Thoughts on DE Lofts?

[tella100]

Looking at a couple of units in the 510 building (the one above blacktop creative next to Indp. Ave)  Anyone who has rented here have any thoughts?  How about the downtown real estate gurus?  Seems like sells have been especially slow on these units given how long they have been on the market.  The common club room/work out room is fab and the views are top notch.  Any thoughts?

[DaveKCMO]

we will probably be renting one while we wait for our unit at piper to complete. i'll keep you posted.

[VELO DOOM]

I've lived in 509 for 2 years.  Was here before DE took over.
Have seen residents who've lived here for 25+ years move out cause they were unhappy with the direction things were going.  I've also seen new tenants move in and in a month or two have to move out cause DE sold their place to be converted to condo.  I enjoy the location and I love my neighbors but thats about it. The staff in the office is nice enough. 

My take is they're more concerned about selling these places.  The whole reason DE took over was to convert everything to condo.  At anytime can duke off the street come into my apartment and scope it...they give me 24 hours notice.  To me this is annoying.  That workout room you're talking about...I may have this wrong, but I'm under the impression you have to buy a card to get in there to use it if you're renting.  Maintenance kinda sucks.  I'm still living with a fucked up wall from the 3 month roof leak, that I had to tell them about 2.5 times before they actually fixed it.  Oh yah, and since its getting nice out again I'm sure they'll have more "VIP" parties where 98% of the renting tenants aren't invited.  Also, don't lock up your bike to a pole out front and leave it for any length of time.  Guess it hurts their "look."

[coreyo]

I went through the places looking to buy. I liked the look of the place, but yeah, if you're looking to rent, VELO is probably right. I set up an appointment with the office, and they took me through 5 places. 3 of which were occupied by renters. So, I can see how that would be extremely annoying for people renting there. 

[tella100]

I am a buyer.  I think its a rough deal for renters, especially anyone wanting to stay very long.  My question is about the prospect of buying into this building.

[bahua]

I friend of mine signed a contract with them to buy a condo, and they kept baiting and switching. First they told him that the place would come with various amenities, inclusive of the selling price: laundry machines, a parking space, a balcony. One by one, each amenity was discovered to add more to the cost of the place. The closing date came and went, and the developers didn't have their shit together with permits and whatnot to be able to close, so they said he could move in and live rent-free until they could close. So he moved in, and for months, after many promises and purported deadlines, the developer was no closer to closing, so my friend got a buyer's agent to get them to sign a paper that said that if they couldn't close by such and such date, then his (expired) contractual obligation was completely removed, and he wouldn't owe them a red cent. Amazingly, they signed it, and of course, they weren't ready to close on the appointed date(some six months later than the original proposed closing date), and my friend walked away. Soured on the whole condo thing, he bought a house in Midtown.

Whoever is in charge of that place sounds like a bunch of irresponsible amateurs, and I wouldn't wish having to deal with them on anyone.

[DaveKCMO]

Whoever is in charge of that place sounds like a bunch of irresponsible amateurs, and I wouldn't wish having to deal with them on anyone.

the developer doesn't have a sterling reputation amongst the real estate crowd, so if you can handle the extra trouble, it might be a way to leverage a good price.

[coreyo]

That's unfortunate about the developer. These places are really unique and it seems like the community there is very cool.

The two thing that made me move on to other places is that I wanted a good view of downtown, and P&L within safe walking distance.  The views they showed me were decent, but not great. I also never got a good response on how safe it was to walk in-between the P&L and DElofts.  I heard from several people who live downtown that the area around the highway should be avoided at night especially if you're by yourself. Anyone have a different opinion?

[bahua]

I've walked from my place close to there to the P&L area more times than I can count, and many times late at night. I have been alone the vast majority of these times. Maybe I've just been extremely lucky in this hellish neighborhood, but I've never had more trouble than derelicts bugging me for change in the five years I've been downtown.

[staubio]

I walk across the freeway every single day at various hours. You see some various stuff underneath Grand and around Broadway. Aside from that, I've never had any problems. In fact, I hardly ever get panhandled -- once a month at the most.

