Northshore Condominium, Pattaya

[passedout]

Hi all,

A friend of mine was recently asking me about the Northshore condominium in Pattaya beach road and whether it was a good buy or not. He’s thinking about buying a one bedroom apt for around 8/9M top floor possibly to live in it at first and then renting it out at a later date. I remember going there myself to view a couple of apartments around 4 to 5 years ago when I then was interested to rent one out and the place certainly stood out from the rest in terms of being well maintained.

One of the owner/renter told me at the time that the complex was around 15 to 20 years old if I remember well and he was taking pride in saying the place was very well maintained and it looked it to be honest. Only more recently, he said, around 2005/06 another 10 floors were added on the top of the structure. The first thing that came to mind was whether that final design was taken into consideration in the blueprint and if not were the foundations strengthened at some point prior to adding all that weight on the top.

My question: Is Northshore all is cracked up to be? Does anyone have any first hand experience about living in there with its pros and cons or buying/selling any of the apartments there? In your view, could Northshore be one of those places where you can park some of your cash for the long term with the odds in your favor in terms of making some money at the end or at worse lose none?

Any useful comments will be appreciated. Thanking you in advance.

Cheers

[TheCruncher]

Northshore was an empty shell that stood unfinished from 1997 till 2005 and was then purchased by Raimonland, added a few floors and completed.

I'm not sure that a unfinished open shell that has stood 8 years near the sea would be my favorite.

You know, you can put make-up on a monkey, but it remains a monkey.

[Crash999]

I used to own a unit in Northshore that I had bought as an investment.

What you heard is correct- it was a building project that was launched shortly before the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and was halted part-way through construction. Raimon Land then took over the project. I can't remember the name of the old original project but it was designed to be a taller building as well.

Raimon Land is a good developer and this building was the first real Grade A building in Pattaya. As a whole I was happy with how it turned out. Only negatives for me were that the hallways could get very hot due to no circulation. And some of the owners were... uhh... interesting characters.

[PattayaPhom]

Location location location.......its a winner hands down, go for it.

[passedout]

Northshore was an empty shell that stood unfinished from 1997 till 2005 and was then purchased by Raimonland, added a few floors and completed.

I'm not sure that a unfinished open shell that has stood 8 years near the sea would be my favorite.

You know, you can put make-up on a monkey, but it remains a monkey.

Interesting comment thanks.

Standing there for 8 years with little or no maintenance it could’ve generated small problems that will show in years to come. Having said that it’s been 9 or 10 years since full completion so I assume anything major would have been sorted out by now.

[passedout]

I used to own a unit in Northshore that I had bought as an investment.

What you heard is correct- it was a building project that was launched shortly before the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and was halted part-way through construction. Raimon Land then took over the project. I can't remember the name of the old original project but it was designed to be a taller building as well.

Raimon Land is a good developer and this building was the first real Grade A building in Pattaya. As a whole I was happy with how it turned out. Only negatives for me were that the hallways could get very hot due to no circulation. And some of the owners were... uhh... interesting characters.

No circulation in the hallways and owners being interesting characters sound like pretty minor turn offs and if those are all the negatives then it’s a pretty good going me think. Thanks for sharing those points.

Any bad experience in regard to condominium affairs? Such as difficulty in implementing agreed decisions by the committee because some owners/renters are not interested to spend in improvements?

Any major repair project for the long term that you remember of such as having to redo the pool, gym etc?

Cheers

[trogers]

I used to own a unit in Northshore that I had bought as an investment.

What you heard is correct- it was a building project that was launched shortly before the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and was halted part-way through construction. Raimon Land then took over the project. I can't remember the name of the old original project but it was designed to be a taller building as well.

Raimon Land is a good developer and this building was the first real Grade A building in Pattaya. As a whole I was happy with how it turned out. Only negatives for me were that the hallways could get very hot due to no circulation. And some of the owners were... uhh... interesting characters.

No circulation in the hallways and owners being interesting characters sound like pretty minor turn offs and if those are all the negatives then its a pretty good going me think. Thanks for sharing those points.

Any bad experience in regard to condominium affairs? Such as difficulty in implementing agreed decisions by the committee because some owners/renters are not interested to spend in improvements?

Any major repair project for the long term that you remember of such as having to redo the pool, gym etc?

