In the past week, I have caught news that four of my friends, from university or school, are getting married! I guess everyone feels pressured into making a commitment once they start hitting an age-milestone. Either that, or they realize that it is time to start a family, and buy their own home.
Staying on course with the posting, if you are looking to buy a condo unit, here are a few reminders and tips to buy the right condo unit for you. Not that there are any wrong units - of course the developer is set on selling every single built unit - but you might want to hear me out (or read on) to find out how you can avoid getting less than what you deserve:
Here are the questions you want to ask the salesman or developer when asking about a condominium unit you want to purchase:
1. Where maintenance units are located
This includes the garbage chute (that is available on every floor), the garbage bin (it's usually at one of the corners), the TNB generator room etc.
2. Where the staircase / lifts are
My unit is the second closest to the emergency staircase and because we live on the first floor, we usually take the staircase instead of the lift (which is in the middle of the building) to our car at the carpark. If you think I'm lucky, imagine how terrible my moving day was (glad that's over). Oh, and it is not really good for your front door to be facing the staircase, bad luck for the owner, not that there is no way of rectifying it, one fengshui matter or another, but if you can avoid it...?
3. Where the facilities are:
Particularly where the swimming pool is because it can be really really noisy during the evenings or the weekends since that's when the kids will come with their visiting cousins and college bros to try out the pool/jacuzzi. Invest in really good sound proof windows and/or doors if this is unavoidable.
4. Where your balcony or living room is facing.
For high-rise dwellers, the view is something that is really really important (why else would I pay this much for? Conversations about the weather?). Even if at the current time, your counterpart units at the ground or first floor are facing a back road or undeveloped areas (hills and forests), that can change really quick within the next four to five years. The unit I got is already blocked by another apartment so my view is shot even from the day I bought my unit. My neighbours who had a nicer view facing some greens in the other direction are a bit luckier - but not for long as they are building another condominium unit that will totally screw up the view all the way up to at least the fifteenth floor. Part and parcel of owning a condo. Remember this rule: If there is space for development, there will be.
5. Details that might not seem important when you are buying the unit, but are.
~ where is the condo facing in relation to the sun (If you don't think that is important, you definitely have never been awaken by the hot sun shining down with vengeance on your eyes)
~ what you are getting from your developer (the tiling of the bathroom all the way to the ceiling, water heaters, dryers, floor tiles, Astro satellite connection policies, etc)
~ Maintenance fees (how much, when payment is due)
~ Parking lots and vehicle entry cards (are the lots covered or not; how far are the lots from your unit; if you get two, will they be placed together?)
~ (for security purposes)
~ Security policies (How easy or hard is it for friends or strangers to gain entry)
~ Visitor parking (are there any?)
~ Where the mailbox is
~ Renovation rules (some condos are very strict with what can be renovated and what can't)
House hunting is no laughing matter and I wouldn't know what I'd do without my husband and his discerning eye (and gut feeling) for good property buys. But with the right questions asked at the right time to the right person, you can minimize the risk of investing in the wrong property. Best of luck.
Mama Sing
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