[staubio]

Also, don't lock up your bike to a pole out front and leave it for any length of time.  Guess it hurts their "look."

I always like seeing your bike chained up outside.

What did they say to you? Did they attempt to remove it? They have absolutely no right to say anything about your bike. That pisses me off just a tad.

[KCFan]

I would say to walk down to P&L, but then take a cab back at the end of the night.  You'd probably be alright to walk it, but it's just better safe than sorry at that time of night.

[VELO DOOM]

I always like seeing your bike chained up outside.

What did they say to you? Did they attempt to remove it? They have absolutely no right to say anything about your bike. That pisses me off just a tad.

You seen my new Cannondale track bike?  Ya son!

So heres the story. 
For maybe two weeks at least there had been an old white road bike locked to the streetlight pole. 
I'm kinda known as the bike guy in the building by the people in the office so one of them asked me
if that was my bike out front or if I knew whose it was.  I replied no and was informed that they thought
about removing it, but thought it best to maybe leave a note before they cut the lock.  Top notch.  So another
week rolls by or so and a couple of my friends swing by on their bikes and the same person out of the office
asked them if that was their bike.  Being the smartass that I am, "is that your bike?" became the running joke
for the day.  It just so happens we're all outside fixing this rookies flat tire and this kid around my age walks
in the door, but before he does I ask "hey is that your bike?"  He steps in, then steps back out and and said
as a matter of fact it is.  Ha!  I explain whats up, he explains the lack of somewhere to store his bike and steps
into the office.  Next day its locked up along the railing in between the two offices buildings to the south of me.
A week or so later its completely gone, so I'm guessing he brought it inside or something.  I thought this to be
f-in retarded.  If anything I would think it'd bring some cred to this place, but I guess not. 

this thread cracks me up, espically the comment about the developer not having a sterling reputation.  Can that
be elaborated on? 

[DaveKCMO]

that's just what my agent told me. so i'm totally repeating second hand gossip.

[bahua]

I don't know about their reputation. I just know how they treated my friend.

[mildweed]

I bought in DE's 509 building 4 months ago.
Yes, I saw a lot of renters' places.  24h notice would suck for renting.  Also, being kicked out with 30d notice would suck too.
Walking to and from P&L - cake.  I do it all the time.  And usually keep right on walking down to The Cashew instead.
Developers- good people but perhaps a smidge understaffed.
Salesmen- no baiting and switching for me.  Then again, every step of the way I asked how much each amenity cost.  Amenities can be used as bargaining chips at the negotiating table.

All in all, I'm very happy living here.

[Gretz]

My sister has/is buying a place here.  Supposed to close today.  The place she bought someone bought, got laid off, and got thrown out of within a few months of moving in.  A classic case of an ill-advised sub-prime, no money down mortgage gone bad.  Sister snapped it up at a bargain basement price.  There is some confusion as there was a transfer of ownership from the old owner to the bank at some point in the process due to some tardy paperwork on the part of the bank, but they were supposed to close today.  She loves the neighborhood, her unit and the amenities.  It was a great value, with nice finishes plenty of space, a unique feel for a really great price.  There is a ludicrously large fire escape connected to her place that serves as a free gigantic deck.  Hopefully she isn't getting jerked around like some have mentioned.  I'll update, hopefully with a happy ending, once her deal is complete.

[mildweed]

I will be partying on said fire escape for the Buzz Under the Stars concert in a few weeks.  Tell her to look down two floors and say hi.

[Gretz]

Sister finally closes tomorrow morning on her place.  I was mis-informed in my earlier posts, however.  It seems she has been dealing with a bank that re-po'ed the place from the previous owner and not the management of the unsold properties, so can't really offer much insight on the DE lofts people.  Irrelevant in regards to DE lofts folks, whom my sister loved, but bank was ultra slow and stupid, and almost lost an opportunity to sell the unit at a only slightly discounted price instead of going through full forclosure and getting hit with a massive loss... 

[zonk]

i heard through the rumor mill that the remaining DE Lofts units will be rental until the for-sale market stabilizes.