Forte integrated

Forte to be - I asked the sponsors attorney about the supers apt and he said they are adjusting it. Also, seems like you know alot about cables etc. I just set up my verizon fios to be installed. I dont want any wires to be show - how do they connect it?

How much of a discount off the original price did you get?

Not showing anything will highly depend on your unit and where you don't want to see the wire. First, the closet where the FIOS access panel (yellow fiber optic cable is going to be the brains of your system. That is where they convert the fiber to phone, cable and internet. Once in there, it is connected to the rest of the cables in your wall and is carried over the coax/cat 5 cable. The bigger issue is moving from the cable in the wall to a jack and from a jack to your TV. That is going to be plain coax to the set top box.

Anyone know if the Cat 5 cable is stranded or solid? Sorry again. Just ordering my connection supplies.

From wiki: "building wiring (for example, the wiring inside the wall that connects a wall socket to a central patch panel) is solid core, while patch cables (for example, the movable cable that plugs into the wall socket on one end and a computer on the other) are stranded."

NWT, what wiki is that? Not for Forte specifically, is it?

The Cat5 wiki, for what it's worth, as that refers to standard practice. The contractor may have used stranded inside the conduit.

My (hopefully educated) guess is the cabling inside the walls is solid cabling. Solid cabling is traditionally used inside of walls and isn't very flexible (like a patch cord). Also, the photo showing the cables from the other day appears to support this. What supplies do you need that differentiate between stranded and solid?

Source: http://www.connectworld.net/syscon/support.htm

Hey everyone, just wanted to share my experience with the walk through.

We hired advanced property inspections to check out the place. Sergey was our guy. We thought he was pretty thorough and gave us a run down of all the things that concerned him as well as things that didn't concern him.

Windows: Basically, he said the cracks by the windows were cosmetic and could be fixed. There is heat loss at the corners of the windows that looks like they need to be resealed from the inside and the outside. Our agent said that the plan was for the windows of building to be resealed from the outside in the spring, and that it would be covered by the warranty from the window installation company.

Some electrical issues included:
One of the electrical outlets doesn't have power. Also, the PTAC unit in the dining area doesn't have power. A wall switch in one of the bedrooms doesn't control anything.

Plumbing:
One plumbing issue is that in the second bathroom, the water runs to the tub, but won't switch over to the shower head.

Kitchen appliances:
Fridge has a dent, and one of the handles is scratched. D/W is scratched. Garbage disposal in the drain doesn't turn on.

Kitchen:
Lots of dents in the bottom drawers and cabinet doors. cabinet doors and drawers need to be realigned. A seam between two slabs of countertop isn't aligned well.

Have you all found similar issues? Anyone close who had these issues and had everything fixed?

Hello all - I am scheduled to close in a few weeks and look forward to meeting you all soon!

I recently discovered this blog and have gleaned a lot of good info, so hopefully I can reciprocate with a deal on window shades. I purchased HUNTER DOUGLAS window treatments from Richard Basile of LWP Home Products for my unit. LWP is a 3rd generation family owned Brooklyn (Sunset Park) based business that is an official certified Hunter Douglas dealer (see the Hunter Douglas website). Richard gave me a comprehensive consultation and a great deal on shades including installation by LWP's own certified installers (not subcontractors). I was very happy with the pricing since it seems to be similar to the other deals and prices that others like ccforte and momoya and have posted on this board from budget blinds and janovic, but these are for name brand Hunter Douglas shades. Richard said that he would extend a special deal for others at The Forte - on top of 30% off Hunter Douglas list prices, Richard said he would give an extra 10% for Forte reisdents who contact him and mention discount code "230-29". Richard can be reached at 718-492-7774 or richard@lwphomepro.com. Good luck and see you all soon!

What cable provider are people using? I never had Verizon and was wondering if they're any better than Time Warner?

Thanks to everyone on this chain for creating such a wonderful message board. My wife and I are very close to signing a contract in the building and the information and recommendations on this site have been an invaluable tool for us.

Our inspection of the unit had all the same issues that apt_hunter highlighted in his post. The 3 major concerns we have are (1) poor construction of the windows, (2) problems with the HVAC units including leaking air and broken controls, and (3) uneven floors.

It sounds like the sponsor has a plan to fix the windows, but have folks gotten comfortable that the heat/water leakage is an addressable issue (although the water leakage seems to have already been fixed)? Also, has anyone looked into replacing the cheap HVAC control panel (or have a recommendation for a great specialist/electrician)? Last, is anyone concerned about the "settling" process of the building causing uneven floors (seems like this probably inevitably happens with all buildings)?

