For high rise dwellers, do you use your balcony? (Tampa: apartment, lease)

[beach43ofus]

A close friend is considering a high rise in downtown Sarasota. It doesn't have a balcony, just an amazing view.

Do you use your balcony? Would you buy a unit w/o a balcony? He's worried about his ability to re-sell on the back end.

[rfomd129]

I'd be interested in knowing the answer too. With all the times I've passed by the high rises in Sarasota I've never seen anyone out on the balconies.

[beach43ofus]

Downgown SRQ waterfront faces towards the setting Sun, so in the Summer, it would be very hot on a balcony afternoons. Morning coffee perhaps, maybe lunch, but after 1pm it would be a scorcher.

I guess we dont have any high rise dwellers here to respond.

[gg]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Downgown SRQ waterfront faces towards the setting Sun, so in the Summer, it would be very hot on a balcony afternoons. Morning coffee perhaps, maybe lunch, but after 1pm it would be a scorcher.

I guess we dont have any high rise dwellers here to respond.

This is an odd answer from such a veteran. As someone that has a lanai that faces the morning sun, it is great. If you have afternoon sun, it will be great 6 months a year! Sarasota is a seasonal place of course. I would LOVE an outside balcony of course. You have an option to enjoy the weather/air when the temp is right. It isn't 90 degrees all the time as most should certainly know. Sometimes it is downright cold and you would need to bundle up. It is always nice to be outside. without a balcony it would kind of suck, IMHO.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by gg

This is an odd answer from such a veteran. As someone that has a lanai that faces the morning sun, it is great. If you have afternoon sun, it will be great 6 months a year! Sarasota is a seasonal place of course. I would LOVE an outside balcony of course. You have an option to enjoy the weather/air when the temp is right. It isn't 90 degrees all the time as most should certainly know. Sometimes it is downright cold and you would need to bundle up. It is always nice to be outside. without a balcony it would kind of suck, IMHO.

I'm not a veteran of high-rise condo's. I've never owned one. A 3rd floor apartment is as high as I've had in FLA (Downtown Tampa).

I do know which direction most of the downtown condo's face, and I see how Western exposure creates discomfort & challenges for neighbors'/friends' single family ranch homes here. They tint their windows, buy shutters, blinds, & large awnings to block out the powerful afternoon Summer Sun.

I'm a year rounder (almost), as would be my friend considering the high rise, so he would be here in the Summer heat. Some % of the time, the balcony would be too hot, but certainly not all the time.

As another poster said, I hardly ever see people on their balcony's in those downtown condo's. Maybe after dark they are being used, & I can't see them. I've never even known anyone who owned one.

My S.I.L. lives amongst the top 1%, many who have yachts that they hardly ever use.

My neighbors on both sides of me have pools, they almost never use.

I wonder if balcony's have similar use patterns as many pools & yachts? Once the newness wears off...

Anyways, thx for sharing your opinion. I agree that having the ability to get outside, when the weather allows, would be nice.

[srq57]

Don't have any experience with a high rise. That being said, I wouldn't purchase one without a balcony or some sort of outdoor (roof top, maybe) space.

[Tommygphotos]

I dont have any experience but heres my mindset....If a hotel somewhere offers a balcony, I would likely get it "just in case" as long as the cost factor wasnt ridiculous.

If I had a condo etc and the other side of the building had one and I did not, there would def be some envy or regret for not having one knowing if I did want to use it, I could not.

[Marysa Butzke]

It looks like zero posters here don't own anything with a balcony, so it's all pure conjecture and opinion, which is funny. I own one with a balcony but I don't live in it, it's always leased. I think you'd be making a huge mistake to buy one without a balcony simply from an aesthetic/re-sale point of view. This is just my own opinion. It helps in appeal and marketing/sale, whether it's actually used by the occupants or not. In my building, few residents hang out on their balconies, they are too busy doing other things.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by srq57

Don't have any experience with a high rise. That being said, I wouldn't purchase one without a balcony or some sort of outdoor (roof top, maybe) space.

Thx!

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by Marysa Butzke

It looks like zero posters here don't own anything with a balcony, so it's all pure conjecture and opinion, which is funny. I own one with a balcony but I don't live in it, it's always leased. I think you'd be making a huge mistake to buy one without a balcony simply from an aesthetic/re-sale point of view. This is just my own opinion. It helps in appeal and marketing/sale, whether it's actually used by the occupants or not. In my building, few residents hang out on their balconies, they are too busy doing other things.

Thx!