Guide to Home Shopping in High Rises
When your looking to shop for a new home, especially in Downtown Denver, you have a lot of decisions to make. A common building type is a High Rise Condominium tower and there are a lot of things you should keep in mind when you start the home shopping process.
Ceiling height
Dependent on the age and height of the building, there can be a wide range of ceiling heights that can affect the feel and livability of the condominium. Some of the older buildings have ceiling heights of 8 feet, which can make an already smaller unit feel cramped. Buildings like the Glass House, which have floor to ceiling windows, have certain floors with 12 foot ceilings. Ceiling height can make a floor plan with less square footage seem expansive compared to condos with less headroom.
Parking spaces
While more and more people are shunning the vehicle as they move downtown and relying on car share programs like car2go and the ease of Uber, some people still enjoy the reliability and convenience of a personal vehicle. Parking spaces in High Rises downtown give people the opportunity to have a car in a secure building while not having to worry about finding a parking space on the street. These parking spaces do come at a premium, with a recent deeded space selling for over $60,000. If you can find a condo that already has one or two spaces with the unit, you’ll be in good shape.
Storage space
Sometimes an 800 square foot condo just isn’t enough when it comes to needing to store all of the outdoor equipment Coloradans need to enjoy our magnificent State. When your shopping for a condo in a high rise, check to see if there are any storage spaces that come deeded with the home. An extra 25-75 Square feet goes a long way when you need to store your bicycles and ski and snowboard equipment.
Balcony space
While living in a High Rise can give you access to amazing views and make you seem high above it all, it’s nice to be able to have some outdoor space to step out on and grab some fresh air. Most units in Downtown Denver have balconies you can set a small table and chairs on, while some of the most desirable Denver condos have over 600 square foot patios in the sky.
Window treatment
Many people don’t think of window treatments when they are buying a condo in a high rise. While most buildings allow many different types of shades and blinds, some buildings are very strict as to what types of window coverings you can have over your windows. The reasoning behind this is the building homeowners want to have a uniform and aesthetically pleasing look from the outside in an attempt to keep property values up. Make sure to check with the building if your European inspired window dressings are allowed to be displayed over your windows in the building.
Flooring
Flooring in a high rise can come in many different types and textures. Carpeting, Laminate, Hardwood and Cork to name a few. Be careful to check with which type of flooring is allowed in the building. For example, some buildings don’t allow anything other than carpet in the bedrooms due to the noise transfer to your downstairs neighbors. Other buildings solve for this by creating strict guidelines of types of flooring and padding required in order to create enough sound deadening to the condo units below. Other people get around the whole issue altogether by citing reasons such as allergies with a Doctor’s Note that they physically cannot have carpet in their condos. Check with each individual building on the rules and regulations when it comes to flooring.
Staging
A great tool that professional real estate agents use to sell condos in High Rises is a technique called staging. This entails placing furniture and minimalistic items around a home to make it appear larger and more inviting. Most of the time the furniture used in staging is an unrealistic way to live on a day to day basis even though it looks amazing. Make sure to take into account your own current furnishings and if they would fit into the new space when your shopping for a condo in Denver.
Closet space
Square footage is once again the name of the game when it comes to shopping for a condo in a High Rise. Closet space can be a little sparse in some unit floor plans due to placement of mechanical rooms and utilities. For all you Sneakerheads, make sure to open all the closet doors and be sure your closet space is going to be able to hold all of those kicks.
Security and safety
Feeling safe and secure is one of those non-negotiables when it comes to living in your home. Making sure that the high rise you are going to live in has a secure entry and access point is very important. Check to see if the building has electronic fob access. Does the building have a 24 hour concierge desk? Is there security on site? Living in downtown is a lot of fun, but having someone wander off the streets who had a little bit too much fun and sit outside your door, is not.
Front desk or no front desk
We touched a little on this above with having a staffed front desk for safety reasons. Other benefits of having a staffed front desk are the ability to sign for packages, dry cleaning delivery and groceries. In this day and age of online shopping, it’s quite delightful to be able to order your dinner and a new pair of shoes from work and come home to it waiting for you. Buildings in Downtown Denver like The Glass House and The Spire have 24 hour staffed front desks.
What’s included in the HOA fees
“HOA” stands for Homeowners Association and all buildings with multiple condos will have one. Each owner will pay dues to the Homeowners Association to pay for common area costs such as cleaning and maintenance of the community spaces, sewer, trash etc. Some HOA’s have a common boiler or water system or even shared electricity and WiFi. This is something to consider when budgeting your monthly costs. If the High Rise HOA covers water and internet, that can save you over $100 a month in utility costs.
Amenities
When shopping for a condo in a High Rise, one of the key things to consider is what type of amenities the building has to offer. You’re moving into a managed building for a reason, usually because of convenience and proximity to work. Does the building have a workout facility? Is there a year round or seasonal pool? Does the building have a guest suite that owners can access for guests? Is there available parking for overnight visitors? All of these extra features can contribute significantly to the overall living quality of your new condo in a High Rise.
Happy Shopping for your next home in a High Rise!
There are many things to consider at the end of the day when it comes to finding the condo of your dreams in a High Rise in Denver. The overall convenience and benefits of High Rise living make it very attractive to a lot of buyers in today’s market. These items are good list of things to think about after you decide how many bedrooms and bathrooms you need in your new condo. Please reach out to Usaj Realty if you would like to learn more about the condos in Downtown Denver.
Happy High Rise House Hunting!