We've also heard that there may have been a bulk buyer of a number of units (maybe ~10+?), which is part of what allowed the building to sell-out so quickly. Has anyone heard this?

Thanks again for all the great information and advice, and hope to meet you all as future neighbors.

Hi all - been a while since I last posted but am back and scheduled to close in the next few weeks. Happy New Year!

A few updates:

INSPECTIONS (especially apt_hunter, newbuyer2010, Stucazzo, jj1918, joahjoah, Universalrooster, Leom, August39 & others who used Advanced Inspections) - It seems like a lot of people had their inspections done by Advanced Inspections. I had mine done by Advanced Inspections as well. I'd be willing to share copies of the PDF report I received for my apartment with anyone else who would be willing to share theirs as well. Even though the inspections are for specific apartments, I think there is sufficient commonality in many of the problems (e.g. windows, PTACs, etc.) that it would behoove us to share these reports so we make sure we each capture everything before our official walkthroughs / punchlists. I have my offical walkthrough this week, so would really appreciate swapping reports with anyone else who hired Advanced Inspections. Please e-mail me at ccforte1@gmail.com if you're interested in swapping reports. I'm in an "A" line, so I'd be especially interested in swapping reports with anyone in one of these lines.

WINDOW SHADES - Thanks to 230Ash for her / his tip on LWP. I spoke to Richard and he is offering a deal that is very comparable to that which I received from Budget Blinds. So, I will probably be going with LWP as they will be delivering Hunter Douglas products for the same price (with the Hunter Douglas lifetime warranty, etc.). Richard also mentioned that he might be able to give us all a group discount if enough purchase from him as well (through bulk ordering, etc.), so if you're interested, I would encourage all to contact him ASAP.

Newbuyer2010:
According to Sergey (advanced inspections), he did not find any moisture in the walls by the windows, so I have some level of comfort there...

Also, according to the condo questionnaire that HSBC had the condo management fill out, out of the 93 units conveyed at the time of the questionnaire, 91 units are for primary residence, with 2 for rental. Also according to the questionnaire, no single entity owns 10% of the total units. Hopefully all this is accurate.

CCForte:
I sent you my inspection report. Good luck with your walk-through.

Hi Everyone,

With regards to the Verizon- I have my installation scheduled for this week - and have a dumb question.
They mention a wireless router - now with regards to Fios does that also mean that the cable will be wireless
so there will be no cords going into the TV? Also, someone mentioned that they had a consulation with california closets as well as transform - wanted to know how they compare from a quality/price perspective.
Lastly, if you get the closest done - do you think you would have to change the doors at the same time? I know it makes sense but all of this really adds up!

thanks!!

cc forte: I have not yet done my inspection, but I intend to use Sergey from Advanced Inspections. This is my first condo purchase, but do you typcially have the inspector with you at the official punchlist/walkthrough or is the inspection always done before the walkthrough?

August39 - I had my inspection done by Advanced Inspections prior to signing my contract to ensure that there weren't any major issues that would have prevented me from signing (since you have the most leverage before signing). Having an inspector with you during the official walkthrough would probably help provide significant credibility to your punchlist (e.g. who can argue with heat loss when you have an infrared camera on hand). So, ideally, it would probably be best to have Sergey inspect the place before you sign the contract and accompany you during the walkthrough to emphasize his findings. However, since Sergey will likely charge you for both inspections, it can be quite costly (which is why I opted to hire Advanced Inspections before signing). Thus, assuming you don't want to pay for 2 appointments with Sergey, I think you have to weigh where you feel the most risk - i.e. is your contract signing contingent upon the results of the inspection? If so, I would hire the inspector before signing, then bring the report generated to the walkthrough. Or, if you're comfortable signing without any professional inspection, sign the contract, give your deposit, then hire Sergey to flush out any issues / problems during the walkthrough (but keep in mind that you are taking the risk that the sponsor will agree to address all the issues you point out since your deposit has already been remitted). The good thing for you is that a number of us have already had our inspections done and have posted our findings, and according to some people who have closed, the sponsor has been good about rectifying the punchlist (my final judgment is reserved until I finish my walkthrough this week), so you're not going in completely blind. Hope this helps!

asia1324, there is no such thing as wireless cable TV. You will have coaxial cable to your TV.

