Yeah I plan on buying a condo soon as my first property. I plan on living in it and enjoying the city life for a year or 2 and then use it as a rental property. This was very good insight. Thanks!
@brittanymorgan09
Жыл бұрын
That's a wonderful plan! My partner and I recently moved and are renting the condo out now and it was a lot easier to do than I thought. A great investment so far!
@derasw-xx5oo
8 ай бұрын
Rent out? How much will leave after taxes in your pocket?
@islesofshoals3551
8 ай бұрын
Many associations don't allow rentals. Ask before you buy
@jasonmims5057
12 күн бұрын
A strong insurance policy is monumentally important when living in a condo. My policy covers personal property, liability, medical bills if someone gets hurt in my unit, loss of use and i even special assessment coverage up to $50,000.00. you never know the crazy things your neighbors can do. Six months after i moved in to my condo there was a fire in the building because someone in a first floor unit was grilling on thier patio and forgot to turn the grill off resulting in the destruction of three units and $1,000,000.00 in damage.
@brittanymorgan09
11 күн бұрын
That's a great point. You can't control the other people in the building so having some kind of peace of mind that you'll be covered goes a long way! What an awful thing to go through just 6 months into ownership!
@tiffanyq2528
9 күн бұрын
Nice info ! Who is your insurance with ?? Im looking into insurance now
@lennyl6856
6 ай бұрын
One potential problem with condos: Flooding! If there’s a water leak from the units above yours, your place and others can be damaged. This is not a common occurrence, but it happens often enough that insurance companies are taking notice and are pricing their premiums accordingly. That’s because of the high risk of many floor levels being damaged from one incident of washing machine hoses bursting, roof leaks, sprinklers accidentally damaged, etc. About the suspiciously low condo fees: the Surfside condo collapse in Florida happened because the unit owners kept voting against paying more for necessary repairs.
@brittanymorgan09
6 ай бұрын
So true! That's one of the main reasons I bought a top floor unit. Not that other leaks can't occur, but it helps alleviate bad upstairs neighbours at least. Great point about condo fees too, I'm happy to have them increase slightly every year (with inflation) so that we can have a safe and secure home.
@olga1_____30
Ай бұрын
Most people in Europe live in condos. Cheaper, less maintenance, less work, better location, access to all sorts of services, infrastructure, tranportaton, etc
@jessebelelear7107
3 ай бұрын
Just a thought and this is not common. I owned a waterfront condo and was on the board. If you report people for infractions of bylaws that can be a problem. I had vandalism and scare tactics by neighbors to intimidate me for such things as reporting a dog not allowed. The list goes on and on and I was not actively doing this. It was just I was friends with the management which consisted of one elderly man and keeping him up to date. He resigned because the owners were such pains in the neck.
@brittanymorgan09
3 ай бұрын
The people on the board and other owners in a building can definitely ruin condo ownership. A bad neighbour in a detached home can do the exact same thing. My brother has a neighbour that has harassed him and his wife for years. They are now moving to a different detached home and are hoping for better neighbours. It's an issue most people have to deal with unless you live quite rural.
@steelebird
3 ай бұрын
Really enjoyed your insight! My partner and I are house hunting and have recently shifted to considering condos. They're a lot of homework when buying, but it seems like the paper trail is a lot better. Houses in the same price ranger are older and the disclosures are based a lot more on the seller's memory than actual documentation. We've had unpleasant surprises during inspections of inadequate DIY that condos would never permit, or regular maintenance that just fell to the side because the owner was aging. I think condos (if well run) can head off a lot of that just by having so many eyes noticing when something needs addressed!
@brittanymorgan09
3 ай бұрын
Absolutely! A well managed building makes all the difference in the long run. The low maintenance is a huge advantage too. For us, it was the location that sold it since we don't want to be in the burbs. Best of luck on your search!
@SM-lg3mn
Ай бұрын
I will definitely join the condo board! I'm a project manager so I can do it well :) Plus I like to have control and influence haha I appreciate the running list on the side. I would rank location as the most important to me. Houses are in the millions here in central city and I only have a chance financially at buying a condo. Considering the structure, construction and flooring is genius. I viewed a place with an insanely sloped porch. Immediate no! I will look into a special assessment for the condo I get serious about. I appreciate hearing cons from someone planning to LIVE in the home they buy. It's insane that investing in housing is the main factor to people; I'm not interested in resale or renting! I think we are similar and you reminded me to trust myself to know what is best for me. I don't need to convince my father it's good for me haha. TIME TO START SAVING!
@brittanymorgan09
Ай бұрын
@@SM-lg3mn awesome!! Condos are a great way to live inner city without the high price tag of a detached home. I don't know why so many people are so against it, they can be a great investment too if the building is taken care of!