Cheers

With an age of 9-10 years, major issues would probably be re-equipping the gym and repainting the building.

[passedout]

With an age of 9-10 years, major issues would probably be re-equipping the gym and repainting the building.

Strong possibility. I wonder how much that would cost!

My guess is around a million to replace a dozen or so machines possibly the carpet and a small revamp. The painting I haven’t got a clue!

[hhgz]

I guess visiting the condo, and checking it out, is an impossibility for you...at least for your "friend".

[passedout]

I guess visiting the condo, and checking it out, is an impossibility for you...at least for your "friend".

He did go and check a few places out already. He's after unbiased info and other people's views about the place which you may well find in a forum like this one rather than from owner/renters and estate agents who normally have an invested interest in telling you how rosy all is.

Cheers

[craigt3365]

If you are interested, my buddy is the chair of the association. He's a no BS guy and tells it like it is. Northshore is a great building, doing well financially, run very well and in a great location. Absolutely the best in that area. Highly sought after for rentals also. I know about 5 owners there. Great place for a sundowner! LOL

If you are interested, I can connect you with my friend. He'd be more than happy to chat with your buddy.

[passedout]

If you are interested, my buddy is the chair of the association. He's a no BS guy and tells it like it is. Northshore is a great building, doing well financially, run very well and in a great location. Absolutely the best in that area. Highly sought after for rentals also. I know about 5 owners there. Great place for a sundowner! LOL

If you are interested, I can connect you with my friend. He'd be more than happy to chat with your buddy.

Thanks for that much appreciate it. I will pass it on to him.

Cheers

[smutcakes]

If you are interested, my buddy is the chair of the association. He's a no BS guy and tells it like it is. Northshore is a great building, doing well financially, run very well and in a great location. Absolutely the best in that area. Highly sought after for rentals also. I know about 5 owners there. Great place for a sundowner! LOL

If you are interested, I can connect you with my friend. He'd be more than happy to chat with your buddy.

Is <snip>.... still the Chairman?

It is a great Condo for investment, the rental yields are good and it is in continuous demand. Just tell your friend to not get needlessly involved in Condo politics. There are various factions in the condo who seem more hell bent on getting one up over each other than actually running the Condominium properly. That infighting has been going on for years and the last i heard there is little chance of it resolving itself given the 'resilience' of those arguing.

[craigt3365]

As in every condo, politics are a mess. The chair at Northshore is doing a good job dealing with this. And things seem to be going well. For now! LOL

Please, no names in public.

[KittenKong]

Just tell your friend to not get needlessly involved in Condo politics. There are various factions in the condo who seem more hell bent on getting one up over each other than actually running the Condominium properly. That infighting has been going on for years and the last i heard there is little chance of it resolving itself given the 'resilience' of those arguing.

Not just there. It's the same in my building.

I really dont understand why this happens so much here.

[trogers]

Just tell your friend to not get needlessly involved in Condo politics. There are various factions in the condo who seem more hell bent on getting one up over each other than actually running the Condominium properly. That infighting has been going on for years and the last i heard there is little chance of it resolving itself given the 'resilience' of those arguing.

Not just there. It's the same in my building.

I really dont understand why this happens so much here.

The right to place one's hand into the till?

[smutcakes]

Just tell your friend to not get needlessly involved in Condo politics. There are various factions in the condo who seem more hell bent on getting one up over each other than actually running the Condominium properly. That infighting has been going on for years and the last i heard there is little chance of it resolving itself given the 'resilience' of those arguing.

Not just there. It's the same in my building.

I really dont understand why this happens so much here.

It does happen in some, but few for as long and bitter as NS. There it has a long and glorious history of fighting and bitching going all the way back to day one when handed over by RL.

[sotsira]

Just tell your friend to not get needlessly involved in Condo politics. There are various factions in the condo who seem more hell bent on getting one up over each other than actually running the Condominium properly. That infighting has been going on for years and the last i heard there is little chance of it resolving itself given the 'resilience' of those arguing.

Not just there. It's the same in my building.

I really dont understand why this happens so much here.

Let me guess, are you referring to Viewtalay 2A?

It's just that i know a lot of people that live there and the infighting is a soap opera!

[KittenKong]

^^ I think that one beats ours. We are quite civilised in our bickering!