asia1324, we got our closet inserts done through transFORM; attempted to get CC to come in, but realized that we had to deal with their Long Island office, as their Manhattan location can't service Brooklyn. Didn't want to bother having someone drive in, since in all likelihood the cost was going to much, much more. We are very happy with our systems. We also decided to rip our closet doors out in order to use the space inside more effectively (we're on a floor with the higher ceilings and the inside of the closets reached all the way up, whereas the doors did not. Is replacing the doors costly? Yes, pretty much double what the inserts cost, but we thought to do it all now and not have to worry about it ever again. I will try to post pics this weekend, when I guestimate that we'll no longer be living in unpacking hell.
Someone had also asked about movers. we went with Flatrate and were very very happy beginning to end. I'd also HIGHLY recommend them to pack for you - you don't have to worry about getting boxes, packing, staring at boxes days+weeks leading up to your move - essentially all the things that make a move stressful.
Look forward to meeting you all soon!

thanks Momoya - I have a consulation scheduled for sat. how many closets did you get done and which line are you?

asia1324: The wireless router is for the internet only.

We are in C line and got the two closets in the master merged into one big one; got the small closet in the 2nd bedroom done and made the alcove next to the window in that room another closet as well.

BAM is expected to close this week on the 4,000-square-foot retail space on the ground floor of the luxury Forté condos. It will use that space to exhibit its archives and to produce other public programming.
http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100207/FREE/302079987&template=printart

Leom, thanks for sharing this good news. I won't deny I was secretly hoping for a delicious and cheap 24 hour Mexican food place, but this seems like a very close second and probably better for property values. Also, just happy to know the space will be occupied.

Great news leom. The article also says that upgraded sidewalks and lighting will start construction at the end of the year. From www.dbpartnership.org, the streetscape improvements run along Ashland Pl from fulton to hanson place, and along lafayette from flatbush to fulton/fort greene pl. That is, at least according to their latest master plan (not dated)...

MoMoYa, how did you get the master bedroom closets merged? Can you tell me what it cost?

ccforte thanks for the info. I'm going to do a walkthrough with Sergey tomorrow. I'll let you know how it turns out.

cline, we hired the contractor that The Sliding Door Company (where our closet doors are coming from) uses to do their installations. Since he was going to be the one installing the new doors, we thought it was best to hire him to take the existing ones out. In the spare room he removed the scloset door and finished the edges. In the master, he removed both doors, removed the wall above them all the way to the ceiling and the section in between, and then finished the walls/edges and floors. It looked amazing! If you want to send me your email address, I can send you an "after" shot (with closet inserts from transFORM installed in the space)that I have on my blackberry. All the rest of the pics are on our camera, which I endeavor to download into the googlegroups thing on the weekend.

MoMoYa, thank you. Did you have to get board approval to remove the wall?

Hello all -

We are planning to have some closet work done as well. Has anyone tried to enlarge the closet in the second bedroom for the A line? It is pretty tiny, and I assume it is because there is some support in the adjacent wall, but one contractor who checked it out, thought there might be some space.

Thanks!

cline, was not a supporting wall - so no. Contractor informed property management company of the work and they ok'd it.

MoMoya - do you mind sending me the pictures? My email address is asia1324@hotmail.com. We havent moved in yet but we will be at our place on sat for some consultations. If you didnt mind, maybe we could stop by to see it in person. My other concern is with regards to get the cable installed. I really dont want any wired to show but it is my understanding that its the only way to connect unless they break through the wall. Has anyone had theirs done yet? particularly in the D line where the box is in the entrance closet? Also, does anyone know if the fios cable is already in the box? Excuse my ignorance on these techy matters

Momoya, would you mind sending the pics. to me too? we are meeting Transformers on Friday and would like to have a better idea. Thanks! my email is: silbaldermann@hotmail.com
Thanks to all that posted their experiences with the walk-through, we have our Thursday and have a very long list... will let you know how that goes.

MoMoYa - I would really appreciate receiving the photos as well - my e-mail address is ccforte1@gmail.com Thank you!

For those who have had their window shades installed, could you please advise if the brackets were installed in the window frame or in the ceiling? Thanks!

Pic has been sent...
ccforte, brackets cannot be installed into the frame (check out the rule book)

MoMoYa

Could you send me pics as well if it is not too much trouble for you? joahjoah@yahoo.com
Thanks a lot!!

New info on BAM for neighborhood. Realize the google group is a better place for this but we haven't closed yet :(

http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2010/02/bam.php

hi guys, i posted some of the before and after pics of the closets in the 230ashland google group discussion. cheers!

