Recent content by Sparky

Maybe if you have a paid off house and your 300K was worth 1M in 2007. Then you have a shot at your 300K coming back. Life is just a big crapshoot anywhoo.

What about those of us who did the best they could and HAD $1M and now don't. Those of us who are screwed are just waiting around to not be.

Falling in love is always a bad idea (with RE anyway) and perhaps first dates.

Tough, if not impossible, to do before making an offer...

Only think I would caution is about that dishwasher - like many things in life, if you don't use it, you will lose it.

Another issue is the condo manager's registration or license with the state... here in CT, it is required but many boards of directors are unaware of this. One more reason to buy into a large (over 100 units) place as they tend to be more on top of legal and managerial issues. Larger complexes...

Obviously, a waterfront SFH will be worth more than a waterfront condo in the same location. However, a waterfront condo will usually be worth more than a SFH that is not in a waterfront location elsewhere in the same town.

Exactly right! I learned that the reserve should be at least $1,000 per unit. That's one of the biggest tips as to whether the association is run properly and a real indication of its financial health. High percentage of owner occupied - just right. Don't know how you can find an...

Listen, I'm in the Northeast... that's how it is here. Not interested in getting into a pissing match about elsewhere.

that doesn't even make sense - a beachfront luxury condo will always be more expensive than a SFH in the same town, BEACH, water, elevators, doorman... No comparison.

Condo by-laws and rules and regs basically depend on people acting "in good faith". If they don't, i.e, father and son take over the board as president and treasurer (with the idea of paying themselves for services rendered or directing service contracts to relatives (or themselves)), you can...

The place was built in 1988 and then the builder went out of business (the condo market tanked in the late '80s). Unfortunately, the buildings went to auction in the early '90s and suffered through a severe price reduction and took about 20 years to recover. Prices for beachfront condos in...

We bought in 2006 and put quiet rock over the existing sheetrock in common walls - QuietRock Soundproofing and Noise Reduction Drywall - Higher Performance, Higher Reliability, Lower Cost At that time, they did not have flooring solutions - they do now. My unit is completely quiet (when we...

Probably best not to buy there - I knew a RE agent who told me, "I would never buy a new condo" - it took some time to realize what she meant.

I've lived in condos for over a decade - my advise would be to, ALWAYS, buy a condo that is similar or equivalent to the price of a SFH in the area. That way, people are there because they want to be, not because they cannot afford anything else. When people can't afford anything else, they...