Crazy Condo Neighbors

[Trek420]

ishhh and I was looking into selling our home (too big for us) to get a nice - high-end - condo when we retire in 6 years. Not so sure anymore.

Condos can be ok. I had no problems with my neighbors in CA, and that was not as "nice" a neighborhood. Made some friends, no real issues.

We've found out our new neighbor's been here over 30 years, has a record of "hazing" new people. Some problem with anything changing, I think. They've never seen it as bad as this got but then she may have some dementia at this point.

Simply put, I will garden. It's why we bought this (also the location and low HOA). If she wanted to garden around my home, she needed to buy this home. She didn't. And of course, this means war!

[shootingstar]

Then consider a townhouse or something that doesn't demand you to physically look after the lawn, shovelling snow, a lot ...life doesn't get easier when one gets older.

[emily_in_nc]

ishhh and I was looking into selling our home (too big for us) to get a nice - high-end - condo when we retire in 6 years. Not so sure anymore.

Stick to the top floor and you should be fine. I guess you can still end up with some crazies, but at least their noise shouldn't drive you crazy!

[Helene2013]

Right. But we're not there yet! Who knows...we may be fulltimers in a motorhome (we'll be in our late 50s so enough time to enjoy life) and if we don't like the neigbhours, you can just move the rig somewhere....pretty easily.

[Pax]

Right. But we're not there yet! Who knows...we may be fulltimers in a motorhome (we'll be in our late 50s so enough time to enjoy life) and if we don't like the neigbhours, you can just move the rig somewhere....pretty easily.

That's what we're considering as well. Just travel for a while and see where we'd prefer to be.

[emily_in_nc]

Us too...I think a motorhome is our next adventure!

As for "carpet required" rules for condos, I suspect these rules are less common these days as hardwood and tile floors are much more popular than carpets and it would hurt sales if such a rule were in effect. Many older units are being upgraded with hardwoods or tile these days. In Belize, all our condo floors were tile, and boy, did the noise carry from the floor above. Even side to side, with concrete walls in between, we had a unit on one side of us and could hear them sliding furniture around, though we couldn't hear their TV or conversations. There should be laws requiring everyone in multi-family housing to use pads under their chair and table legs! We did, but no one else in our building seemed to.

[ny biker]

Us too...I think a motorhome is our next adventure!

As for "carpet required" rules for condos, I suspect these rules are less common these days as hardwood and tile floors are much more popular than carpets and it would hurt sales if such a rule were in effect. Many older units are being upgraded with hardwoods or tile these days. In Belize, all our condo floors were tile, and boy, did the noise carry from the floor above. Even side to side, with concrete walls in between, we had a unit on one side of us and could hear them sliding furniture around, though we couldn't hear their TV or conversations. There should be laws requiring everyone in multi-family housing to use pads under their chair and table legs! We did, but no one else in our building seemed to.

It's not a wall-to-wall carpet requirement, but a requirement to cover at least 80% of the floors with rugs of some kind. It's pretty standard in many apartment buildings. Unless you're on the top floor, your life is miserable without such a rule. Even on the top, you can hear more noise from downstairs and next door when there are not enough rugs. And without sufficient rug coverage, you are basically giving up all privacy because your neighbors know everything you are doing at all times. When my upstairs neighbor had only a couple of small rugs, I knew everything about her. I knew she abused her dog by locking it in a cage in the corner for most of the day. I knew when she zipped up her suitcase before leaving for a trip. I knew when she was having sex with her boyfriend (it was the only time she was quiet.)

[shootingstar]

We don't have that carpet rule where I live. I don't hear people walking upstairs. I do think my building in terms of the floor structure has been constructed to avoid much noise. Would I be bothered by children running around upstairs? No, as long as the children weren't beaten by parents. That would bother me.

I grew up surrounded by 5 siblings and have memories of crying infant sister when I was 10 yrs. old.

I think the guy upstairs cares about his place that he owns (even if he likes crashing through the muddy wilderness in his Hummer. I can see his dirty car in garage which he spends money at the car-wash.) because I think he invited a bunch of (drunk) friends for a short chat about 1 yr. ago They kept on using the bathroom... for an hr.

Thereafter I haven't heard anything. I bet he (and girlfriend I think), really didn't want people tromping all over his place using his bathroom indiscriminately.

Lest people think condo living is a terrible thing.....for certain if you will be single for a huge chunk in your life and as you age, just make sure there's someone else to look after garden, lawn, running up and down 2nd floor, basement, etc. I have a single 51 yr. sister who has a semi-detached home in Toronto. She has no children. She now has some balance problems because of an ear infection/disorder right now. And it will be long term.

[Trek420]

Stick to the top floor and you should be fine. I guess you can still end up with some crazies, but at least their noise shouldn't drive you crazy!

We're ground floor end unit. Our upstairs neighbor is nice, we rarely hear her and get along well. Our next door neighbor, also pleasant. He's a student and pretty quiet. But that could be because his parents own the unit above him also.

Crazy condo lady has a penchant for over-watering randomly wherever she can. We removed 3 large plants, totally root rotted. It's been raining hard as per usual in the sunny PNW and today she was still out there watering our grounds with the public hose of the building.

We'll be removing that

[rebeccaC]

Now that many people have hardwood floors and noise complaints have increased, they won't institute a carpet requirement (covering 80% of the floor with rugs) because it would require a change in bylaws. So my recommendation to Helene or anyone else is to make sure your condo has a requirement to cover at least 80% of floors with rugs. It makes a big difference.

And yes, top floor units are best, if you can get one (and if it's in your price range).

My HOA has requirements for particular sound isolating material under a new wood floor if someone wants to replace the carpet or travertine in their unit. It works well!

[Crankin]

I would not live in a place that had a carpet requirement. My current house is 95% hardwood and I am a lot healthier!
We are in the beginning stages of thinking about what we are going to do when we sell this house, in probably 3 years. It's hard to find condos and townhouses around here, in areas we want to live in. I will consider moving to a neighboring town, but I don't want a long commute to work or a change in lifestyle. DH is 3 years younger than me and will be working for at least 5 more years, maybe more. We are leaning toward buying a small condo here, maybe even in places we wouldn't have considered before, and another condo out in the Berkshires. We just have to figure out how we will handle all of the bike stuff we have!

[OakLeaf]

I wonder how well cork flooring would reduce upstairs/downstairs noise. I expect a lot, but since we only have it downstairs I don't know. I LOVE that stuff.

[marni]

when I was in grad school I lived below a semi professional flemenco dancer and her roommate a theater major. Someone was either wailing out gypsy songs, pounding feet or declaiming whenever I was awake and home. The result is that I can pretty much sleep through anything, including the SAG guys snoring ( chain saws with in reach of the bed).

I can't remember much else about grad school.

[Trek420]

Does stumpy garden outside your living room or even bedroom window at zero dark thirty at night? I'd take "stompy" over crazy.

Bumpity bumpity bump; and we're back from getting a restraining order on crazy condo lady. Legal issues so probably should not comment except to say did you know when you're reporting stalking that there is no charge to get a restraining order?

Sweet!

[OakLeaf]

Oh yikes!! Trek and Knott, so sorry you're still having to deal with that (plus whatever worse stuff you can't talk about here/now).

Hope the restraining order has the desired effect.