Thx MoMoYa. Looks very neat & functional! Enjoy your snow view from the top of Forte. :)

Thanks...gotta love our employer for declaring it a "snow day" ; )
Enjoy your day off as well!

hi everyone,
we have a signed contract but have yet to close. we're very excited to be a part of Forte. during the inspection the inspector was puzzled by the fact that only cover plates were on the cable outlets had no fittings to connect something to (they were solid plastic with no plug in options or jacks visible.) does anyone know if the building is responsible for rectifying this before closing?
also, can anyone share any light on the approx price differential between budget blinds and hunter douglas blinds and if one offers more chioce?
thx!

There is nothing to "rectify". The wiring is in the wall behind the cover plate; you terminate it yourself. The building didn't do it for you because who knows whether you'd want two data lines, two phone lines, or one of each. etc.

hi everyone, can anyone please provide the dimensions of the master bedroom closets for the "a" line? i want to go get some quotes tomorrow morning but don't have them handy. thanks!

Aliner: Budget Blinds sells blinds from a lot of different manufacturers, including hunter douglas. Budget Blinds does not make blinds.

Thanks to all. Does anyone have a recommendation for a painter besides Master Painters? I've left three messages over the last several days and no one has responded, which is not a good sign. Thanks again.

We are meeting with Ian Healy, recommended by a friend, Sunday morning at the Forte at 10:30 am. He did a friend's 950-sq-ft apartment for under $2K with materials, and she was very happy. She lives in a fancy midtown building so he must have insurance. His email is enda_healy@yahoo.com or you can call me at 646-271-5198.

sorry to have been out of touch for a few weeks! i was in beirut and just got back. Chelsea did you not like the quotes from Master Painters? Thanks for forwarding Ian's info - am calling him now.

Chelsea or SAnthony,

My work E-mails down. Can one of you just look at the Cat 5e cable and see if it is stranded or solid, or write down the numbers on the wires?

Shawn

All, if you want another option for painter - here is the contact info of another painter that came in to quote us. He seemed very good and his price was cheaper than Master Painter: Richard Stabile/True Coat Paint :(718) 227-2415/Cell Phone:(347) 996-2773 stabile1@verizon.net

The quote we got from Marcial at Master Painters was for $3,750 to paint the D line, ceiling included, and fixing various cracks and things. That was without doing a skim coat and sanding--if you want that, it's more like $4,450. It's 3-5 days without skim coat and 7-10 days with. He did a beautiful job on MoMoYa's apartment--we just wanted to get another option. Another advantage of going with Marcial is that he is actually a general contractor so can do whatever you need--adding lights, etc. He has various crews but seemed to manage them well. We haven't been in touch with him since he gave us the quote on 1/30.

thanks chelsea. let us know how it goes with ian.

anyone else lacking a floordrain in the washer/dryer cloest? or emergency drain pan for the washer?

I don't think any of the units have drains in the W/D closet. My inspector told me that's common in apartment buildings.

thanks for all the helpful comments. we are working on getting a painter in from LI who does good work and could be a bargain as well. we will keep you posted as soon as we get his quote.
we were in our until recently to get some closet and blinds quotes and noticed a strong mildew smell near the washer/dryer and some faint water damage in the ceiling at the corner of the hallway entrance. has anyone noticed any interior water damage issues or moldy smells (besides the master bedroom water marks near the windows that have been previously discussed)?

Thanks Andra!

MoMoYa - you said master painters were slow....were you delayed?
And how much was the quote from Richard?

Asia, Tim and Universal I am also interested in getting us a bike rack or bike storage.

We also vote for a bike rack or storage.

jj1918, we were originally told that the work would take 5 days and it ended up being 7...not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but we were a bit panicked, as we needed them to be done in time for us to get our floors done, so we could move in the day after. They spent days and days skimming the walls, which we are glad we got done; the painting only ended up taking about two days.
Richard's quote was $2000 including paint costs (Benjamin Moore Regal). Master Painter was around what Chelsea's quote was from Marcial, however, ours included the repairs and skimming/sanding.

any estimates out there on what it costs for Transform to design 3 closets? I know designs vary greatly but wanted to get a general sense. thanks!

Hi everyone, I was told the building only has the structure insured but not the interior in each apt (ceiling, flooring, walls) and was required to get insurance for the latter. Any recommendations?
MoMoYa - Seems that you didn't get the insurance from the mortgage centre. Is the policy rate better somewhere else?

Aliner - i would say around $2600 if you do the economical version of the closets. Around $3500 - $4000 if you go all out and have the flooring too.

MoMoYa -- thanks for the tip. I am panicking as it is already. Is it crazy to have some of my stuff moved in while they are still painting? I can just make sure one room is finished for the boxes I guess....(scheduling has been a nightmare).

