Considering we have just 14 buildings (8 units per building, so 112 homes), there are a lot of interesting and challenging stories. And background stories. While I am as compassionate as the next person, if you are blaming your current behavior on your sad childhood 50 years or more ago, I think it's time to move forward and just keep that in the background. Move on!
We have an Owner who emails one of us and/or the property management company daily. Usually several times a day. Telling us we "better remember to do this or THIS could happen" "no one seems to notice these fire hazards except me" "when I was on the Board" "When I was chair of the landscape committee" and my personal favorite last week "you better notify people to stop using their fireplaces to warm up their condo" Still not sure why she doesn't want us to use our wood burning fireplace!!!
Then she emails again in 3 days with the same information ... despite me answering her email explaining that yes, it is being arranged and we will notify everyone when a date is set to have chimney inspections or gutters cleaned or leaves removed ... Now when she sends a repeat, I simply respond "thank you for your email".
From Saturday evening: Parking has been a problem 3 times this week.... especially tonight.
I saw an older couple putting out signs and caution tape that there have been private parties and the front spaces are reserved? Is this board approved? With the handicapped designation, (which was never supposed to be there until XXXXX put it there), there is no where for our (this bldng) guests to park.
Please let me know. Owners should have priority and this is a new issue of late.
This Owner has lived here for 20 years ... and the "older couple" are the Clubhouse Managers! Who have to go out in the rain to put up signs so that residents will stop parking in the visitor spots! They even had to finally CALL two owners to move their cars.
My question is WHY does this Owner think her guests are any more important than the guests of other Owners ... who were parking there???? And ... I personally do not consider her "priority guest" a visitor as he comes over EVERY night. People!!???? P.S. There are 8 uncovered parking spots right in front of her building.
(that's me in 5064, just beside the pool)
Saturday's event was also the topic of whining. Both rooms were reserved for 30+ people. We have just one kitchen and one resident did not want to share the kitchen. Said she signed up first. They also went in the day prior to event to set up all their tables and decorations (did not reserve the room for that).
The complaining party was in the other clubhouse room ... setting up five hours before the time she had requested the room (we have sign up sheets by each door for that room ....). And sorry ... yes, I had to point that out to her ....
So really? It's just the little things. Apparently these little things really irritate some people. Actually got a complaint about neighbors setting up "too many" Christmas lights and decorations, and too early (I do agree it is too early). Unless we get 3 complaints, we are not going to be Grinch and make them shut it down.
Stay tuned. Some of the issues ARE valid so I'm not poking fun of those. But these little things ... oh yeh!
I am SO glad I didn't buy a condo a couple of years ago when I was shopping for one. LOL
ReplyDeleteI can actually understand why it would be hard to share a kitchen for two parties. How would you keep your food and serving dishes separated? You always have people popping in to help the host and they'd be grabbing the wrong stuff.
Communal living is NOT for everyone. We currently have an issue with an upstairs resident smelling smoke from the downstairs resident. Another resident complains of cooking smells. Lots of too loud TVs. Porch lites left on all night but bothering some bedrooms. Lot of compromising ....
ReplyDeleteMy neighbors leave their porch light on all night, as they work the night shift. It shines in my bedroom window--I just roll over so I don't face the window and go to sleep.
DeleteYours is a thankless job. There are always a few who seem to look for something to complain about. I'm sure living so close to neighbors presents special issues. It's been years since I lived in a townhouse, and I was young and more tolerant.
ReplyDeleteBut the pay is so good!!!!
DeleteI don't feel I've personally made many compromises by choosing condo life. Love love love the amenities, the walkability of the location ... and meeting new people!
Some people put up outside Christmas decorations while the weather is nice. I did that for years, with outside lights. I just never turned them on until December 1st. Communal living would not suit me--with all the HOA rules. I guess I do live in a community, but we never seem to have any complaints. If my neighbor has people over to visit and their cars are parked along the street--which is a no, no--neighbors know they won't be there too many hours and we go single line down the street.
ReplyDeleteMostly everyone is understanding and get along just fine. I was just highlighting the idiots!
DeleteMy Mom observed when she moved into a 55 and older community there was a lot more nit picking than when she lived in an apartment house with just 3 apartments, but those units and the surrounding community was a variety of all adult ages, She thought people’s lives had narrowed down since most retired, so where they lived became more the primary area of their attention — they had more time to just focus on themselves and did. Often, she thought, they could become quite petty about some matters — maybe not realizing living now was different than when they lived in their single family homes. She had lived many years in a single family house so could appreciate the differences. Don’t envy you dealing with all that.
ReplyDeleteYep, I've always lived single family residences since I hit 25. And older people do seem to use all that extra time to be critical! PLEASE don't let me get like that!
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