10/2008 4:04:27 PM

Vendaval

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Temporary hi-jack,

Your new hot tub and photo look great! When's the house warming party?

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"Beware, the woods at night, beware the lunar light.
So in this gray haze we'll be meating again, and on that
great day, I will tease you all the same."
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Post #: 7

RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/10/2008 4:12:01 PM

pahunkboy

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From: Central Pennsylvania
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Vendaval

Temporary hi-jack,

Your new hot tub and photo look great! When's the house warming party?

thanks! tho it is not mine. It is 640 miles away at my brothers house in Chicago. my brother can afford the good life- tho he works 7 days a week--- he works very hard for his money. he claws his way in the world- but is accomidating to his family.

ps- he is single BTW. I have to say he is very into looks- like the blond european babe look- but also wants a gal who herself has a measure of success. he is 37. he likes the girls who are in rock videos.... [rolls eyes...as I know that isnt the type of girl to be home baking pies....lol]

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Post #: 8

RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/10/2008 4:25:43 PM

Vendaval

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lol...definately not my type of guy! Can you put an ad up for him on a personal's site? Free man to a good home?

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"Beware, the woods at night, beware the lunar light.
So in this gray haze we'll be meating again, and on that
great day, I will tease you all the same."
"WOLF MOON", OCTOBER RUST, TYPE O NEGATIVE

http://KinkMeet.co.uk

(in reply to pahunkboy)

Post #: 9

RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/10/2008 6:41:43 PM

pahunkboy

Posts: 33061
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From: Central Pennsylvania
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maybe he best do his own shopping. :-)

(in reply to Vendaval)

Post #: 10

RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/10/2008 6:45:27 PM

KatyLied

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From: Pennsylvania
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There is a block of condos in my neighborhood. All of the residents are well-to-do retirees. The homes are very nice, high quality and sought after. The builder usually has them sold before he breaks ground for them. I think it's mainly the appeal of not having to maintain the yard and shovel the snow.

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Post #: 11

RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/10/2008 11:08:55 PM

popeye1250

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From: New Hampshire
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quote:

ORIGINAL: KatyLied

There is a block of condos in my neighborhood. All of the residents are well-to-do retirees. The homes are very nice, high quality and sought after. The builder usually has them sold before he breaks ground for them. I think it's mainly the appeal of not having to maintain the yard and shovel the snow.

Katy, that's similar to here, we have a lot of retirees here too.
I bought this place "pre-construction" for $84k and now they go for about $135k.
They're well built and will withstand 140 mph hurricane winds.
One just sold not too long ago after being on the market for only two weeks.
They all have three bedrooms and two full baths with the master in the back and the other two b/r in front about 1,300 sq feet with a small "Carolina room" in the back.
I have bunk beds in one of the front bedrooms for guests and my brother who comes down for golf.
The other one I use for a junkroom.

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RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/10/2008 11:12:26 PM

NuevaVida

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I was looking at condos not too long ago. I ammortized the HOA fees over a 5 year period and compared it to what I spent on house maintenance over a 5 year period and it worked out relatively the same, only I wouldn't have had to do any of the work (roofing, external paint, landscaping, etc.). My only beef about condos vs. houses is I would rather not share any common walls - noise factor and all...

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RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/10/2008 11:16:53 PM

popeye1250

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From: New Hampshire
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Vida, we have what are called "party walls" here.
There's two seperate walls with an airspace between them between each unit.
You can't hear anything from your neighbors.

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RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/11/2008 8:20:44 AM

marieToo

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From: Jersey
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It all depends on what your priorities are.

I just sold a single-family house in Northern Jersey and downsized to a two bedroom condo in Southern Jersey. No matter where you live, property taxes, rent, condo fees etc are all going to go up.

