Westmeath Condos behind hickory hills...

[BoyGenius]

yeah, i understand the grill part... though i may sneak somethin in later on =X

one part i found quite disturbing about the HOA paperwork was about pets...

"Pets that make noise continuously and/or incessantly for a period of 10 minutes or intermittently for ½ hour or more to the disturbance of any person at any time of day or night."

wtf, how do i keep my dog from whining while i am gone?? both me and fiancee are really bothered by this.. to actually give a timeframe in which ANY animal can not make a noise or think we have THAT much control over animals.

I think Annie gave you some good advice on getting a house instead. A condo doesn't fit your lifestyle. It won't be conducive to children either.

Have you been keeping up with the FED? There may be some 4 to 4 1/2% interest rates in the pipeline soon. I still think it's too early to buy, but those rates would ease the pain if you can get them.

 

[hokie11]

trust me, if i could get a comfortable house or townhouse for 150k, i would. i did notice the rates and since i havent locked in yet, so far the lowest i can get an fha loan is 5%, so that's a nice .5% drop from what i originally calculated. condo will be different than my idea lifestyle, but for the time being, i think i can live with it. i just hope i get reasonable neighbors, that's all i am hopeful for. maybe ill have my fiancee bake tons of cookies for my floor

ive been looking for a place for months now, not everyday, but at least 3-4 times a week, and just come up empty when it comes to a house. i really cant stand taking up a 1980s house for 150k and end up fixing it up constantly. so, thats why ive resorted to this condo.. close to work, newly built (yes with some issues, but hopefully mostly resolved), and away from my current living area which is total hell.

if i was more patient like some others, i would wait til next year. but i think after having my car vandalized because i decide to park on a public street, a forged note claiming to be from teh HOA but really was not and threatened to sue me for parking there, and my trash can stolen... i get a bit tired of this childs play. even the HOA doesnt know who the hell is leavin the note and said they had nothin to do with it and cant do anything about it. and this is a brand new 05 community. long story. simple explanation = ####ty, selfish, childish neighbors.

 

[anniemay]

trust me, if i could get a comfortable house or townhouse for 150k, i would. i did notice the rates and since i havent locked in yet, so far the lowest i can get an fha loan is 5%, so that's a nice .5% drop from what i originally calculated. condo will be different than my idea lifestyle, but for the time being, i think i can live with it. i just hope i get reasonable neighbors, that's all i am hopeful for. maybe ill have my fiancee bake tons of cookies for my floor

ive been looking for a place for months now, not everyday, but at least 3-4 times a week, and just come up empty when it comes to a house. i really cant stand taking up a 1980s house for 150k and end up fixing it up constantly. so, thats why ive resorted to this condo.. close to work, newly built (yes with some issues, but hopefully mostly resolved), and away from my current living area which is total hell.

if i was more patient like some others, i would wait til next year. but i think after having my car vandalized because i decide to park on a public street, a forged note claiming to be from teh HOA but really was not and threatened to sue me for parking there, and my trash can stolen... i get a bit tired of this childs play. even the HOA doesnt know who the hell is leavin the note and said they had nothin to do with it and cant do anything about it. and this is a brand new 05 community. long story. simple explanation = ####ty, selfish, childish neighbors.

For the time being? This is the biggest purchase of your life...it isn't somethign to "hold you over" when you buy a place. You really need to sit back and think about what you are doing. You are really going to mess yourself up in the long run just because you are too impatient to get what you want! So much money. The condo is NO different then an apartment, other then the "glorified name". They rent in that community too, so you will still have the in and out neighbors and it really isn't any different then renting since they do that. People will come and go. Good and bad (obviously). But the things you hate about where you are...you aren't getting away from. The only way to get away from those issues is to buy a house! I live at Westmeath and almost everyone complains about it. Plus, it is pricey for what you get compared to the rest of the area.

But, whatever you decide, good luck.

