condos

Beacon Hill residents talk trash (a different kind)

JohnAKeith — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 02:28:25 +0000

There's an article in today's Boston Globe Magazine with the title Home sweet hell: Falling into the condo trap.

A 27-year old novelist moved into a four-unit condominium building back in 1999. Almost immediately, she began having confrontations with her upstairs neighbors who, according to the article, had majority ownership of the condo association, meaning they pretty much controlled what did or did not happen in regard to the building.

She’d left her laundry in the building’s coin-op washer for too long, she’d left her boots in the hallway and created an eyesore, she’d arranged her things in the common storage unit in a way that somehow annoyed them.

But, the real story isn't the article (although it's written very well and is both entertaining and educational).

The Boston.com message board reached a nasty level of discourse I'm only used to seeing on the other major Boston daily newspaper's site.

Criticism of the novelist:

she is a "self-centered brat"

If you buy a condo in a project built in phases, you better pay really close attention to the master deed

adamg — Fri, 14 May 2010 15:04:09 +0000

The Supreme Judicial Court today ruled today that condo developments do not have to obey a state law that requires ownership of common areas to be equally split among all owners - provided the disparity is noted in the master deed and other condo documents signed by buyers.

Which neighborhood near North Station would you prefer to buy a 1+ br condo in at this point, and why?

Marc — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 06:17:27 +0000

North End

31% (58 votes)

South End

28% (53 votes)

West End

9% (16 votes)

East Cambridge

14% (26 votes)

Charlestown Waterfront

15% (28 votes)

Other (please specify in comments)

4% (7 votes)

Total votes: 188

The perils of condo life

adamg — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:29:15 +0000

Ms. Bart sits on her condo board and her report on recent issues is like something out of Del Boca Vista, phase II:

... When I took out the trash on Sunday afternoon, I saw a bag dead center on top of the dumpster. I tried to climb up to toss it in the trash, but the dumpster was wet with rain. My neighbor (and employee of the management company) Wally got the bag down. Rather than toss it immediately into the dumpster, he opened it to see if the owner could be ascertained. (Our dumpster isn't exactly difficult to use. It's got sliding doors about four feet off the ground and is in excellent repair. This improper disposal was on purpose.) Well, the trash had unshredded paperwork in it. The trash belonged to Captain Recycle, a rabblerouser who once ordered a giant recycling dumpster for the community without asking anyone. His fiancee performed a 'go recycling - let's save the Earth' cheer at our last annual owner's meeting. He purposely, improperly dumped his garbage (in a manner that could have resulted in trash all over our communal gardens) AND HE DIDN'T RECYCLE!!!!! ...

Today's most pretentious address

adamg — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 13:40:20 +0000

No, it's not Louisburg Square or some place in the Back Bay or EaBo. Presenting: XII Stoneholm Street (The building before it got all Roman-numeralish).

Via John.

Dueling condo buildings

adamg — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 12:50:51 +0000

It's a condo cat fight on the South Boston waterfront!

881 E. First St. doesn't like 9 W. Broadway:

... If you like Ct. Sq. Press/ 9 West Broadway but don't like the high price (or paying for a big advertising budget), the high common fees (& paying for a concierge you might never need or use), having to ante up $38K for parking (& having to wait going years to get it) and want a loft that is really in the Seaport (and not at the end of West Broadway's less than desirable neighborhood), then come visit us at 881. We're cooler. They're not and we know it! ...

9 W. Broadway (in the form of bloggin' Realtor John, who lives there), returns fire:

... Our condo fees are higher than the typical South End / South Boston condos, because our fees include the concierge, daily common area cleaning and trash removal, maintenance of a landscaped courtyard, and a fitness center. Plus, the fees cover most of our heat and hot water charges (and covers the cost of natural gas for cooking).

"West Broadway's less than desirable neighborhood"? Um, this is the neighborhood that the Boston Globe called "Boston's hottest". Your building is in a neighborhood ripe for what they used to call "urban renewal".

Wait, you didn't hear what I just said? That's because there are planes landing less than a 1/4 of a mile from your building, and they are reversing their engines as they land from 5:30 AM to midnight, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. ...

Meow!

Why not more condos?

adamg — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 12:05:19 +0000

John says that while 5,000 new condos in Boston sounds like a lot, Miami has 61,000 planned:

... To many people, the limited number of new buildings is a good thing; to others, perhaps those looking for a cheap, nice place to live, the lack of inventory is keeping prices too high to buy. ...

Most expensive condos in Boston

adamg — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 16:01:35 +0000

John, a real-estate agent, compiles the list, which tops off at a scosh under $14 MILLON (and it's not even in EaBo, although it does come with a washer/dryer).