8 Important Condo Questions to Ask Before You Make An Offer

Whether you’re purchasing your first home, moving to a new city, or downsizing later in life, buying a condo can be an extremely exciting time. However, it’s easy to get caught up in all that excitement and overlook some of the smaller details.

Of course, this doesn’t mean your search is doomed to fail. As long as you’re armed with the right information and you know what to look out for, you should be well on your way to condo bliss.

We’ve put together a list of eight condo questions to ask that people often wish they’d known the answer to before signing those papers. Let’s jump right in!

1. How Well Is the Building Maintained?

You may be a neat freak and keep your home spotless, but unfortunately you have no control over how well maintained your building is. It may seem insignificant at first, but the building is an extension of your home, and walking through poorly maintained hallways every day could eventually take its toll.

When you’re viewing a condo, take note of how well presented the lobby, elevators, hallways, and facilities are. Look for cleanliness as well as repair work being needed. Also, don’t be afraid to ask about the cleaning and maintenance schedules for the building.

2. Is There Ample Visitor Parking?

The concept of visitor parking is fantastic, especially if you’re looking in an area where parking spots are tough to come by. However, it’s useless if there are never any visitor spots open. Be sure to find out how much parking is really available, even if it means going to check out the parking lot during peak periods.

You should also be aware that buildings have different rules surrounding visitor parking. Your guests might need to be logged in and display a notice on their dashboard. There may also be rules regarding how many visitors you can have or how long they can stay.

3. Will There Be a Lot of Traffic Noise?

People often assume that a high floor means no traffic noise. However, it’s surprising how far the sound of honking horns can travel. This might only be an issue during rush hour, but if you work from home, do shift work, or have a child who naps, it could be a big problem.

Try to view the condo during peak traffic times to see if it’s an issue. Also consider other potential noise sources nearby, such as bars that people might be spilling out of late at night, or popular firework spots.

4. Do the Facilities Really Offer What You Need?

One common perk in condo buildings is a gym, as well as other exercise facilities, such as a pool and even tennis courts. However, before you ditch your gym membership, you should check exactly what facilities your condo has to offer. Some have a limited set of equipment, while others simply don’t offer the best environment for working out in. They might be small, have poor ventilation, lack natural light, or be very busy during peak times.

Also consider if other ‘attractive’ features (which your fees will be paying for) are really that great. An in-house movie theatre sounds enticing, but will you actually utilize it? A party room can come in handy, but is it well maintained and what are the rules for using it?

5. What About Local Amenities?

When looking at nearby amenities, it’s common to look at transport, restaurants, and perhaps the nearest convenience store. However, one important factor that is sometimes overlooked is proximity to a good grocery store. Condo buildings are often located in built-up areas, and while there may be several convenience stores close by, these are often over-priced and lack choice.

What’s more, if you don’t have a car, the distance between you and the nearest grocery store will be even more difficult to deal with. Be sure to research which stores are nearby and how easy they are to get to.

6. Who Will Your Neighbors Be?

While there’s no rule that says you need to be best friends with your neighbors, there are factors to consider in a condo building that aren’t always relevant in other residential properties. For example, noise is more likely to be an issue in a condo building than in a row of detached houses.

Of course, you won’t be able to get to know your neighbors before you move in, but knowing the general demographic in your building might give you a good idea of what to expect. For example, a building where most residents are retirees will likely have a different noise culture to one that’s full of younger first time homebuyers. Of course, you’ll have to make assumptions based on stereotypes, and it won’t rule out issues down the road, but it might help nudge you in the right direction.

7. How Friendly Are the Staff?

This is a factor that may seem insignificant at first, but if your building employs a concierge or other regular staff, you’ll likely end up seeing quite a lot of them. A concierge will also interact with any visitors you have and help you deal with certain issues that might arise.

While it’s out of your control who the management employs, it’s worth getting to know them early on. This is unlikely to be a deal-breaker, but staff attitudes can contribute greatly to the overall atmosphere of a building. If you’re going to call it home, you want to make sure you know exactly what day-to-day environment you can expect.

8. Are There Any Other Rules You Should Know About?

Aside from the rules we’ve mentioned in some of the above sections, there may be others that come as a surprise. For example, some condos have rules about pet sizes, so if you’re thinking of getting a pup in the near future, this could be something to inquire about.

Another thing that surprises many people is rules about décor and renovations. For example, entrance doors and balconies are typically not actually owned by the condo owner, so there are strict rules about decorating these areas.

Some of these rules apply to most condos whereas others vary from building to building. Therefore, it’s often difficult to know what to ask. Ideally, speaking to existing residents would be a good start.

Conclusion

When you’re hunting for the perfect condo, it’s easy to focus solely on the major factors such as location, size, and price. It’s also easy to forget about all of the smaller factors that will affect your day-to-day life in your new home.

In this post, we’ve revealed eight questions that people wish they knew the answer to before buying their condo. Let’s recap them quickly:

1. How well is the building maintained?
2. Is there ample visitor parking?
3. Will there be a lot of traffic noise?
4. Do the facilities really offer what you need?
5. What about local amenities?
6. Who will your neighbors be?
7. How friendly are the staff?
8. Are there any other rules you should know about?

Admittedly, many of these factors aren’t necessarily deal-breakers. However, it’s far better to be well-informed than to be disappointed after you move in. Armed with this information, we have no doubt you’ll find the perfect condo for you!

Happy condo hunting, from your Thompson Sells team!