Ian gave me a quote of $5500 for painting which is a lot higher then other quotes I have received so I wont be using him.

Leom I had to get my own insurance for the interior of my apartment. Let me know if I can be of help.

finance question: has anyone at forte closed using bank of america as their mortgage lender?

another option for closet design/organization: in the past i've used the elfa system from the container store and found it to be quite flexible, functional and reasonably priced.

Leom, it was cheaper to get the insurance outside; we got it through Allstate, who we had been dealing with for our renter's policy previously. Person we dealt with was:
Jaclyn Alves
Licensed Agent
Phone: 212-267-7601 212-267-7601
Fax: 212-267-7604
Email: JaclynAlves@Allstate.com
Aliner, it all depends on what your closet configuration is (how much hanging vs. shelves vs. if you want drawers (essentially replicating a dresser, built inside your closet)), and how big your closets are. Costs can easily exceed what jj mentioned as the go all out cost...

jj1918, forgot to mention - if you're not getting skimming/sanding done to your walls, then I don't think it's a big deal at all to have your stuff already inside. Any painter will have tons of dropcloths to cover your stuff with. Our place was a dust disaster because of the days-long skimming process, so were lucky that our stuff wasn't already inside. If you're going to have that done, you might want to go to the hardware store and grab a roll of the industrial plastic wrap to protect your bed, couches, etc..

MoMoYa - Thx for the info. Good to have choices for shopping around.
JJ - Do you mind also disclosing your insurance company's contacts?
theaarlz - There was a mortgage broker from BoA who posted on this thread. They are doing deals with Forte. You can dig out his/her email in the previous pages. I recall the name is "hong" something.

thanks MoMoYa - that helps a lot! Just curious though - why did you skim? Is that really necessary?

Leom - i did not use a mortgage broker for my mortgage which ended up being a terrible TERRIBLE mistake. I can not even begin to describe the hell this process has been because of that. So I DID use an insurance broker for my insurance - I used Mitchel Ngo - he was absolutely wonderful to work with!
Mitchell Ngo - Ph 732-842-4800 x 200
email - mngo@myinsurancerep.com

Whats the consensus on the floors? Do they absolutely need to be sealed?

We are installing Elfa closets right now - we bought 3 closets worth of stuff along with laundry area shelving and it cost us @ $1500 - they just had a sale that ended pres day (30% off) whats nice about it - as mentioned you can change the configuration as your needs change. Also, we used state farm for home owners - Alan Wheeler on atlantic ave. The price was pretty reasonable. As for sealing - our inspector told us that you can buy a product like Rejuvanate from Home Depot and use that for the floors as well as the counters/ bathroom etc. Lastly, our mortgage broker got us a pretty good deal and excellent interest rate and we closed rather quick - if anyone wants his contact information just let me know.

asia, i too looked into buying Elfa closets for our apartment, but the sales lady told us that our closets were too shallow to fit hangers. she mentioned that the depth for closets with hangers should be at least 23", and by my measurement closets on the A line are about 19" deep. did you have any issues with this? thanks!

Just to follow up about Ian Healy's quote for our painting (D line 2-bedroom), it was initially $5,500. I said it was higher than what we had been hoping for. He then took out the ceilings and closets and reduced the price to $4,200--still higher than Master Painters. So we will not be using him, either. Sorry for the waste of time on this one, jj.

We are contemplating painting the place ourselves. We've done it before, we're not that picky, and it's kind of fun.

Finally, we got a quote from an electrician to install 2 overhead recessed lights per bathroom, for $1,350 labor total plus $65 per fixture. Maybe expensive but we are probably going to do it anyway.

jj, we didn't think it was necessary until Marcial (MP) pointed out all the spots that were uneven (drops of dried paint that builder used, etc..). We are in C line, which is realllllly bright, so we thought that if we didn't get the walls smooth, that it would show once there was color on the walls.
HH, when the guy came in to give us our estimate, he said "it wouldn't be bad idea to do it" and that doing it every few years wouls preserve the life of them in the long-term. Was it absolutely necessary -probably not, but since this was the only opportunity that we'd be able to do it with our place entirely empty, we chose to go ahead.

no worries chelsea! thanks for the referrel. i have quotes in with 2 more people - one from element design for about $4000 and I have another person coming in on the weekend so lets see.

i too am thinking of painting it myself as well. lets see.

HH i am leaving the floors as is.

