Calgary Condo Talk

[Spring2008]

Wonder what sales were like at Park Point launch?

[Spring2008]

The view inside looking out is a lot better than the reverse.

Originally Posted by Design-mind

Looking through the new windows...





https://www.facebook.com/liveonthepark/photos_stream?ref=page_internal

[CanmoreGuy]

Has anyone else seen this listing from Alain Michaud for one of the Park Point condos (he has other listings in this pre-sales building too) - for unit 1401 which had a list price of $372,000 on pre-sales launch three weeks ago (when I bought...). Now on the market at $358,050. Doesn't look good.....

[Electrical Storm]

Originally Posted by CanmoreGuy

Has anyone else seen this listing from Alain Michaud for one of the Park Point condos (he has other listings in this pre-sales building too) - for unit 1401 which had a list price of $372,000 on pre-sales launch three weeks ago (when I bought...). Now on the market at $358,050. Doesn't look good.....

I've also seen this (from a different source). Pricing for unit 1401 has been lowered. Im petty sure that $358,050 includes GST (As prices on MLS generally include GST unless otherwise stated).

[red_179]

Originally Posted by CanmoreGuy

Has anyone else seen this listing from Alain Michaud for one of the Park Point condos (he has other listings in this pre-sales building too) - for unit 1401 which had a list price of $372,000 on pre-sales launch three weeks ago (when I bought...). Now on the market at $358,050. Doesn't look good.....

I'm not sure if I believe this, it might simply be a lower price on a listing to lure people in, on the rationale that the unit starts at $358,050 (probably on the lowest level). It wouldn't be the first time a realtor had pulled this trick. Anyone called the realtor to confirm?

[CanmoreGuy]

They have compensated purchasers who had already bought that floorplan at the old pricing, so I think it's real. Just wish they would now lower the price of my floorplan so they could compensate me too!!!!

[jmb]

Originally Posted by red_179

I'm not sure if I believe this, it might simply be a lower price on a listing to lure people in, on the rationale that the unit starts at $358,050 (probably on the lowest level). It wouldn't be the first time a realtor had pulled this trick. Anyone called the realtor to confirm?

Yes its just that plan type. They had unreleased 1/3 of the units during private appointments, now they are all released so the price range has changed. I bought an 09 and the remaining ones have increased by $50,000 already (demand on this plan type). So I wouldnt say this is a bad sign. Once they hit their presale requirement/start digging, prices will increases for sure. Same as with their past projects.

[suburbia]

Just spoke to someone who had their place listed just below $500K (approximately their assessment level) from November, and just closed at $410K. This was not a condo, but I'm sharing here given the conversation about prices. A major observation was that realtors who continue to bring home listings seem to be encouraging sellers to keep the listings close to where they would have been a few months ago, creating a feeling among MLS watchers that the decline is not as sharp as it actually is. The reality is that any sales closing right now are well below asking, and that any sellers that are trying to keep within 2-3% of the list price (which would have been previously normal) are simply having the homes sit.

[Spring2008]

Well looks like this one is going smoother than the nearby Osteria site fiasco.

Hillhurst condo project wins support in exchange for heritage protection nearby

JASON MARKUSOFF, CALGARY HERALD
More from Jason Markusoff, Calgary Herald
Published on: March 9, 2015
Last Updated: March 9, 2015 5:35 PM MDT


SHARE ADJUST COMMENT PRINT
When a developer proposes to clear out 13 single-family homes and build 75 to 100 condos, neighbours and the community association typically forms a long parade at city hall, protesting the development any way they can.

The Dobbin Group didn’t face a single dissenter Monday when it got unanimous council approval for its project on Memorial Drive in the heart of Hillhurst. Part of the reason was its promise to not necessarily knock down the 13 century-old homes, but offer them up for any takers to haul off at $1 each.

The Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Association helped negotiate a proposed heritage trade-off. As a condition for community support for the Memorial Drive condos, Dobbin pledged to secure historic designation status for the two Kensington retail buildings it owns: the brick two-storey block that hosts a Starbucks Coffee at Kensington Road and 10A Street N.W., and part of the Kensington Pub next door.

The community and Kensington business association both spoke in favour of the development rezoning, after two years of consultations. Development manager Jennifer Dobbin had pitched a series of brownstone walkups, but on Monday told the Herald her company may sell the site and it’s hard to say what the project would look like. The houses are in the block west of 10A Street N.W.

http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news...-exchange-for-heritage-protection-nearby

[CanmoreGuy]

OK I'm probably way behind on this topic, but I have a question for you all regarding the D floorplan at Mark on Tenth. I would guess that many of you have pored over these. A friend has asked me to look at it from a design perspective and I can not for the life of me work out where you would put a TV in this unit. The floorplan is the typical one rectangle kitchen/living area but one whole side has doors all the way along it so nowhere for TV to go. If you don't know what I mean, take a look. Anyone have any clever ideas on how to handle this?

http://www.qualex.ca/mark/residences/floorplans - look at Plan D (may have to downlod PDF to see it clearly).

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by CanmoreGuy

OK I'm probably way behind on this topic, but I have a question for you all regarding the D floorplan at Mark on Tenth. I would guess that many of you have pored over these. A friend has asked me to look at it from a design perspective and I can not for the life of me work out where you would put a TV in this unit. The floorplan is the typical one rectangle kitchen/living area but one whole side has doors all the way along it so nowhere for TV to go. If you don't know what I mean, take a look. Anyone have any clever ideas on how to handle this?

http://www.qualex.ca/mark/residences/floorplans - look at Plan D (may have to downlod PDF to see it clearly).