@SM-lg3mn
Ай бұрын
Wow you got a great price and deal on your condo! That interest % is my fever dream to get
@brittanymorgan09
Ай бұрын
@@SM-lg3mn absolutely! I bought at the perfect time. My mortgage is up for renewal next year though so my fingers are crossed that the rates keep coming down.
@mahasamhadan4326
3 ай бұрын
Those prices are crazy lol. I am planning to buy a 2 bedroom condo in GTA and it is around 600k and above!!! Had no idea Calgary was THAT much cheaper!
@brittanymorgan09
3 ай бұрын
It definitely used to be when I bought it!! Condos have gone up pretty significantly in the last few years, mine is worth close to $300K now but still much cheaper than the GTA or Vancouver for sure. Edmonton has a ton of super cheap condos still though.
@gooberclown
7 күн бұрын
I have thought long and hard about possibly buying into a condo unit, but one major consideration of attached condos does worry me. If one unit has a bedbug problem, then the bugs can crawl into the walls through a socket cover and come into other units. Paying anywhere from $200,000.00 to $800,000.00 for a condo, only to be plagued by a bedbug invasion, is a deal breaker.
@Fullrusher
Жыл бұрын
I should probably just be homeless lol
@shigshug8581
5 ай бұрын
@ozzy6994
Ай бұрын
@@Fullrusher much cheaper!
@Fullrusher
Ай бұрын
Hey friends ending up getting my condo , love it so far lol
@ozzy6994
Ай бұрын
@@Fullrusher how are the HOA fees? Is it all included in one monthly payment? I’ve been considering to buy one but that’s the only thing that is putting me off
@Fullrusher
Ай бұрын
@@ozzy6994 hey man it's going good so far, I've been paying my HOA on time and even have it paid up for a few months , it's one monthly fee you pay to the property management that only goes up if they have to do some major repairs so consider it like if your land lord raises your rent every year to cover cost and you pay that extra but with this not apart of your major cost (mortgage) and doesn't increase based on random uncheckable facts , also my HOA has reverses ( money they saved from payments that's not being used that could cover costs so in case of emergency your HOA doesn't have to go up unless it uses up that reserve) you can ask your realtor how to get that info of your hoas reserves before buying. My HOA is $144 a month that covers maintenance,ground keeping , (and the gated security I think ) it's not so bad unless you have destructive neighbors without home owners insurance which if you have a mortgage you'll have , go for it it's not so bad , they are lax with most rules and if your cool with your neighbor's you should be living pretty good with the low electric bill and water bill ( mines divided ) go for it and if you don't like it rent it and go rent your self lol it's yours do as you like ! Let me know if you finally do
@cfjlkfsjf
10 күн бұрын
Have lived in a house for 40 years, now pops has terminal cancer so we might be looking at a condo to downsize and make things easier for him. Fine by me.
@nishiki393
7 күн бұрын
Sorry to hear about your dad's cancer. Sending well wishes! 🙏
@jared2232
5 ай бұрын
I'd like to get back into the travel frequently lifestyle. To me, a condo apartment is perfect because there is no outside maintenance to worry about while you're away, and no one can ever really tell if you're gone for extended periods of time. My only concern would be major repairs being costly and split between owners. I know this is no different than a house, but I've heard of some pretty costly stuff. In your experience, is there kinda a sweet spot for building size ? The big flash buildings downtown look pretty cool, but would it be safer to go with a smaller 3-4 floor building ? Whats average condo fees in calgary? Doesnt show on realtor ca.
@brittanymorgan09
5 ай бұрын
Hey there! That is a fantastic point. I've been in NZ for the last year and was able to rent my condo out very easily and having all the maintenance of the common areas taken care of is so great. It will be the perfect base when we move back in the future too (for travel). I would say the biggest thing you can do to prevent those huge repair costs is to do a deep dive on the condo documents and reserve fund. There are people you can hire that can dig into this for you. This is usually done during the buying process. The building's age and history and well as construction materials will tell you a lot about future expected costs and repairs. Reserve fund studies are done by engineers to predict large upcoming repairs that the building needs to budget for and condo fees will increase to try and offset those costs. You should look and see if that building has ever had special assessments in the past too. Newer buildings are not ALWAYS better but generally face less large repairs right away. When it comes to building size, it's more about ratio of owner occupied units to rentals. The more owner occupied units the better. I prefer a smaller building, but I have friends that own in a large building and love it. So it's really a matter of the particular building you'd be looking at. Condo fees vary quite widely but I'd estimate and average of around $500/mo for a 2 bedroom unit. Condo fees are done by unit factor so the larger the unit in a building, the higher the fee will be.
@nishiki393
7 күн бұрын
@@brittanymorgan09Good advice but condo fees are not always proportional to unit size. Sometimes they are the same for all units. But in the ideal world, they should always be proportional to unit size, that's what's most fair and logical.