About the closets, we got a quote for $1,600 for a very basic design for three closets and laundry room shelves...(we are in the B line). They are giving us all a choice of wood color for free.

theark1z: I actually contact the person from Bank of America who was posting on this thread. He was by far the most responsive out of all the other people at other banks that I talked to. We will end up going with him. His name is Sunny Hong, and his email address is sunny.hong@bankofamerica.com

Hi Everyone,

We've signed our contract and will be moving in April. Has anyone successfully closed a mortgage with Scott Sullivan / Wells Fargo? We got a pretty competitive rate from him, so we thought it would probably be easiest to work with Wells since we heard they are technically "pre-approved" to lend in the building. However, I spoke with the loan processor today and he said he didn't know anything about the pre-approval and that the building would still need to be reviewed by their credit committee, which was disappointing (my understand is that the review takes more time / adds risk).

Also, keep the vendor recommendations coming. Has anyone found an electrician that they really liked?

Congrats newbuyer! I didn't go w. Sullivan b/c there was a fight for clients btwn him and another broker who served on site that Thanksgiving weekend. But from my experience borrowing from another institution, Wells Fargo should have pre-approved Forte if they already had deals in the building. Sullivan is a mortgage broker, who charges commission. As a rule of thumb, you should look at APR, which takes into account not only the rates but also origination fee, buying points, closing fees etc. Or you can ask for the estimate from him beforehand. After the application, you'll also get the "good faith estimate" before signing the commitment letter:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/realestate/14mort.html?scp=1&sq=good%20faith&st=cse
http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/22/a-guide-to-the-new-good-faith-estimate/?scp=2&sq=good%20faith&st=cse
I feel like individual mortgage brokers are more responsive but also more salesy. They are efficient but might have hidden fees. Also Inquire about prepayment penalty, refinance charges etc if you plan to do so. Now that Forte is fully sold and Fannie Mae approved, you should be able to get loans from most banks. The process takes no more than 1 month in general, which fits your expected moving in April. It doesn't hurt to do a bit comparison shopping.
Just my personal opinion FYI. Good luck!

Hi everyone - just FYI - if you haven't already heard from your attorneys, a new amendment to the offering plan was just sent out by the sponsor's attorney. The good news is that the sale price of the resident super's apartment price has been reduced from $900K to $445K. The bad news is that (1) at closing, all buyers will have to contribute 2 month's worth of common charges to the capital reserve fund (instead of the original 1 month), and (2) despite the super's apartment price being lowered, no common charges were lowered. This is all due to the fact that the most recent budget requires common charges to remain at their current levels AND that there should be a larger reserve fund (hence the 2 month's worth of common charges vs. 1). In case anyone was looking to object to this 2 month common charge contribution vs. 1, apparently the sponsor's stance is "take it or leave it" since there is apparently so much demand for the units. This was definitely an unwelcome surprise since I am close to my closing date, but unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be much leverage. If anyone else has any luck getting the sponsor to accept 1 month of common charges as contribution to the reserve fund vs. 2, please advise.

thanks ccforte. i tooo am closing soon.
when do we have to pay our share for the super's apartment? or is the 2 month worth of common charges covering that?

thanks!

JJ - the sponsor is extending financing for the super's apartment in the form of a note to the condo for the purchase. The note is a 3 year note with interest. The interest payment for the note is paid by the owners and is already built into the monthly common charges. The note matures in 3 years, which means that the condo (via the board) would likely need to find a way to refinance the note (i.e. pay the sponsor the principal amount of the note) through more permanent financing. Similar to the sponsor note, the monthly cost of this permanent financing will be shared by the owners, and built into the monthly common charges.

1. I'm just wondering: if the super's unit has just been repriced for about half it was and today's interests are notably lower that the loan was calculated two years ago, can't the new condo board refinance to lower the cc for everyone?
2. I don't view a larger cash reserve as bad news though we have to contribute more of our own money. Right now, it will facilitate some new buyers' getting loans b/c the lenders will consider the building in more favorable terms; in the long run, a financially sound Forte will help the resale price for each individual owner. However, I'm curious to know: are current tenants & newly closed are also required to put one more month's cc to the reserve?
Just ideas out the top of my head. Looking forward to knowledgeable folks' opinion.

Leom - thanks for the info on the mortgage and I agree with you on the reserves - more are better even though all of us will have to swallow bigger payments upfront. Obviously a new condo building that just went through a fairly major restructuring is not going to have great reserves (and I'm sure new buyers have priced that in to their purchases). From what I could see from reviewing the budget, its pretty reasonable, although I'm afraid that the relatively high utility costs for the building are probably in part due to the construction quality of the windows/HVAC and overall ability to maintain heating/air conditioning.

