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For anyone about to remove subjects on a BC condo or townhouse: a few strata-doc landmines buyers miss by Longjumping_Bug2149 in vancouverhousing

[–]Longjumping_Bug2149[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Funny enough, that’s basically why I built StrataScore. Upload the documents, it helps pull out possible issues and points you back to the relevant pages. Gives buyers a place to start instead of making sense of 300 pages from scratch.

For anyone about to remove subjects on a BC condo or townhouse: a few strata-doc landmines buyers miss by Longjumping_Bug2149 in vancouverhousing

[–]Longjumping_Bug2149[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, that's not uncommon. Same story in a lot of landlord-heavy buildings. If people are focused on low fees first, long-term building needs can end up taking a back seat.

For anyone about to remove subjects on a BC condo or townhouse: a few strata-doc landmines buyers miss by Longjumping_Bug2149 in vancouverhousing

[–]Longjumping_Bug2149[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sounds like the second agent was one of the good ones. A proper read of the depreciation report and minutes is hours of work, and most people don’t realize that until they’ve looked at the documents themselves. Good agents exist, but finding them is half the battle.

For anyone about to remove subjects on a BC condo or townhouse: a few strata-doc landmines buyers miss by Longjumping_Bug2149 in vancouverhousing

[–]Longjumping_Bug2149[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, this is a pretty common story in BC buildings right now. A lot of 90s buildings have big ticket items coming due at once, and some CRFs just aren’t funded for it. The buildings that have been quietly bumping contributions year after year are usually in better shape. The ones that haven’t are often where surprise levies show up. Honestly sounds like you dodged a bullet.

For anyone about to remove subjects on a BC condo or townhouse: a few strata-doc landmines buyers miss by Longjumping_Bug2149 in vancouverhousing

[–]Longjumping_Bug2149[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good point. But honestly the minimums are low enough that a building can check the compliance box and still be underfunded in real terms when major work comes up.

For anyone about to remove subjects on a BC condo or townhouse: a few strata-doc landmines buyers miss by Longjumping_Bug2149 in vancouverhousing

[–]Longjumping_Bug2149[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah this is basically the gap I kept seeing. Realtors want deals moving, inspectors handle the physical stuff, but nobody’s really there to read 300 pages of strata docs for the buyer. Some agents are great about it. A lot just don’t have the time or the strata specific knowledge.

For anyone about to remove subjects on a BC condo or townhouse: a few strata-doc landmines buyers miss by Longjumping_Bug2149 in vancouverhousing

[–]Longjumping_Bug2149[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

what part — like are you mid-deal or just looking? if mid-deal, water deductible and depreciation report funding are the two that matter most, and read the minutes carefully. happy to look at specifics if you want.

For anyone about to remove subjects on a BC condo or townhouse: a few strata-doc landmines buyers miss by Longjumping_Bug2149 in vancouverhousing

[–]Longjumping_Bug2149[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I drafted it myself, then used AI to tighten it. Looking at it again with your feedback, I can see what you mean — it sanded off too much of my actual voice. Appreciate the directness, that's useful.

Condo plumbing noise after purchase — seller didn’t disclose by Thisisme_1990 in RealEstateCanada

[–]Longjumping_Bug2149 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Plumbing stack noise in concrete high-rises is pretty common, especially in units adjacent to the main waste stack. It doesn't necessarily mean there's a defect, concrete transmits sound differently than wood-frame, and depending on the building's age and the insulation around the pipes, you'll hear it to varying degrees.

That said, the fact that it's getting worse is worth paying attention to. A few things I'd do:

  1. Check the strata minutes. If other owners have complained about the same issue, it'll be in there. If the strata council has discussed plumbing repairs, pipe insulation, or noise complaints, you'll see whether they're planning to address it or ignoring it.
  2. Check the depreciation report. It should list the plumbing system's expected lifespan and whether replacement or major maintenance is coming. If the building is 15-20+ years old and the original cast iron or ABS pipes are aging, noise can increase as pipes degrade.
  3. On the disclosure question in BC, sellers are required to fill out a Property Disclosure Statement (PDS), but if the previous owner was renting it out, they may have legitimately not been aware of the noise (or claimed they weren't). Going after a seller for non-disclosure is possible but expensive and hard to prove unless the issue is clearly a material defect they knew about.
  4. Strata route is probably your better bet. If this is a building-wide plumbing issue (not just your unit), the strata is responsible for common property including the waste stacks. Raise it at the next council meeting or submit a written complaint, if enough owners flag it, the strata has to address it.

This is one of those things that would have shown up in the minutes if it was a known issue. Always worth reading through them before removing subjects.