 

[hokie11]

ill stay as long as needed to save up for a new place and when the market is right...

what internet providers reach the condos? verizon dsl? i dont like metrocast all too much

 

[anniemay]

ill stay as long as needed to save up for a new place and when the market is right...

what internet providers reach the condos? verizon dsl? i dont like metrocast all too much

Metro Cast is all you get. And it stinks!!! That's the only cable company to go out there. Then you can have them or Hybrid for phone.

 

[BoyGenius]

For the time being? This is the biggest purchase of your life...it isn't somethign to "hold you over" when you buy a place. You really need to sit back and think about what you are doing. You are really going to mess yourself up in the long run just because you are too impatient to get what you want! So much money. The condo is NO different then an apartment, other then the "glorified name". They rent in that community too, so you will still have the in and out neighbors and it really isn't any different then renting since they do that. People will come and go. Good and bad (obviously). But the things you hate about where you are...you aren't getting away from. The only way to get away from those issues is to buy a house! I live at Westmeath and almost everyone complains about it. Plus, it is pricey for what you get compared to the rest of the area.

But, whatever you decide, good luck.

She's right again. You're not buying a puppy that you take to the Animal Shelter if it doesn't work out. To end this deal will either ruin your credit and cost you a lot of money, or just cost you a lot of money once you find out what you're doing isn't going to change your life.

Even more troubling is your attitude going into it. People that live in condos want rules. As mentioned before, a condo is nothing but a glorified apartment. That's the difference between condos and apartments. The people in condos want the convenience of an apartment, but expect a higher standard of living amongst their fellow neighbors. And HOA's are designed to protect property values by having and enforcing rules.

The HOA says no dog noise. You say "what, my dog can't whine while I'm at work?" The HOA says no sat dishes. You say "screw them, I've got this to show them." The HOA says no grills on balconies. You say "I'll find a way to have one."

So the community needs to change to accommodate you?

 

[hokie11]

you guys have put a lot of doubt in my mind about the condo, but everytime i think about what i am in right now, it can only get better for me.

i live with my brother. he treats me like im his maid. my parents believe i should respect his decisions no matter what. i have been dealing with this for over 2 years and i can no longer take it. yes, i've approached him but he just disrespects me and my fiancee to our faces. i am not here to take out his trash, get yelled at for things not in my control, and live this type of life. i willingly help him with bills and pay him rent that covers more than enough, yet i can not live in peace. i am getting married in 18 months and refuse to get stressed out everyday because of him.

either i move out and rent from another place and pay 800+util and whatever other bills and make a statement to him and my family basically saying i'd rather waste more money elsewhere and cause tensions in my family. yes, they see it that way because i've talked to my parents about it.

or, i move out and "OWN" something and they see that as a step up, not a step sideways. they believe if i am to rent, i should be with family who can "HELP" me out. yet they dont understand the stress me and my fiancee have.

cost of living in this condo vs him is minimal to me. if i had to adjust to HOA lifestyle, i will. i want out of my place. i've wanted out for almost a year.

but i have to do it in a passive-aggressive way. by telling them "hey, i found my OWN place, and blah blah blah", i wont have to live with tensions and i can be his BROTHEr again because i don't feel that way most of the time now.

i started this thread to ask about opinions in the area, and yes, some were surprises, but i am glad to know them ahead of time. maybe this would have been a lot easier if i explained all of this earlier, but maybe not. my family has a traditional thinking, while i have a much different view. so, trying to talk them didn't really work. hence, why i feel like i MUST move on to.. ANYTHING.. while causing the least tensions.

 

[anniemay]

you guys have put a lot of doubt in my mind about the condo, but everytime i think about what i am in right now, it can only get better for me.

i live with my brother. he treats me like im his maid. my parents believe i should respect his decisions no matter what. i have been dealing with this for over 2 years and i can no longer take it. yes, i've approached him but he just disrespects me and my fiancee to our faces. i am not here to take out his trash, get yelled at for things not in my control, and live this type of life. i willingly help him with bills and pay him rent that covers more than enough, yet i can not live in peace. i am getting married in 18 months and refuse to get stressed out everyday because of him.