I love the condo life..My place is about 20 minutes outside of Philly, it's in a lake community with all kinds of amenities. Large rooms, lots of light, tons of closet space, and it's a very quiet community, and I don't hear the neighbors. The best is that I'm still in a beautiful town, with a great school system for my daughter, and I'm now paying a fraction of the taxes I was paying in Northern Jersey. Oh, and now I don't have to pay a landscaper, or shovel snow anymore. My only regret is that I waited so long to make the move.

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RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/11/2008 8:23:33 AM

NuevaVida

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quote:

ORIGINAL: popeye1250

Vida, we have what are called "party walls" here.
There's two seperate walls with an airspace between them between each unit.
You can't hear anything from your neighbors.

Hey there, Popeye,

I guess they're making them more soundproof now, than from when I was renting an older one! Modern architecture, and all, I guess I should get with the times...

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Post #: 16

RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/11/2008 9:05:28 AM

pahunkboy

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From: Central Pennsylvania
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cut the grass.

what grass?

the amount is iffy.
yes all costs are going up.

In my case the HOA fees would be higher then my costs. I swing a weed wacker ever 10 days-ish. Tho with my type of garden it needs a ton of weeding and water. But I can decide what grows- how big, right down to the color and shape.
so this type of freedom is what a person in a single unit or double craves?

so-ok- for hot "in" areas the condo thing works.

there are 2 highrises here. both have a ton of rules and busybodies.... na na na na- extreme busy bodies... tho that can happen in single families too.

the option of selling quickly does soound good.

mom went - thinkng flexicore is as quiet as a house. lol. the open stairway is near her door- people stomp up the stairs. i said to enclose it then. she wants 2nd flloor.... I think that is a mistake since she is in her 60s.

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Post #: 17

RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/11/2008 9:28:56 AM

Bethnai

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I've toyed with the idea of buying a condo, outside of privacy issues the thing that is holding me back is that it would hinder my creativity vs. in 45 years will I want to be creative in areas inside of my yard?

If I could score a deal like what I am hearing from Popeye and avoid a retirement area and be in an area where I could have access to everything, public transportation and things like comedy, restaurants, theater, and have my BDSM now and sacrifice my yard creativity for a really damn big kitchen to last the rest of my life-I'll purchase a condo.

Edited for clarity, or my perception of it.

< Message edited by Bethnai -- 8/11/2008 9:31:04 AM >

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RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/11/2008 10:42:25 AM

Wildfleurs

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From: Connecticut
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quote:

ORIGINAL: pahunkboy

http://realtytimes.com/ click on high density. condos now in??

Mom went from a single home in small town to a 1st floor condo in a suburb/metro. She notices the lack of space. the noise even tho it is flexicor. she would like 2nd floor even tho she is a senior.

recently she said the monthly fee is going up.

Now myelf with injuries during the pain time- then the lawn thing and snow thing is good. but then- so does property set up. a big lawn of course needs more time work...

wha do you think??

in moms case the condo was her ONLY way to live in a good zipcode

I co-own a condo - all I can say is never do it! Its like communal living except you never get to actually choose the people you have communal living with.

C~

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RE: condos now "in" ?? - 8/11/2008 10:55:08 AM

hazelmae

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We live in a condo and personally I don't like it...but then we have the neighbor from hell. The thing about this complex is that most of them are privately owned...so people have more power over eachother than they should. Example: My neighbor, Sally, didn't like my dog. She thought that the dog barked too much, even though we had another dog that barked more and there is a dog on the other side of the street that barks even more than that. Well, she owns her condo but we are just renting...so she called the homeowners association, wrote them letters, called the police, complained to the landlord and made it impossible for us to keep the dog. In order to paint or even hang pictures up, we have to get permission first. If something is broken, we can't take it upon ourselves to fix it...we have to wait for the maintenance guy who does a really good job, but you have to wait for him. We are at the property manager's mercy as far as where our services like electricty come from. Last month they changed our electricity carrier and changed us from a variable to a flat rate...so instead of the normal almost $300, our electric bill is over $500. Give me a house any day.

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Post #: 20

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