@keeturned40
Жыл бұрын
This video is so informative, thank you!
@brittanymorgan09
Жыл бұрын
I'm so glad you found it helpful!! Thanks for watching :)
@Sherakeeshareakey
5 ай бұрын
I want to own my next place vs rent. I’m single with no children and there aren’t many small single family houses with one to two bedrooms and one bath. Condos seem more affordable. And I’d like to keep my condo long term for rental purposes and security if I were to get married. As much as I’d like to have acreage I don’t have any home owing experience.
@brittanymorgan09
5 ай бұрын
It's a great way to get into the real estate market, especially if you want to live in a city centre! I've had my condo for over 3 years now and really love it though it has its downsides of course. I've had it rented out for the last year so it's been providing me with some stable income too. A great way to build wealth!
@Sherakeeshareakey
5 ай бұрын
@@brittanymorgan09 thanks Brittany! I’m doing my research to learn all the ends and out but I won’t be purchasing for another year or two.
@brittanymorgan09
5 ай бұрын
@@Sherakeeshareakey very exciting! It is a big decision and there's a lot to factor in, the condo board being arguably the biggest. They can make it break your investment! Best of luck with your hunt ☺️
@Sherakeeshareakey
5 ай бұрын
@@brittanymorgan09 thank you!
@nishiki393
7 күн бұрын
@@brittanymorgan09 But you can only do so much because condo boards change over time, so just because there's a decent one now doesn't mean that's not going to change later. So be informed about your HOA's governing documents and stay involved, try to attend most Homeowners board meetings, read communications regarding the HOA sent to you, etc.
@Edchalio
2 ай бұрын
Great vid! Do you think its a good idea to get home insurance for condo? Thx!
@brittanymorgan09
2 ай бұрын
Yes absolutely! You're only insuring what is inside your condo, so it's not too expensive but definitely worth the peace of mind. I pay about $35/mo for a 2 bedroom.
@phongnguyen-yb3nf
8 ай бұрын
My gf and I are planning to invest in our first condo, never owned only rented, wanted to start small. I was wondering, with all the grants and offering for first home buyers, does that include condos as well or specifically housings?
@brittanymorgan09
8 ай бұрын
That's very exciting!! I would imagine all of the first time home buyer advantages apply to any and all dwellings including condos, townhomes, detached homes, etc. I haven't heard of anything that singles out detached homes. Buying a "home" doesn't automatically mean it's a detached house, it could be any dwelling you own I think. Though it might depend on which grants or offerings you're referring to. I'd be really surprised if any of them required you to only buy detached.
@smoideen
2 ай бұрын
Thank you for the video. Informative. Most definitely, condo life is not for me.
@alexanderchenf1
6 ай бұрын
I am done with owning a house. Next is condo
@edwardmacnab354
6 ай бұрын
why is just the board made aware of upcoming expenses ? and why would you not just sell your principle residence and take the capital gains exemption ?
@patmucciarelli8840
4 ай бұрын
Just did 3 years of living in a beautiful condo. Had to leave because of 6-8 months of construction to bring it up to code. You truly never own a condo. Rising insurance rates , raising dues and assements. Too many rules that people don't follow(owners included). Community living is ok, if you are not there 100% of the time. Would I do it again, tough call.
@brittanymorgan09
4 ай бұрын
Yeah it's definitely not for everyone and large repairs can happen. They can happen in detached homes too though. Thanks for sharing your experience!
@patmucciarelli8840
4 ай бұрын
Florida is murder right now for condo owners. You can give me all the facts, I just lived it in St Pete Beach. People are selling because they CAN"T afford it.
@nicolafazio674
22 күн бұрын
Lucky you for paying so little for you condo and fees are low. Condo living has a lot of downsides like condo fees and inconsiderate neighbours
@brittanymorgan09
21 күн бұрын
@@nicolafazio674 interesting that you find my condo fees low! I've gotten so many comments saying they are crazy high haha 😂 but yeah I bought at exactly the right time, akin to winning the lottery lol. The inconsiderate neighbours can happen in detached homes too, I've heard many horror stories.
@convolution223
Жыл бұрын
I'm thinking of getting one in the USA. I think you're in canada? prices are close to the same though. I just don't know if the noise will be an issue. I couldn't stand the noise in the apartment I had last. Plus the HOA fees scare me. Any way to make sure they're not going to go up? How often do they increase and by how much?
@brittanymorgan09
Жыл бұрын
I am in Canada, yes! Noise has never been much of an issue in concrete buildings for me, that was one of my musts when looking for a place. Concrete buildings are better at reducing noise between units. I also bought on the top floor so no upstairs neighbours stomping around. As for condo fees, they will always go up. They should go up since the price of things like maintenance and repairs increases as the building ages. Be wary of condos with super low condo fees and boards that brag about no increases - they usually have very small reserve funds to cover large repairs and that can lead to huge special assessments which means large bills for owners.
