Condo or House?

[Thor Jr]

I am looking at both condos and homes, including townhouses. I have found that condo fees range from 150$ to 325$, for the ones i looked into. I found a beautiful townhouse in the west island for a very reasonable asking price, but the maintenance fees were 283$, which i found a little high. I am looking into what this fee covers. I still have time, not planning to move till the new year. I really appreciate all the input, it has given me a better view of condo living.
Like i said previously, i just dont want to be told to lower my television, it happened the last time i stayed at a hotel and it bothered me. Front desk called, said they received complaints and said my TV was too loud, so i felt like i was living in a condo.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Thor Jr.

If your biggest issue is being able to turn up your TV or stereo to blast mode, condo living may not be for you, but not every condo is set up so that noise is a potential issue. The real noise issues I have seen at condos is from chopper motorcycles and parties- outdoor noise. We had a problem around 10 years ago when some teenage kids, who were niece and nephew of a condo owner, were left in the condo on 4th Of July weekend while he was out of town. They decided it was a very good idea to have an underage drinking party on the common grounds rear of the condo, and to start a huge bonfire. The police were called by my neighbors and broke it up. Ironically, I was in Montreal that weekend but later heard of the drama from my neighbors.

In my experience TV and stereo noise are never an issue. The condos in my complex are designed so that the living areas as opposed to the bedrooms are on opposite outer walls so my neighbor and I cannot hear each other’s TV. However the bedrooms abut, and I could hear her boyfriend fucking her as well as feel him pounding her because the bed vibrations could be felt as my bed is also against that common wall. In my experience you are focused on the wrong noise issues- meaning that other types of noise is usually the source of the problem.

 

[jalimon]

EB you are right! at the condo i had about 15 years ago tv and music were never an issue. Common area noise either. Backyard partying a bit. But the fucking ho my god! Swear to god once the couple above me were fucking so hard, so loud and so intense that when they were finally done i light up a cigarette!

cheers,

 

[Thor Jr]

Hell, after EB and jalimons posts i may light up...Anyway, it is one of my concerns, i have tinnitus and i have an old rotary phone constantly going off in my ears and so i listen to the tv loud and i dont want to be harassed on a daily basis or make enemy's out of my neighbors. Other then this, i am a pretty quiet guy, unless i am drunk and then who knows what kind of noise i will make. I am taking in all the info the guys have written and will go one way or another.

Maybe look at a building with not many tenants and grab a top floor unit. I found 3 so far, with no more then 12 in the building. Thanks guys, much appreciated.

 

[ShyMan]

Like i said previously, i just dont want to be told to lower my television, it happened the last time i stayed at a hotel and it bothered me. Front desk called, said they received complaints and said my TV was too loud, so i felt like i was living in a condo.

You can add sound mitigating materials in rooms where you watch TV or listen to loud music -- I'd hire a sound engineer and have him/her help you improve the acoustics and reduce sound transmission and then hire a contractor to do the work. These measure will also enhance the value of your condo or townhouse. This sound not be the limiting factor if you find a home that checks off most, if not, all of your must have boxes.

We all accumulate way too much stuff that we use maybe once or twice and then never again. The cost of housing our "junk" is high. Thus, regular spring cleaning is a good idea -- donate stuff you don't use after six to eight months (seasonal belongings excepted). You may find that less is better and you'd be happier with more space in your new home, weather a house, townhouse or a condo.

If you can, try renting a condo that is close to your work for 3 to 6 months and see whether you like living in a condo and whether you experience a significant improvement in your quality of life living closer to work. (Traffic congestion, whether by driving and/or by taking public transportation, will continue to worsen as the population continue to rise.)

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

^^^^^^ I have the accustic panels in my basement TV room. You can get 3/4" 4X8 sheets of a sound deadening fibre board for the ceiling and the sound studio high density foam panels for the walls. If you have a highend system the quality difference is noteable. I put it in so that when the kids were younger they could have friends downstairs I did not have to hear them as much, plus the extra sound quality. It is not cheap if you buy it retail.
Pretty sure if I was in a condo my neighbors would be complaining for noise ( music & TV ). I stay in hotels a lot, Netflix and wireless headphones is a must for me. Yes, tinnitus sucks, I get the pulsing ringing sound.