I think the big question about the reserves is the one you highlighted: will this increase be done equitably and what's the cutoff for 1 vs. 2 months? I would find it hard to believe that it would be possible for owners in the building to contribute different amounts to the condo reserves outside of their allocation of the common charges (assuming they are all buying in around the same time period).

Droop, we just finished installing the Elfa closets - we are in the D line and our depths ranged from 21-22 inches. There was concern about hanging clothes and the door not closing or brushing up against them. We are planning on chaning our closet doors so we weren;t that concerned. However, the doors close fine. Shelving comes in 12 and 16 inch so you should have no problem. Try calling there customer service, you many get a different answer. Also, with regards to the repricing of the supers apt. If it doesnt reduce our CC charges than what is the benefit?

Asia, the benefit is that you don't have to pay 1% of 900k for the Super's apartment, just 1% of $445k. We are on the hook for that amount (regardless of when it is due).

Shawn

Everyone, we closed on Jan. 15 and were required to pay 2 months cc as well. This is not a new thing but a requirement placed by the new sponsor on all buyers.

CCforte, great news on the super's unit. I am not too crazy on the 3 year note though from the sponsor -they don't normally give favourable rates. I think a 5 or 10 year mortgage from a regular bank would be a better option for the board. And possibly increase our cc a notch and pay the unit off in that time. It would be a nice asset to have on Forte's balance sheet.

thanks again cc!

attention A liners! there seems to be a problem in several of the a line master bedrooms. Do you have paint chipping and cracking and what looks like water damage on the master bedroom window? (upper right hand corner of the large window?)
apparently there is a leak in the gutters or the cork has not been installed properly. How are any of you dealing with this?

Anyone have a quote on how much it would cost to put the cable jack on the wall where you'd want your tv to be?
Basically moving it from the wall of windows to the opposite wall in the living room?

JJ1918: Which floor are you on in the A-line? I'm in a low floor 3bdrm. Our second bedroom, which I think corresponds to the 2bdrm A-line master bedroom is definitely the worst one of the lot, especially with the casement window. There wasn't any cracking, but there was some water stain found, but the inspector didn't find any moisture, we felt a little more at ease. Did you have a professional inspector look at it with you? What was his opinion?

JJ1918: Which floor are you on in the A-line? I'm in a low floor 3bdrm. Our second bedroom, which I think corresponds to the 2bdrm A-line master bedroom is definitely the worst one of the lot, especially with the casement window. There wasn't any cracking, but there was some water stain found, but the inspector didn't find any moisture, we felt a little more at ease. Did you have a professional inspector look at it with you? What was his opinion?

JJ1918: Which floor are you on in the A-line? I'm in a low floor 3bdrm. Our second bedroom, which I think corresponds to the 2bdrm A-line master bedroom is definitely the worst one of the lot, especially with the casement window. There wasn't any cracking, but there was some water stain found, but the inspector didn't find any moisture, we felt a little more at ease. Did you have a professional inspector look at it with you? What was his opinion?

Re: Wells Fargo / Scott Sullivan -- we closed with them last week and were very satisfied. They have been nice and helpful and generally available (although busy). Scott works until around 8 pm, which was convenient for us. It is also my understanding that they do have some type of building approval, and I did have the impression that they were able to get a few of the required items (building insurance documentation, etc.) from the building or management directly.

Has anyone built out or have plans to build out the master bedroom closet in the A line? Just trying to get some ideas for what to do. If anyone is willing to share pictures / ideas and costs, it would be most appreciated. Please e-mail me at ccforte1@gmail.com. Thanks in advance!

Thanks to all on this chain. The info has been great so far! I'll be moving in to the building next week, and am wondering what you've all done for cable / internet / phone service...Verizon Fios or Time Warner Cable? Any advice / thoughts would be appreciated!

For the folks that have already finished painting their units, id you need to paint the closet & bedroom doors? In my previous visits I failed to note whether the doors were primed or painted. Same question for the ceilings. Including the doors and ceiling makes a big difference in the paint quotes and I'm on the fence about just doing it myself. Thanks!

We are in a three bedroom low floor A line and have the water damage in the second bedroom. The water was evident on saturday because there was a pool of water sitting on the windowsill on the far right side. Yeah, the broker did not love that we were there to point it out.

We had a contractor and painters in. Waiting to hear back on quotes. Nothing much else to report from yesterday other than the in wall cabling is trishelded RG6 and solid core cat 5e. I am planning on doing all the in wall jack installing myself, but the guys who ran the cable sure did leave a lot of slack to play with.