TV on the wall. Sofa backing on to doors, but 2.5 feet out.

I suspect this would result in tight movement, but that is the challenge with units of this size. What to do?

[*Stardust*]

I had this EXACT problem when I bought my condo at Calla. What I did was I put the sofa against the window. Put the TV up against the wall and a couple of armchairs (or one) across from the sofa and the coffee table. This is the best arrangement for conversation as you are facing your guests. It's not the best position for watching TV as you would be turning your head. I personally like to lay down on the sofa while watching the TV so that works for me.

Suburbia, I tried what you mentioned but when you do it in reality it gives the illusion that the sofa is in the middle of the room and it makes the room look smaller, not to mention it's not much walkway behind the sofa or in front between the coffee table.

From the Avenue Condo by Grosvenor Facebook website



Something similar to this

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by *Stardust*

I had this EXACT problem when I bought my condo at Calla. What I did was I put the sofa against the window. Put the TV up against the wall and a couple of armchairs (or one) across from the sofa and the coffee table. This is the best arrangement for conversation as you are facing your guests. It's not the best position for watching TV as you would be turning your head. I personally like to lay down on the sofa while watching the TV so that works for me.

Suburbia, I tried what you mentioned but when you do it in reality it gives the illusion that the sofa is in the middle of the room and it makes the room look smaller, not to mention it's not much walkway behind the sofa or in front between the coffee table.

Yeah - I hear ya'. At the end of the day, it is a small space, and you have to decide if the windows you paid the bucks for are more important, or if (relative) functionality is more important. My solution has till now been, for the same price, buy a house.

[MalcolmTucker]

Solution: buy an old condo with higher square footage and live with melamine counter-tops and white appliances. Even nicely renovated older units you pay way less.

Not sure I could ever bring myself to buy new!

[CanmoreGuy]

OK so I'm gonna take the advice above and look at Emerald Stone condos. Thing is, I can't find floorplans for these anywhere on the web. Does anyoen know when I can find these? The building is from before buzzbuzz's time, so nothing on there. Any ideas? Any help appreciated!

[evolv]

Anyone have any updates regarding the Palfreyville Condos? Interested in potentially buying. Last update I can remember they had completed demo of the existing buildings.

[outoftheice]

Originally Posted by evolv

Anyone have any updates regarding the Palfreyville Condos? Interested in potentially buying. Last update I can remember they had completed demo of the existing buildings.

As of Friday it looks like they are in the final stages of excavation of the site. I have yet to see any information posted about sales though so not too sure where a good starting point would be.

[Tropics]

Originally Posted by CanmoreGuy

They have compensated purchasers who had already bought that floorplan at the old pricing, so I think it's real. Just wish they would now lower the price of my floorplan so they could compensate me too!!!!

Did you buy one of the more unique units with the extra large balcony on the lower levels, or if your unit is common and has many "like" units in the complex has it been a fairly popular floorplan and sold fairly well? If either is the case you are probably SOL.

If they sold a fair number of your units off already they will get to a point where they would lose more money "officially" dropping the price of the remaining units and having to give people back a decent chuck of money from the already agreed upon selling price. If they only have a few units left of your type they would be better off dealing with the buyers individually and accepting lower offers and leaving the official "asking price" where it is. I would guess they had a lot of those 1 bedrooms left to sell and had not sold many to date so that "compensation" was a pretty small number compared to the overall number of units they are currently still sitting on. Those 1 bedrooms were pretty expensive for 560 sqf, they still are TBH, $639/sqf. They do seem to have some higher end finishing though, the location is pretty awesome, and you get a secure underground downtown parking spot.

There is a lot more value in that 1-bedroom then in a Lido studio with no parking. These are the types of places that are going to make places like N3 really hard to swallow unless they are able to come in well under $300,000 for a similar ~550sqf 1 bedroom with that level of finishings, but with no parking. I think they are going to have a tough time coming up with something like that at that price point, but we shall see.

[Tropics]

Originally Posted by suburbia

TV on the wall. Sofa backing on to doors, but 2.5 feet out.

I suspect this would result in tight movement, but that is the challenge with units of this size. What to do?

That is not even that tight. That 1 bedroom is 571 sqf, there is lots of room to put a sofa there with a coffee table in front of it and hang the TV on the wall. That is the way that unit was designed to do it.

I love patios and plants and things like sunrooms but in a place that size the sunroom is a waste of space and required terrible compromises to the layout of the bedroom, bathroom, and closet.

That said, for the size of the units I think they did remarkably well on most of their floor plans, especially the small 2 bedrooms. H and E are both 2 of the best sub-800sqf 2-bedroom floor plans I have seen recently. Heck, H even managed to get some decent separation for the entrance to the master bedroom from the living room and has a proper entrance that does not step straight into the kitchen, and they did that with less than 750 sqf in a two bedroom? Even the second bedroom comes off a corner of the living room and not a door right in the middle of the wall, adding a tiny sense of privacy and removal of that bedroom from the living area. That there is a really good floor plan with limited square footage.

[Electrical Storm]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Solution: buy an old condo with higher square footage and live with melamine counter-tops and white appliances. Even nicely renovated older units you pay way less.

Not sure I could ever bring myself to buy new!

... those are pretty easy to swap out. If the old cabinetry is in good shape; a little paint and a hardware swap (along with new appliances and quartz countertops) goes a long way.