 

[ShyMan]

.I have the accustic panels in my basement TV room. You can get 3/4" 4X8 sheets of a sound deadening fibre board for the ceiling and the sound studio high density foam panels for the walls. . . . It is not cheap if you buy it retail. . . ..

Thor, if you want to go the condo (or townhouse) route, you may want to research this potential solution.

http://accocinema.com/en/

https://www.acoustimac.com/

You could set up a nice entertainment room with the help of a sound acoustic firm and Best Buy Geek Squad (for installation of your TV and sound system). Space comes at a premium so you could be better off in the long run hiring some experts to sound proof your new home and to improve the acoustical quality of your entertainment room.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

It is an easy DYI. The ceiling panels can be covered is a cloth ( my niece did this for me ) and either screwed or suspended from the ceiling and the wall panels can either be glued ( easiest ) or hung. The ceiling baffles do help a lot, even a few 8" baffles work.
Now if you are building a place and can have this done at the beginning great.

 

[ShyMan]

Swear to god once the couple above me were fucking so hard, so loud and so intense that when they were finally done i light up a cigarette!

cheers,

That was you downstairs, Jalimon. Damn! I should have invited you up -- she kept asking for seconds; you could have given her seconds and thirds I booked her for 2 hours.
I had that problem in my freshman year living in the dorms. A couple shared a room next to mine -- they had sex often and smoked weed often. My roommate and I heard the couple banging and smelled second hand smoke from their weed.

Now that it's legal to smoke weed in Montreal (and throughout Canada), that's another consideration -- second hand (weed) smoke possibly drifting into your condo from neighboring units. Many condo boards and apartment management companies have been drafting and implementing new house rules to deal with the MJ issues.

 

[Thor Jr]

Well, i finally made a purchase, i am now a condo owner, so far so good. 4th floor of a 6 story building. Its a corner unit and only one small wall borders a neighbor and its a bathroom wall, so they can only hear me singing in the shower or at worse some loud shower sex. l. My living room and kitchen walls are bordering the stairwell. Very much sound proof, i blasted my radio and walked out into the hall and closed the door, could barely hear it. I dont hear anyone out in the hallway, no noise from upstairs or downstairs. Let me just say that its an older building and its all concrete, compared to some of the newer buildings that i had looked at that were not in good shape or solidly built. They dont build them like they use to, very cheap construction these days and the newer buildings needed more work and had more problems then this old building i bought into. And as far as noise, well in the newer buildings, you can hear people talking in stairway and opening of doors to their condos.

In conclusion, i believe i made a great investment, and of all things, it was a real bargain, it was the lowest priced unit of all my visits. Thank you for all your input and help, i took everything into consideration.

I just received my new surround sound speakers and i am going to install them to test the concrete floors and walls. I am sure all will be ok.

Have a great day...And also, i need to christen my new condo, the problem is, there are so many ladies to choose from. I think i will try to recall who was the most vocal of all the ladies i have had the pleasure to meet in the past years to really test the walls.

 

[donbusch]

Well, i finally made a purchase, i am now a condo owner, so far so good. 4th floor of a 6 story building. Its a corner unit and only one small wall borders a neighbor and its a bathroom wall, so they can only hear me singing in the shower or at worse some loud shower sex. l. My living room and kitchen walls are bordering the stairwell. Very much sound proof, i blasted my radio and walked out into the hall and closed the door, could barely hear it. I dont hear anyone out in the hallway, no noise from upstairs or downstairs. Let me just say that its an older building and its all concrete, compared to some of the newer buildings that i had looked at that were not in good shape or solidly built. They dont build them like they use to, very cheap construction these days and the newer buildings needed more work and had more problems then this old building i bought into. And as far as noise, well in the newer buildings, you can hear people talking in stairway and opening of doors to their condos.

