Joe
Austin,#2Consumer Comment
Mon, January 12, 2009
Condos sound like a great idea at first! A wonderful idea. You get a small,manageable place to live that you ALLEGEDLY own and there is no yard work or physical upkeep that you have to make yourself and they are usually in a good location with access to mass transit and within walking distance of the places you need to go. Sounded like my idea of PARADISE except when SOMETHING IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT ALMOST ALWAYS IS AND SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GET RIPPED OFF! THE ONLY THING YOU OWN IN THERE IS THE AIR AND WHATEVER BELONGINGS YOU HAVE. YOU HAVE ALL OF THE FINANCIAL LIABILITIES FOR A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME WITHOUT ANY OF THE PERKS AND EVEN WORSE, YOU ARE PAYING THE PROPERTY TAXES FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S BUILDING AND THEY CAN STILL THROW YOU OUT! YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF TAXES AS A HOMEOWNER AND THE TAXES ON YOUR CONDO ARE MOST OFTEN ARTIFICIALLY OVER EVALUATED SO THEY CAN GET A LOT OF TAXES OUT OF THAT SMALL DWELLING. IN ADDITION TO THE HIGH TAXES, YOU HAVE TO PAY THE MORTGAGE AND YOU HAVE TO PAY THE UTILITIES AND YOU HAVE TO PAY RENT --THAT'S RIGHT, RENT ONLY THEY DON'T CALL IT RENT IT IS A MONTHLY COMMON AREA MAINTENANCE FEE AND IT CAN BE AS HIGH AS THEY WANT TO MAKE IT. THEY PROBABLY HAVE OTHER FEES LIKE FOR THE POOL AND FOR THE CLUBS ON THE PREMISES, ETC. YOU ALSO HAVE TO MAKE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES FOR ANY REPAIRS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE IN YOUR UNIT. AND THEY MAY HAVE RESTRICTIONS ON PETS AND WHAT YOU CAN PUT ON THE DOOR OF YOUR UNIT AND WHAT WAS ONCE A NICE SIMPLE PLACE TO LIVE HAS SUDDENLY BECOME CONDO HELL... AND DID I MENTION THE FAKE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS AND THE PROPERTY MANAGER WHO IS JUST A YES PERSON FOR THE DEVELOPER AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR ANY EXCUSE TO GET YOU THROWN OUT OF THIS HOME THAT YOU SUPPOSEDLY OWN SO THEY CAN MAKE MONEY EACH AND EVERY TIME A DIFFERENT TENANT, ER, OWNER MOVES IN. THE POTENTIAL FOR UNLIMITED SCAMS MAKES ME WANT TO RUSH RIGHT OUT AND GET A SUBSTANDARD APARTMENT COMPLEX AND CONVERT IT INTO CONDOS -- PAY A FEW BRIBES TO THE CITY INSPECTION OFFICIALS TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY AND I TOO CAN BE A BIG TIME CONDO DEVELOPER.... NOT WELCOME TO CONDO HELL. EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE LOCKED INTO A YEARLY LEASE IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, YOU DON'T GET THIS SORT OF BS. I STRONGLY ADVISE YOU IF YOU ARE GOING TO COMMIT THIS SORT OF FINANCIAL DAMAGE TO YOURSELF AND GET INTO CONDO HELL THAT YOU READ THE BYLAWS AND ALL OF THE PAPERWORK VERY,.VERY THOROUGHLY OR TAKE IT TO AN A REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY YOU TRUST AND HAVE HIM OR HE EXPLAIN IT TO YOU. IT MIGHT NOT WANT TO BE THE DEAL YOU WANT TO MAKE. AND YOU HAVE ALL OF THOSE MUGGERS, DRUG ADDICT, GANG MEMBERS AND OTHER URBAN BLIGHT LIVING BELOW WATCHING AND WAITING TO ROB YOU AND THEY DON'T PAY OUT ALL THAT MONEY FOR A CONDO. THERE ARE BETTER WAYS TO SPEND YOUR MONEY.