@islesofshoals3551
8 ай бұрын
First floor units are noisy!!!
@brittanymorgan09
8 ай бұрын
Absolutely! I would avoid buying a ground floor or basement unit at all costs haha. The condo I bought is on the top floor so will never have to deal with upstairs neighbours.
@troyhonda71
5 ай бұрын
@@brittanymorgan09 interesting. The condos we live in, everyone is wanting the lower floor. Age is a factor. Some were willing to even take a bit of a loss to move to a lower floor condo.
@brittanymorgan09
5 ай бұрын
@@troyhonda71 Wow! I imagine that makes sense for older folks with disabilities and such. Something to think about later in life for sure.
@ShlindaDavis
5 күн бұрын
@@brittanymorgan09 👋
@Alamy-PR
Жыл бұрын
Condo is a good idea or townhome?
@brittanymorgan09
Жыл бұрын
I prefer an apartment condo but I believe the condo fees in a townhome are lower and sometimes you get a yard! A townhome would be a good idea if you need more than 2 bedrooms and don't mind stairs.
@AgentAO7
2 ай бұрын
Townhouse. You get the best of both worlds. Even if it’s just a small size, you own the lot where your unit sits on & get the space of a full size home. At the same time, you get the conveniences of condo-living & most of the time are built in a good location.
@camkirby2913
8 ай бұрын
Is HOA a concern?
@brittanymorgan09
8 ай бұрын
No HOA in apartment style condos in Calgary, I think those apply to townhomes and detached homes mainly.
@Renee.3596
7 ай бұрын
Those are the Condo fees. Which increase yearly especially in an older building.
@tatsianapalchekh5326
Ай бұрын
never, never a condo, God forbid. no location will compensate for communal wars and people sleeping eating and shitting above and below you
@brittanymorgan09
Ай бұрын
@@tatsianapalchekh5326 I disagree. It's been a great investment for me and the location is everything. It helps being in the condo board and having a say in how things are ran. Lots of folks retire to condo living too since it's so low maintenance. To each their own 🙂
@tatsianapalchekh5326
Ай бұрын
@@brittanymorgan09 investment is another thing, I also have condos for investment. And maybe I'd even retire to one but only to the one with a closed territory, 24h security, ground floor with access to garden (no stairs, elevators, etc), in a house with only few flats in it, garage, storage in the garage and not in city center. I guess comes with age
@MrChevrolet94
3 ай бұрын
Condos suck. Buses are much cheaper and easier to live in
@markdsm-5157
Ай бұрын
With all these special assessments appearing out of no where, i think any condo video outside of 6 months hasn't aged well.
@brittanymorgan09
Ай бұрын
@@markdsm-5157 my building hasn't had any special assessments. Detached homes can still have massive repairs like replacing a roof or water heater. You just need to make sure you do your due diligence with inspections and documents when buying property of any kind. There's a lot of people who will never be able to afford a detached home and a condo is a great alternative to paying rent.
@markdsm-5157
Ай бұрын
@@brittanymorgan09 you don't get it. There are stories right now.. some people being hit with 60k special assessments out of the blue, another one with 120k in assessments. I'm not even a roofer, but on my home if i develop an issue, i can go up and patch things up, give me some wiggle room, maybe even gain myself a year or two before i have to commit to costly repairs, you can't do that in a condo. You have to come up with that kind of money when they tell you to. On top of that, show me any instance where a 720 sq ft home needs a 60k roof replacement job. That roof better be gold plated.
@brittanymorgan09
Ай бұрын
@@markdsm-5157 I don't know the stories you are referencing but yes, buying a condo is a risk. I've never heard of a 60K bill to an owner in a condo. My building has a planned piping repair in the next 10-20 years for half a million and my bill will only be around $12K. Condos have engineers look at the building periodically, ours is done annually where they check all infrastructure and upcoming repairs. I can tell you've never owned a condo. It's absolutely not a bad investment for everyone. Thanks for sharing your opinion, but please don't think it is fact.
@markdsm-5157
Ай бұрын
@@brittanymorgan09 search youtube "$60,000 ASSESSMENT REQUEST" and "120,000 assessment fee" . Top results show what's happening in florida right now. That's why i said your 6 month old assessment of condos hasn't aged well. It's all because of that condo collapse. Yes, you're right most condo owners will never have to face this, but it doesn't mean they won't and it's a scary reminder of what could go wrong in a worse case scenario.
@nishiki393
7 күн бұрын
@@markdsm-5157What's going on in Florida right now is a bit unique to that state, so it's not right to generalize.
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