In conclusion, i believe i made a great investment, and of all things, it was a real bargain, it was the lowest priced unit of all my visits. Thank you for all your input and help, i took everything into consideration.

I just received my new surround sound speakers and i am going to install them to test the concrete floors and walls. I am sure all will be ok.

Have a great day...And also, i need to christen my new condo, the problem is, there are so many ladies to choose from. I think i will try to recall who was the most vocal of all the ladies i have had the pleasure to meet in the past years to really test the walls.

If u don’t mind me asking, what’s the general price range in ur neighborhood? Any good realtors to recommend? I’m just looking to buy a couple for investment. Thks

 

[ShyMan]

. . .i am now a condo owner . . . Let me just say that its an older building and its all concrete . . . i believe i made a great investment. . .

I just received my new surround sound speakers and i am going to install them to test the concrete floors and walls.

. . .i need to christen my new condo, the problem is, there are so many ladies to choose from.

Congratulations. They certainly don't build them like they used to. Many buildings that were built 40 to 50 years ago that remain standing and continue to look timeless are likely to stay stronger for many more decades. Concrete actually gets stronger with time. Cooperative buildings in NYC that were built in the early 1900's have become classic opulent buildings; Montreal too have some younger classic cooperative buildings in the Golden Miles areas that are fit for royalty because they are so expensive still.

Crank up your sound system and party like it's 1999 -- as the late Prince sang in that timeless song.

Labor Day sales are coming up. If you don't already have a great bed, you may want to invest in a new one. As the awesome Laura @ Euphoria and I discussed during our recent rendezvous, a great sex bed is a must in any home. Your very vocal SP's may not be heard by your neighbors but they may shatter some of your glass-wares or windows (Oh, glass actually gets stronger with age too.)

 

[gaby]

Well good news Thor Jr....happy to hear that....hope you will enjoy as much as i do in the last 12 years....am quite sure all the ladies will love it...lol.....take care and have a super weekend.....

 

[Mistral]

Congrats Thor !

 

[Thor Jr]

If u don’t mind me asking, what’s the general price range in ur neighborhood? Any good realtors to recommend? I’m just looking to buy a couple for investment. Thks

Condos normally go for 250,000$ in these areas for about 900 sqft.

 

[donbusch]

Condos normally go for 250,000$ in these areas for about 900 sqft.

Thks & congrats on yr purchase. No better feeling than owning yr own home. When I bought my own place many years ago, I wired up the living room w/ speakers for true surround sound, the neighbors didn’t like it but so what ..... it’s my castle dude

 

[RoyDeMeo]

Congrats Thor!

 

[EagerBeaver]

Thor Jr

Congratulations - I have lived in a 1200 square foot condo the last 17 years. I have enjoyed it. I am in the USA and in those 17 years I only had one escort in my condo (on my 40th birthday) but have seen many SA girls here. My 65 inch smart TV, with Spotify, speakers and Bose subwoofer function as my stereo system. What I like most is cooking on my deck. I am soon to fire up the Weber grill and throw a marinated flank steak on there. I hope you also have a deck and grill. Have fun.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

^^^^^^ Glad that you are allowed to BBQ on the deck, many condo owners I know are not allowed BBQs. And flank steak, the only way I cook a flank steak is to slow cook it for 7 hrs.

 

[Thor Jr]

Yes EB, I have a terrace and i am allowed to BBQ, it was one of my main questions as i shopped for a condo, it was a deal breaker if no terrace or BBQ . I have my surround sound all set up and no complaints yet. Out of all the condos i visited, this one is the oldest one, solid building, concrete all around, walls, floors, ceilings, corner unit. I visited many newer condos and were beautiful but it seems they don't build them like they use to, not sound proof and major problems, one building was only 8 years young and the foundation needed to be dug up to replace the membrane due to leakage into the indoor parking. 250000$ renovation, i steered clear of this one. Anyway, its not perfect this condo but its mine and solid. And as far as ladies visiting, its doctor prescribed, at least thats what i think he meant when he told to me relax and do something about my stress... :smile: