Community Chat

[queendiva]

@lovesrecess : part of the reason I chose my town house was to think about the future. 

My end unit has a loft, but it is not necessary for my use. I can and usually do live without the office and guest suite upstairs, but it's good for the future if I need live-in help. Everything else (except the basement) is on the main level and just 2 steps in from the attached garage. More stairs at the front entry and off the deck.

[MamaWick]

I may have said before, but we lived in a four level condo when we were in St Louis, from 1985 until 2005, then a condo in Wisconsin from 2005 until 2017. 

In STL, you entered on the first level to the living room.  At the back of the LR, down 4 stairs to the dining room, kitchen, 1/2 bath, bonus room, and utility room.  From main level, up 10 stairs to master bedroom/master bath, 2nd bedroom and second full bath.  At top of 10 stairs, 4 stairs up to 3rd bedroom which was over garage.  Our monthly fee was $90 when we moved in and $225 when we left.  There was a pool in the Association.  This was the place where window treatments had to be white facing the outside.  We could have 2 hanging baskets of flowers, but no gardening on our own which was fine with me since I kill silk flowers and shoe trees. 

In Wisconsin, our condo was spectacular.   There was a loft and a basement, but we did not really use those.   It was all main floor living with 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths, living room with see-through fireplace into a bonus room which was my office when I worked from home (medical transcription), dining room, kitchen, and laundry.  Architecturally, it was beautiful.   The monthly fee there was $85 in 2005 and was $175 when we left in 2017.  Lots of green space and 2 large ponds.  

A year after leaving STL, they were hit with a $2900 special assessment for new siding.  This came at Christmas time...yikes.  in Wisconsin, we had a couple of small $75-100 special assessments, and one $1000 assessment while we were still there.  We loved not being responsible for outside maintenance.  

Now we are retired and living in Texas.  We went with a newly built house and small back yard.  Front yard is xeriscaped.   It is glorious. 

[qualitygal]

Be sure and read all the by-laws pre moving. 

[SaggingGal]

You might want to check for all special assessments and possible litigation upcoming in the board minutes for the past year. The developer used inferior construction products and incorrect installation techniques at our last location causing mold in all units. A special one time assessment was charged prorated to the size of each unit, with the largest unit at over $12,000 additional. Couple this with the class action lawsuit fees. Then add in expected special assessment for cyclical scheduled needed roof replacement. You would need a buffer of approx. $25,000 additional in addition to rgeularly scheduled annual increase of HOA. Pay the money to a real home inspector with construction background from a trusted referral or authoritative website or even better yet a fully credentialed engineer. And SMELL the air. Air fresheners and potpourri are assurances something faulty is being covered up. And pay attention to the smell of bleach. From cat urine to mildew to substandard window installation creating mold inside the walls or under the tile or wood or carpeted floor you will have major financial and health woes awaiting you. Aesthetics can be alluring, eliciting an emotional response when the quality of construction in what you may not see affects the daily utility of your home and your pocketbook and most of all your health.