How to Do the Right Amount of Research Before You Buy That New Condo

17 January 2020
 Categories: Real Estate, Blog

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For the average person, property investment is a sizeable commitment. They'll need to make sure that they choose wisely, especially if the unit in question is to be their primary abode. In an ideal world, such an investor will want to analyse all the risks before they proceed, and if they're thinking about buying an apartment or condo, this is not as difficult as it may seem. If you're in this position, how can you dig into the history of a development so that you make an intelligent and informed decision?

Learning About Joint Management

Whenever several different owners come together and purchase properties within a larger building, they will need to set up an umbrella corporation. This project will be known as a strata development and, collectively, they will need to make certain decisions that will affect them all in one way or another. While they may own individual units and be fully responsible for those properties, they'll need to get together and act as one when it comes to common areas.

Checking on the Management Structure

Typically, a separate management company will be appointed to oversee the day-to-day running of the development, and this company will take instructions from the strata corporation. Each owner will be part of the corporation and will have voting rights based on the size and scale of their commitment.

Getting Detailed Records

All of the decisions made need to be in writing, and records have to be kept for years into the future. These records must be comprehensive, and you will be able to uncover a lot of good information through proper analysis.

Uncovering the Information

For example, you will be able to see how the development is maintained, if they handle issues in a reasonable amount of time and if there are any outstanding problems at the moment. You'll be able to have a look at the financial affairs to see if the account is in credit and to determine if they have enough money in a separate fund for any rainy-day expenditures. Remember that you want to go into this with your eyes open, so you will need to know if any big issues are currently unresolved that could affect you going forward.

Doing Your Homework

Make sure that you get access to all of these records before you make a crucial decision. If need be, talk with a strata development specialist so that they can help you to decipher the documents or to help you translate any unusual terminology.

To learn more, contact a strata development company.