either i move out and rent from another place and pay 800+util and whatever other bills and make a statement to him and my family basically saying i'd rather waste more money elsewhere and cause tensions in my family. yes, they see it that way because i've talked to my parents about it.

or, i move out and "OWN" something and they see that as a step up, not a step sideways. they believe if i am to rent, i should be with family who can "HELP" me out. yet they dont understand the stress me and my fiancee have.

cost of living in this condo vs him is minimal to me. if i had to adjust to HOA lifestyle, i will. i want out of my place. i've wanted out for almost a year.

but i have to do it in a passive-aggressive way. by telling them "hey, i found my OWN place, and blah blah blah", i wont have to live with tensions and i can be his BROTHEr again because i don't feel that way most of the time now.

i started this thread to ask about opinions in the area, and yes, some were surprises, but i am glad to know them ahead of time. maybe this would have been a lot easier if i explained all of this earlier, but maybe not. my family has a traditional thinking, while i have a much different view. so, trying to talk them didn't really work. hence, why i feel like i MUST move on to.. ANYTHING.. while causing the least tensions.

I still think it's a bad idea. If your old enough to own a home, your old enough to make your own decisons. Passive agressive is the worst thing because most people that do things in a passive agressive way end up screwing themselves up big time (being very irrational or flip out in the end! You don't have to prove anything to anyone. This isn't about showing them (or anyone) what you can do...it's about doing what YOU want to do. That is the beauty of growing older and living on your own; and I'm just realizing it myself. You can start to live your life for you!

Well, anyways...you have the run down on things-but your mind was made up before you even came to the forums... so Good luck to you!

A lot of people have crazy familes, but how much they control your life is up to you. It's your life, not theirs. Yes people say you throw money away renting...but buying a place that is "ok" and "will do" verse renting until you get the place you want is much smarter. But again, your decision, not ours (or your families).

 

[BoyGenius]

you guys have put a lot of doubt in my mind about the condo, but everytime i think about what i am in right now, it can only get better for me.

i live with my brother. he treats me like im his maid. my parents believe i should respect his decisions no matter what. i have been dealing with this for over 2 years and i can no longer take it. yes, i've approached him but he just disrespects me and my fiancee to our faces. i am not here to take out his trash, get yelled at for things not in my control, and live this type of life. i willingly help him with bills and pay him rent that covers more than enough, yet i can not live in peace. i am getting married in 18 months and refuse to get stressed out everyday because of him.

either i move out and rent from another place and pay 800+util and whatever other bills and make a statement to him and my family basically saying i'd rather waste more money elsewhere and cause tensions in my family. yes, they see it that way because i've talked to my parents about it.

or, i move out and "OWN" something and they see that as a step up, not a step sideways. they believe if i am to rent, i should be with family who can "HELP" me out. yet they dont understand the stress me and my fiancee have.

cost of living in this condo vs him is minimal to me. if i had to adjust to HOA lifestyle, i will. i want out of my place. i've wanted out for almost a year.

but i have to do it in a passive-aggressive way. by telling them "hey, i found my OWN place, and blah blah blah", i wont have to live with tensions and i can be his BROTHEr again because i don't feel that way most of the time now.

i started this thread to ask about opinions in the area, and yes, some were surprises, but i am glad to know them ahead of time. maybe this would have been a lot easier if i explained all of this earlier, but maybe not. my family has a traditional thinking, while i have a much different view. so, trying to talk them didn't really work. hence, why i feel like i MUST move on to.. ANYTHING.. while causing the least tensions.

That's a tough situation, but as long as you continue to view renting "as a waste of money," you're doomed to failure. There's no shame in being a homeowner, and there's no shame in being a renter. One is no better than the other, but timing is everything, and right now the renter is ahead of the game. Some pretty rich, smart folks, are currently renters. Even funnier, if you think being a homeowner is above being a renter, then I don't know why you'd move into a building possibly filled with renters. Are you gonna wear a t-shirt declaring you an owner?

Can you show that you would have a positive cash flow if you had to rent that condo, especially if the economy continues to deteriorate? I don't think you can, and that's why no investors have beat you to it.