Well, the water damage issues are nothing new to Corcharan and Adam Pacelli and Anne-Marie Gatz, They have not been convicted of fraud, but the alleged facts look pretty damning to them, how can this not be something close to it:

http://therealdeal.com/newyork/articles/state-supreme-court-rules-the-corcoran-group-negligent-with-e-mails-in-botched-park-slope-condo-sale-ceo-pam-liebman-not-named-in-the-suit

http://www.scribd.com/doc/22818079/Einstein-v-357

If I was buying an apartment in this building, I would be very careful and not trust a word that Gatz says. No way the sponsor is fixing the water issue after you close and all of you spending thousands on painting will have to fix the windows and repaint.

forte and anyone else - i had several quotes from painters come in which were just ridiculously high in many cases. i have decided to go with Master Painters who seem solid, detail oriented and have a fair price. I am painting the doors and trim as right now they only have one flat white coat and we are painting 2 coats everywhere else. I will also paint a coat in the closet.

as for closets in the A line I went with transform. and can send pictures of master bedrrom to you cc if you want.

apt_hunter - exactly same place. apparently it was the caulking in the drains which the building fixed (see ammended rider) which is why none of us had any moisture or water when our inspectors looked. The building had fixed the problem but had not cleaned up. I had an inspector who said there was absolutely no moisture as well.

forte - your problem sounds way more severe. is anyone else experiencing that???? if its in the same area as the rest of us - it is a leaky gutter up top or the cork is in wrong

are people getting verizon or time warner which is better?

Here is a picture of the the damage http://picasaweb.google.com/shawnfox/RecentlyUpdated# It may not be as bad as I portrayed it, but it was kind of distressing to see and feel.

jj1918// Hi, jj, I am on A line 2 bed as well. I was wondering to figure layout for closets. Can you send me the picture as well? joahjoah@gmail.com. I have painting quote around $3100 ($2100 for painting except ceiling + $1000 for floor sealing)
If you want more info or hasn't decide yet let me know.

jj918 and apt_hunter, we are in an A line 2BR and also have some water damage in the master bedroom. water is coming through at the right window. we were told that the windows have to be re-caulked on the outside and that this will be done this spring for the whole building.

we also have a moldy smell in our hallway. it seems to come and go. can't figure out whether it is coming from the washer/dryer or is other water damage (there is some minor water damage on the ceiling right under where our upstairs neighbor's kitchen sink is or (hopefully) a dead mouse behind the washer dryer. anyone else experiencing this?

anyone having a problem with the building's insurance requirements for contractors? we want to have a painter come in to do some work, but the building's insurance minimums may exceed his coverage. don't know whether we can work around this through our homeowners policy.

JJ, we are in a higher B where the closets are similar to the A closets (but inverted), so we would also love to see what you've done. Any chance you would be willing to post on the googlegroup or flickr? Sort of worried about posting my email address in a public forum . . .

I closed last week and had my Verizon FiOS installed a few days ago (I have had horrible experiences with Time Warner Cable in my last few apartments, so I was happy that FiOS was available at the Forte). I was able to strike a very good deal with FiOS through one of their "Elite" sales teams. Here's the deal I received:

- Verizon triple play - internet, phone, tv
- 1 year commitment
- $99.99 package with a 24 month price guarantee (even though the commitment is only for 1 year)

- I received huge incentives including:
- $150 instant sign up bonus
- $40 per month discount for the next 12 months (effectively making my rate $59.99 per month before taxes & fees, and before spreading out the sign up bonuses, etc. over the 12 months)
- One time $240 credit to offset installation charges (since I explained to them the issue of no jacks in the walls - although all of the cables are there)

The FiOS installation took about 3.5 hours, but it was quick and easy (I'm in an A line unit).

I tried to negotiate some type of building wide / group discount with the FiOS elite team to allow everyone else to get the above deal, and this is what they told me to do:

1. Ask anyone who is interested in getting FIOS installed to e-mail me
2. Once you e-mail me, I'll send you a referral code e-mail (which will give you an additional $50 credit) (for full disclosure, I also get a $50 referral credit)
3. You can sign up for FiOS online through the referral code e-mail
4. Once you sign up for FIOS installation through the referral code e-mail and schedule your installation, you will need to call the Elite team (I'll provide the contact information in the referral e-mail I send, and ask for the same types of bonuses I received).

So, if you're interested, please e-mail me at ccforte1@gmail.com