Quote:
Originally Posted by K-133
This is why location is attributed to the top three factors of the perceived value of real estate.
I don't have a lot of positive experiences in my numerous dealings with Claridge but I do recognize that they sell a product just as McDonald's and Tim Horton's do. They aren't of particularly high quality but focused on value, which is a smart angle to take as it creates simplicity which allows for profits through economies of scale.
With regards to value of quality they could use some improvements most especially in the customer service area, but I suspect that since they are run such a large pool of insestual human resourcing, this is unlikely to change.
With regards to improving their specs, I think you need to understand their strategy which is focused mainly around location and minimizing costs. Quality does not only increase direct costs to the buyer, but also adds a complicity which in turn likely increases administrative costs. Though I do agree that it would be nice to raise the bar, which other builders may encourage Claridge to do, they will continue to deliver the minimum necessary.
With that, you can't really blame them but people like myself who have bought from them in the past. This however isn't to say that the people who own in the building aren't themselves responsible for raising the value of their investments either through improvements of their own (simple enough) or improvement of the building as a community.
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That's just it, until people in Ottawa start accepting and expecting a higher spec to their condos, then builders like Claridge who keep pumping out the same low-quality, bare-minimum condos; there is no need to change. I've been following conods in Ottawa very closely over the last 10 years or so and I hear the same complaints all the time "why are all the condos the same?" "why can't there be better options?" etc... But when something fun, luxurious or different comes out, everyone goes back to their default purchase of what they know and are comfortable with and we're stuck with the majority of the high-rises being ugly, boring and very, very basic, and unfortunately some of the best and most iconic locations in the city have been stained with poorly consturcted and designed buildings.
One thing I do disagree with your statement though is that the additional administration costs of increasing a standard interior spec would be so minute it wouldn't be a factor. Paying Westboro flooring to install marble tiles instead of ceramic tiles, or having an assistant fill out a form with quartz countertops instead of tired granite, wouldn't have a large impact on anyone's budget.
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