Condo Living 101

Cooling Condos

Ryan — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:57:52 +0000

The many developments around most metropolitan areas have created a man-made weather phenomenon known as micro-climate which tends to trap heat within these urban areas making them hotter than they used to be. The many buildings and spread of concrete and other structures disrupts natural airflow creating islands of heat and smog where pollution from our cars and other activities preventing heat from properly dissipating into the air trapping it beneath our concrete floors and parking lots. that is why we spend billions of dollars for cooling our urban dwellings so cooling it or maintaining the ambient temperature is of utmost importance. Adding more green zones where native plants and trees allows more heat to escape or be absorbed is a good idea and it also helps with the pollution problem to some extent.
New approaches to our construction methods that insulates it better from the environment allowing cooling/heating to become more effective also saves more power we demand thus lessening the impact of power generation on the environment. Green concrete that is porous enough to let rainwater and heat to escape are replacing the regular concrete we use to allow the soil to breathe lessening the heat island effect are also beginning to make an impact on new developments thus making our cities of the future greener and more environmentally friendly.

Getting rid of clutter

editor — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:47:34 +0000

One of the most effective ways to make your condo unit become more homey and livable is to do away with clutter. Even Feng Shui experts say that clutter disrupts the flow of chi, or energy in your home. Having a neat home make it easier for one to live in it and work in it. Simply develop habits that prevent you from leaving clutter, like returning magazines or books to the shelf after they’re read, or washing the dishes at once so that the dirty dishes don’t accumulate in your sink. Untidy habits also invite all sorts of pests like cockroaches and rats and ants, all of which thrive in a dirty and untidy environment. Having less clutter also keeps you away from accidents, like accidentally stepping on a glass you left on the floor while you were watching a movie.

What’s Your Protection

Ryan — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 09:48:32 +0000

Apartment communities often pick up the phone and call a leasing office or an on-call security staff to report excessive noise. With condominium owners they don’t have such facility unless it is included in their amenities. Condo owners are sometimes faced with this dilemma of going downstairs, upstairs or next door.

Condo Neighbors

Ryan — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:46:13 +0000

If you have quiet and considerate neighbors, common walls is not an issue. But it’s a gamble when you purchase a condo unit since you don’t have any idea how selfless your neighbors will be. And unfortunately, if your neighbors are unbearable, you have little alternative as a condominium owner but to call the administration.

Apartment Therapy

Ryan — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 10:26:46 +0000

If you don’t quite know what you’re looking for in urban dwellings, here’s one tip. One site that is a great run-to for designer hacks is apartmenttherapy.com, centered on New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. Their house tours bring you to the living spaces of interesting people, where you can sense the resident’s personality.

This is one great way to pick up ideas for your condo if you’re on the hunt for urban property to acquire. The shopping guide splits up services and stores to a hundred categories so you know where exactly to find items, materials and styles in your neighborhood. Talk about variety!

The glorious link list opens the (browser) window to more inspiration elsewhere. I don’t think we mentioned that this healing process is not good for your financial health.

Condo Documents

Ryan — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:03:16 +0000

There are several documents involved in condominium ownership that you may want to review before purchase. These papers should be available from the condo’s board of directors or their representative. They include:

Master deed: The key document in a condo project, the master deed establishes the project as a condominium project. It gives residents the authority to form an operating association and gives the legal descriptions of all individual units and common areas.

Bylaws: The operating rules for the condo association. Among other things, they authorize a budget to be created, the assessment of fees, the hiring of professional management staff and other operating duties.

House rules: Govern what owners can do in common areas.

Covenants, conditions and restrictions: Private restrictions on the use of project property; usually created by the developer.

Cheap Improvements that Help Sell Your Condo

Ryan — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 14:24:37 +0000

Selling a condo is a tad bit harder than selling a single unit home for there is not much external aesthetics that can be your selling point. So improvements on the inside can help a lot with increasing your chances of getting a buyer quick without costing an arm and a leg.

One of the cheapest ways to improve a condo for selling or just for a change is through a change of color. Yep, good old paint and the good thing is that you could do it on your own cheaply. Get hold of material that would help a lot such as magazines that show current trends and colors that would give your unit a much needed sprucing up. You’d be amazed at how much a change in character a condo unit can get after a re-paint. And who knows, the first buyer you may get in that door maybe your last, selling your condo before you know it.

Re-Organizing Space

Ryan — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:32:31 +0000

Space is very much limited in a condo due to the lack of it in today’s modern condo. Except maybe if you are living in a multi-million dollar development, you may find out soon enough that you always seem to have an urgent need for space. Storage space is one you may have difficulty with so keeping it neat and organized is the way to go.

Many after-market shelving systems and cabinets offer a lot of flexibility, allowing you to shuffle them around should you get bored with the current set-up. Stack-able plastic bins help a lot but only if you keep track of their contents diligently. Sifting through a dozen or so of these containers can get on your nerves if you do not know what your looking for. A sure way to keep the space you have organized is to get the old out as you bring in the new. You can even earn a buck or get to help a charity group in the process, so what are you waiting for lets start cleaning up that cluttered closet!

South Florida Condo Units

andrea — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:05:21 +0000

Throughout the past six years, South Florida has distorted from low-rise structures to high-rise condominiums which are believed to be hundreds of feet high. Except that as the building heights rise, so did the selling value. South Florida condo market has been saddened by foreseeable trade and industry realities. Worth of newly-built condos tumble by at least 30% at the time the market crash down. Consequently, lenders are guarded of financing condo construction, thus convincing developers across South Florida to call off, postpone or repair their individual projects. Analysts mark out condo problems to short-term investors, who purchased condos at low pre-construction prices.

Disadvantages Of Owning A Condo

Ryan — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 09:45:03 +0000

For some homebuyers, condominiums are a heaven sent. Yet, condo ownership is not for everyone. One thing is unit owners share common walls. Comon walls are reminiscent of apartment life, which is something that homebuyers are worried to take flight when they’ve reached the life stage at which a home purchase is attainable.