condo community with large shared land area? (Redmond, Sammamish: 2014, HOA fees)

[cleansocks]

Hello,

In Michigan I used to live in a condo community with a relatively large amount of shared land that allowed for an expansive, serene park-like setting. This meant higher association fees for upkeep of this large area but for me it was worth it. Does anyone know of such a community on the east side (bellevue, kirkland, etc)?

Thanks for any advice.

[amaiunmei]

You may want to look at Sixty 01 in Redmond, but before you buy, do your research. There have been some lawsuits bouncing back and forth between parties there.

[flyingsaucermom]

Oh yeah, it exists.. add Issaquah to your list. You will find MANY such communities. I live in Issaquah Highlands and we've got quite a number just here alone that would fit your bill. Google Issaquah Highlands to learn more about the community and what it offers... very serene throughout the entire community... and we pay for it

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by flyingsaucermom

Oh yeah, it exists.. add Issaquah to your list. You will find MANY such communities. I live in Issaquah Highlands and we've got quite a number just here alone that would fit your bill. Google Issaquah Highlands to learn more about the community and what it offers... very serene throughout the entire community... and we pay for it

Same with Klahanie, an older and less expensive unincorporated area between Sammamish and Issaquah, probably to be annexed to Sammamish in the near future. We sometimes drive down there to use their trails through the woods.

[SandyJet]

Originally Posted by flyingsaucermom

Oh yeah, it exists.. add Issaquah to your list. You will find MANY such communities. I live in Issaquah Highlands and we've got quite a number just here alone that would fit your bill. Google Issaquah Highlands to learn more about the community and what it offers... very serene throughout the entire community... and we pay for it

how much is average maint?

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by SandyJet

how much is average maint?

Um, that's a good question. It varies. All residents will pay the Issaquah Highlands Community Association (IHCA) fee and *I think* it's about $150ish/month. The IHCA pays for maintenance of parks, trails and landscaping..all of which is extensive...

Condos, townhomes and at least some (if not all) of the SFH will have an additional HOA and this HOA fee varies wildly between properties. It depends on what each cluster of townhomes or condos provides. Our second HOA is about $400 right now including a special assessment. It covers water, additional landscaping, driveways, signs and the entire exterior of the unit. We almost bought into an adjacent neighborhood that would have been only $300. Those people are on their own for the exterior.

There are less expensive areas of Issaquah and the Eastside. Ours is higher because it's up on the hillside and has top rated schools.

[SandyJet]

Originally Posted by flyingsaucermom

Um, that's a good question. It varies. All residents will pay the Issaquah Highlands Community Association (IHCA) fee and *I think* it's about $150ish/month. The IHCA pays for maintenance of parks, trails and landscaping..all of which is extensive...

Condos, townhomes and at least some (if not all) of the SFH will have an additional HOA and this HOA fee varies wildly between properties. It depends on what each cluster of townhomes or condos provides. Our second HOA is about $400 right now including a special assessment. It covers water, additional landscaping, driveways, signs and the entire exterior of the unit. We almost bought into an adjacent neighborhood that would have been only $300. Those people are on their own for the exterior.

There are less expensive areas of Issaquah and the Eastside. Ours is higher because it's up on the hillside and has top rated schools.

That is low. Guess it means you have folks all paying maint on time and not in a flood zone and building is in good shape.

My condo we charge $500 a month and I am having trouble at keeping it at $500 as legal fees, accounting fees, homeowners insurance and flood insurance as well as random things breaking suck up my budget and leaves no room to lower it or room to property take care of grounds.

The other option which my condo has is it is located one block from the beach, accross the street from a large area of grass owned by the town and right by the towns Tennis and basketball and handball courts.

My town all this is resident only and has a lot of parking restrictions. As such my condo pretty much has the main access to the open areas without having to maintain it.

I think condos that back up to nature perserves or parks also make since a lot.

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by SandyJet

That is low. Guess it means you have folks all paying maint on time and not in a flood zone and building is in good shape.

My condo we charge $500 a month and I am having trouble at keeping it at $500 as legal fees, accounting fees, homeowners insurance and flood insurance as well as random things breaking suck up my budget and leaves no room to lower it or room to property take care of grounds.

The other option which my condo has is it is located one block from the beach, accross the street from a large area of grass owned by the town and right by the towns Tennis and basketball and handball courts.

My town all this is resident only and has a lot of parking restrictions. As such my condo pretty much has the main access to the open areas without having to maintain it.

I think condos that back up to nature perserves or parks also make since a lot.

We're on a steep slope so you can imagine we don't carry flood insurance.... but we don't carry earthquake insurance either and that has more than a few of us concerned. Our particular development was built in the early 2000's, so we haven't had any major maintenance issues yet, but I looked at projected costs and there are these few very, very expensive years in about 8-10 years or so on the horizon... I suppose it could be the roof or siding... I kinda ignored them thinking I wouldn't be here at that time, but maybe I should have paid more attention.


At least the city is paying for beach park instead of more HOA fees! Are you not liking it anymore?

[SandyJet]

Originally Posted by flyingsaucermom

We're on a steep slope so you can imagine we don't carry flood insurance.... but we don't carry earthquake insurance either and that has more than a few of us concerned. Our particular development was built in the early 2000's, so we haven't had any major maintenance issues yet, but I looked at projected costs and there are these few very, very expensive years in about 8-10 years or so on the horizon... I suppose it could be the roof or siding... I kinda ignored them thinking I wouldn't be here at that time, but maybe I should have paid more attention.


At least the city is paying for beach park instead of more HOA fees! Are you not liking it anymore?

I ended up Treasurer of my Condo. Kinda like once you know how the sausuge is made it turns you off a bit.

The beach is a great deal. Resident only beach walking distance from Condo. Town provides chair service, you leave your chairs there in chair hut and all summer there are kids who work for town who set up your chairs for you and when you leave they put them back and it is free. We have a guest parking lot, so your guest can park in condo lot, then walk down block to beach and guests are free too. Also beach has a one mile boardwalk.

Out condo itself suffers from years of neglect and artifically keeping maint too low from pretty much 1980 to 2008 when the building had to start jacking maint as sidewalks, roofs, gutters, doors, black top all seem to have a 30 year life expectancy and from 2008 to 2014 condo got slammed and when economy melted downin 2009 deliquencies piled up.

In 2007 they were charging only 300 a month maint which is crazy low. They started at 100 bucks a month in 1980 and you can imagine costs rose way more than 200 bucks a month in almost 30 years. By 2009 were at 500 a month and even at 500 a month they really need 650 a month to get a large reserve fund built and bring the building back to a nice place.