Here at CondoChic.net, we will be revolutionizing this site as a whole. Here we will give you, readers, tips and advice on how to give your own condominium units or apartment units the chic-ness it deserves. By having a chic condo unit, one must have to right mix of pieces of furniture and be able to come up with a glamorous ensemble of pieces of art with the color of your living space.

For a couple of entries that I will be giving are on the furniture that are not pricey but at the same time practical and chic.

“A growing number of people in the real estate market are looking to buy a condo rather than to purchase a home or to rent an apartment. But, why are condos so hot in the real estate world? Here are the top five reasons why so many are looking to buy condos rather than other forms of real estate.

Reason #1: Condos Do Not Require Upkeep

One of the biggest reasons that so many people are looking to buy a condo is the fact that they do not require the same type of upkeep as owning a house. For those that hate mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, repainting the house, or doing other chores associated with homeownership, it simply makes more sense to buy a condo. In addition, many people simply do not have the time to maintain a home because of their careers. Therefore, a condo provides a practical solution.

Reason #2: A Condo is an Investment

Of course, those that don�t want the upkeep headaches associated with a house could always rent an apartment. The problem with an apartment is that it often feels like money is being �thrown away� as you pay your rent and effectively help your landlord buy a piece of real estate. With a condo, you can still buy the place in which you live while still enjoying the same conveniences offered by an apartment.

Reason #3: You Can Take Advantage of the Amenities

When you buy a condo, you also buy rights to a number of amenities. Since all of the money put into the condo is shared by those living in the building, it is possible to afford many of lives little luxuries that are difficult to afford on your own. For example, when you buy a condo, you might gain instant access to a pool, an on-grounds gym, and more. Even better, you don�t have to worry about the upkeep for these little perks either.

by R. Eric Bramlett, from: condo.com

by Andrea

A number of high-rise or mid-rise communities may have a protected access system that merely allocates residents to go into the community using a particular special key card, somehow similar to hotel cards. If you reside in such a community, abide by the manager’s policies for using these special keys for your own protection; those regulations were made for your own protection. Be sure that no one follows you into the structure and most significantly, take your key card with you at all times. If you encounter problems with the admission card, report it to the organization or the management’s office right away.

Source: dienerproperties.com

As you gaze out of your condo’s sliding door at your mini back yard, do you begin to think of the good old days when you were the king of the grill…and thinking those days are gone now that you are living in a condominium? Not necessarily. Although it may be more difficult, grilling apron and condo ownership are not an oxymoronic coupling.

Condo owners are getting with the popularity of cooking outdoors and coming up with some options.

The most convenient way to fuel your grill is a gas line from the mail line to your grill. However, this option is pretty unusual, particularly in high rise condo buildings. You may find them in high end structures where expectations run high, but not very often in your common garden variety condo. Often there are city or town bylaws that prohibit or highly regulate natural gas grills, such as no coverings or enclosures above the grill’s flame. If you think of the normal, stacked balconies in a high rise, you see the problem. But if you have terraces and common areas available, there are more opportunities to grill. And more opportunities to get to know your neighbor.

You might find an electric grill the way to go if you want your own personal experience. If your balcony or patio has an outlet, then you are good to go. But don’t pooh pooh the communal grill…grilling is a social experience anyway, and everything tastes better with entertaining conversation as a side order.

Source: abbysguide.com

In an article by Les Christie, CNNMoney.com staff writer, I learned that Designer influence is seeping into condo housing.

The Armani brand, in this case, was chosen for its muscular values. According to Arthur Gallego, the publicist for the marketer SHVO. “We knew it would attract a primarily male clientele,” he says, “and Armani’s very masculine palette was a good match.”

As a single lady, I love condo living. I own the inside. Everything on the outside is the responsibility of the Condo Association, and I’m part of that too. For a nominal monthly fee, snow is shoveled, grass is cut, and exterior maintenance is shared by 28 units.

We are in a two-building gated complex in a small town. Each unit has its own garage. I know most of my neighbors by their first names. We meet twice a year to take care of business. The summer meeting is an outdoor picnic. The winter meeting is in the community room at a local restaurant.

I just picked up the mail and newspapers for Tom and Dorothy, next door, while they went on vacation. They will do the same for me. Linda is the single lady who lives above me. She keeps the bird feeders in the yard filled. Bonnie lives behind me. Sometimes people knock on my door, looking for her unit. It’s cleverly hidden on the west side of the complex.

Since I have only one outside wall, my heating costs are low. (This is not a bad thing if you live in Wisconsin.)

We talk and visit, but no one is intrusive. We watch out for each other. Isn’t that what life is all about?

By: OJoyORapture
Source: myitthings.com

Shocked by the prospects of having to pay as much as $11,000 each in a special assessment, owners of units in a Farmington condominium complex have banded together to find a solution to their million-dollar problem.

Normally, few of the unit owners attend condominium board meetings, but about 60 residents of the Greenbriar complex showed up at last Monday’s special meeting to figure out what to do about their wooden siding, which is rotting in many places and needs to be replaced.

The Greenbriar board’s president, Thomas Harvey, said he had never seen such a turnout.

Learn more from George Gombossy: Consumer Watchdog: courant.com

When answering your door, first and foremost look all the way through the window or peephole to see who is there. If you are not familiar with the person, talk to them without opening the door. If you have any worries or doubts about the person, do not open the door. Get in touch with the landlord or police for assistance, if necessary. Do not ever permit  to enter your home an unfamiliar person to use the phone. Suggest to make the call for them as an alternative. Also, when dealing with othersask to see their identification. Even you are comfortable talking with the person, do not ever let them in.  

The current development in real estate investing is the hotel condominium idea, known also as CondoHotels or Condotels. The essential concept is that a shareholder owns a specific condominium unit in a huge building or development, which can be later used by the owner, or rented to unrelated parties on a short term basis, as part of a hotel. The person who is renting the space may have no idea that the unit is owned by someone. The owners more often than not are part of an association which deals out the rental income. Expenses are by the way subtracted from the profits or collected as an appraisal.

Why choose a condo more than a house for investment? Condos make immense rental properties. Whether this is your very first real estate acquisition or not. Condo purchase makes a remarkable investment. Say that one day, you make a decision to get married. You can always put it up for rent if you cannot find a good deal on selling it. From time to time, people would buy and sell units time and again before the paint was even dried up or worn out on the new construction. As a result, condominium values are depressed and ripe for savvy buyers.