condo Ottawa | Condo Curious

Buying A Condo in Ottawa

Buying a condo in Ottawa is one of the biggest investments that you will do in your life. With buying a condo there are a great deal of responsibilities that will need to be fulfilled regularly in order to have a positive experience. Buying a condo is not the easiest thing to do and, can be a difficult process. Buying a condo in Ottawa is a great investment and requires a lot of energy and effort in order to get everything in place. Which is why you need knowledgable real estate agent to ease the process.

With the help of a real estate agent discover which is the best location, size and necessities for your desired taste. Sometimes you may not realize what exactly it is that you need. With an agent you will get assistance on choosing the type of layout and newest condo’s available on the market. Your agent will help you find the best investment and negotiate to get you the best deal making it a smooth transaction.

The last thing that you should keep in mind is that you will have to pay monthly condo fees to upkeep the outside of your condo. This means that when you are considering to buy a condo you need to add that cost to thee home each month.

These important step needs to be thought and planned out carefully contact Condo Curious today to begin the search of the perfect condo for you in Ottawa.

Choosing A Condo in Ottawa

Choosing A Condo in Ottawa

When choosing a condo in Ottawa you are looking for something that has everything on your checklist which can be difficult to find. We love to share our knowledge and expertise in this field, with tips and guidelines that you can apply when you are looking for your perfect condo. Choosing a condo with Condo Curious will be very easy. Once when you tell us what’s on your checklist we can find your perfect condo! Are you ready to learn all the secrets about choosing the perfect condo for you and your family?

The first thing that you should consider in a condo is the neighbourhood. In fact, the condo you live in is not as important as its neighborhood surroundings. Think about how bad it would be if you were living in an amazing condo but in an incredibly bad neighbourhood. This is just to say that you need to at least consider the safety of the area that you are looking to buy or rent the condo, before actually signing the contract.

The second piece of advise that we can give you is to watch out for maintenance. Most people think that buying a condo is just buying an asset. A condo will take money out of your pocket every month so do look into monthly fees so you don’t have any surprises.

The third factor to consider is the fact that you will need to sell that condo after a while. Lets face it if you are choosing your first condo, chances are that you will not live there for the rest of your life. This means that you need to find a place that somebody else will want to buy or rent in the future. Choose wisely, so you are investing in something that you can rent out after in case you can’t sell.

At Condo Curious we are here to answer any questions you have about purchasing Condo’s, contact us today so we can find you your dream home!

What to look for in a Condo – Condo Sales Ottawa

So, you have decided that the condo lifestyle is for you. Where do you begin your search? How do you find the right one? There are so many options in Ottawa and the choices keep growing. My first recommendation is to find an agent that specializes in condo sales. Although there is no actual “condo specialist” designation, some agents are more active in the condo market and will have a better knowledge of buildings with their pros and cons. Most agents only sell a few condos a year so it is helpful to find one with a wider range of experience.

The first step is to determine the areas of interest and the price point. Are you looking for a specific neighbourhood or proximity to certain services? Keep in mind the condo fees when factoring a mortgage approval of budget. Condo fees vary greatly and so does the utilities that are covered in the fees. Some are all inclusive and include heat, hydro and water while others only cover management, building insurance and basic maintenance.

Next you will need to establish your criteria. The most common ones include:

The size of the condo, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms
Is parking required? Garage, covered or open?
Type of building – year of construction, high or low rise, concrete or wood construction
Amenities- pool, storage lockers, elevators, exercise room, party room, communal garden etc. Keep in mind that the more amenities there are, the higher the maintenance costs ( pool and elevator maintenance and replacement can be quite costly) so do you want to pay for something you will not use?
Demographics of people living in the building
Pet restrictions
Renovation and hardwood floor restrictions

And lastly, you will need to consider the financial and legal standing of the condo corporation. Buying a condo is becoming a part owner of a business and you will need to be aware of any financial strains of legal issues pertaining to the condo. Your lawyer will review a status certificate before you firm up on your purchase which will have detailed information about budget, reserve fund, reserve fund study and lawsuits but it is helpful to be aware of such issues at the beginning of your search so that you do not waste time and efforts only to discover these facts later in the process. Again, an experienced condo specialist is often aware of such issues and can guide you through your search.