Is maintenance negotiable?

You cannot negotiate the cost of insurance & heating oil & building upkeep & repairs. The next time you get a bill, call the provider & ask if you can negotiate the bill because you don't like the price.

It is absolutely not negotiable and I have never heard of it being "waived", ever.

smooshie, you can also call the IRS and tell them that your paying taxes is contingent on lowering your taxes. Seriously, did you ever retained a real estate lawyer?

I'd suggest you edumacate yourself before making any offers. Not to be too harsh, but you clearly have no grasp of even the basics if you're asking this sort of question. Ain't no way you're gonna be able to negotiate the best deal possible if you go in green - they'll eat your lunch. And drink your milkshake.

The answer is no, you CANNOT negotiate maintenance. With whom would you negotiate, exactly? The owner has no control over the CCs, which are set by the co-op. No clue where you got the incorrect notion that you can have your maintenance 'waived' - that is simply not true. It is possible, perhaps, to negotiate on an assessment that happens to be in place - for example, you *might* be able to get the seller to agree to cover, say, part of a $150/month assessment that's already in place for previous building improvements or repairs. *Might* being the operative word. But you cannot negotiate the maintenance itself.

You are correct that a higher-than-normal maintenance can signify financial instability. And the maintenance will only increase. Generally apartments with unusually high maintenance trade at a discount relative to those in buildings with more reasonable CCs.

if u ask the board to negotiate the m/cc, see if they approve you in the building...

In the best interest of this discussion board- let's discuss what is included in maintenance charges.

Maintaining the building- routine elevator service, porter/super/doormen salaries, accountant fees, pest control, heat, water, electricty to common areas, etc...

Property taxes are included a co-op's maintenance.

If the co-op has an underlying mortgage- that will be included in the maintenance as well.

The only way you would lower maintenance is if you join the board and are personally responsible for finding ways to cut costs in the building. If the board was so inclined to cut the monthly cost to owners, then it would be across the board- and not to just one owner.

This maintenance and tax amounts around NYC does not exist in any major city in Europe...It is like education or health costs here in the US, everything is absurdly and unnecessarily high!

Smooshie, are you maybe confusing maintenance in a co-op with common charges in a new construction sponsor sale condo? There have been instances where the sponsor will pay your common charges for say 1 year as a way to lure buyers into looking at his/her condo building, but the case is not the same for a co-op or a resale.

"This maintenance and tax amounts around NYC does not exist in any major city in Europe...It is like education or health costs here in the US, everything is absurdly and unnecessarily high!"

I really doubt this, the costs must be paid in every society, by every generation. You're just not looking in the right places. Paris and London are not cheap places to live.

I'm trying to get the cost basis of my life moved back to 1948. I have heard that things were cheaper back then. So far, no luck.

Thanks Streetwise 123. I recently received a notice from an agent that a property I'd look at was now offering 6months free maintenance. That's what I meant by 'waived'.

I would say that any "waived" maintenance charges would indicate that the price is too high. You don't get something for nothing.

maintenance can be negotiated.....with the seller!!! Negotiate a one or two year maintenance "waiver"and have the seller pay in advance to the bldg. Everything is negotiable.

Sure, julia, lots of sellers will line up to take your "deal". Stick to price negotiations with the true maintenance costs figured into the equation. The rest is a gimmick. The board will want to see that the buyer can carry the real maintenance amount from day one. You want the asset, pay the cost of the asset. Your maintenance waiver will certainly cost you more in terms of a higher price.