Rogers is exclusive to my new condo

yesstyle wrote: ↑So I just moved in and found out about this. I signed up for ebox but a couple days later, they told me about the exclusivity. Is there anyway around this or am I SOL? Can i at least use Fido internet?

Shouldn't the occupants have a special discount since they are getting all these customers? I haven't called and asked yet but considering it is 'Robbers', i doubt it.

They should have discounts. My 3-year old building is exclusive to Bell and Rogers and we had 12/24/36 month discounted plans. There should be literature or representatives at your first meet/greet.

Most of the new Tridel buildings have discounted ~$25 Rogers Internet plans for 250/20 for 2 years (usually $98).

Yeah, should have a discount. Just tell them who you are and where you're from.

yesstyle wrote: ↑So I just moved in and found out about this. I signed up for ebox but a couple days later, they told me about the exclusivity. Is there anyway around this or am I SOL? Can i at least use Fido internet?

Shouldn't the occupants have a special discount since they are getting all these customers? I haven't called and asked yet but considering it is 'Robbers', i doubt it.

Are there really any pluses to condos? Seems no.

Exclusivity is the norm for condo. They sometimes negotiate lower monthly costs or some other feature, or else work out a deal with the developer to lower costs for original infrastructure installation. thereby reducing construction costs. Whether that savings is extra profit for the developer or lower cost for the buyer is a different question though.

BTW, depending upon the condo, sometimes that exclusivity ends after a few years. And sometimes it doesn't.

And yes, betmaxman, there are numerous advantages to condos, and I say this as an owner of a detached home.

betamaxman wrote: ↑Are there really any pluses to condos? Seems no.

Condos are the government's and corporation's dream, one gets more taxes and the other locks you in !
...and you as the owner pay condo fees for life ...how does that sound for endless car payments ? ...LoL

EugW wrote: ↑Exclusivity is the norm for condo. They sometimes negotiate lower monthly costs or some other feature, or else work out a deal with the developer to lower costs for original infrastructure installation. thereby reducing construction costs. Whether that savings is extra profit for the developer or lower cost for the buyer is a different question though.

It's definitely just extra profit for the developer. Condos will sell for whatever the market can bear. Internet being exclusive to one provider is extremely unlikely to have an appreciable impact on market price.

LerooooyJenkins wrote: ↑It's definitely just extra profit for the developer. Condos will sell for whatever the market can bear. Internet being exclusive to one provider is extremely unlikely to have an appreciable impact on market price.

Condo price rises have been slowing, and are much slower than price rises for detached homes, esp. in places like Toronto. Similarly, pre-construction price rises have been slowing too, so developers have been looking to all possibilities to reduce costs on their end. In that context, I do think to a small extent these cost savings are passed onto the consumer, because indeed, the mainstream condo market is no longer willing to bear those price increases.

EdT586 wrote: ↑Condos are the government's and corporation's dream, one gets more taxes and the other locks you in !
...and you as the owner pay condo fees for life ...how does that sound for endless car payments ? ...LoL

Do you own a house? Cuz I don't see how you think a detached home is free of maintenance costs. It isn't, unless you do all the work yourself, or else just let it fall into disrepair. For example, I cut the grass and weed myself and that doesn't cost me much, but that's considering I am valuing my time to do this as being worthless.

In fact, I'd say that the maintenance costs for an average detached home are often HIGHER than an average condo, but part of that is because an average detached home is signficantly larger than an average condo. Not saying you, but many people get quite a shock when they move out from their condo into their new house, because they find out their overall costs outside the mortgage actually go up. And what's worse, sometimes it comes all at once. Bad sewer system? Sometimes many thousands to get that fixed. Leaky basement? Same thing. Need a new roof? Same again.

BTW, the corporation for the condo is run by the people who live there, or else run by people hired by the people live there, not some third party faceless zaibatsu.

betamaxman wrote: ↑Are there really any pluses to condos? Seems no.

In a well built, well managed condo (yes, admittedly that's few and far between), there's plenty: no shoveling snow, decent amenities, practically all the maintenance taken care of, and to keep on topic, fast & cheap Internet such as Beanfield.

I'm definitely happy in my non-glass facade, 4-year old building with a huge reserve fund, and a superbly competent board president who's a construction foreman. The last item should also be resolved soon if the talks with Coextro Fiber go well.

EugW wrote: ↑Do you own a house? Cuz I don't see how you think a detached home is free of maintenance costs. It isn't, unless you do all the work yourself, or else just let it fall into disrepair. For example, I cut the grass and weed myself and that doesn't cost me much, but that's considering I am valuing my time to do this as being worthless.

In fact, I'd say that the maintenance costs for an average detached home are often HIGHER than an average condo, but part of that is because an average detached home is signficantly larger than an average condo. Not saying you, but many people get quite a shock when they move out from their condo into their new house, because they find out their overall costs outside the mortgage actually go up. And what's worse, sometimes it comes all at once. Bad sewer system? Sometimes many thousands to get that fixed. Leaky basement? Same thing. Need a new roof? Same again.

BTW, the corporation for the condo is run by the people who live there, or else run by people hired by the people live there, not some third party faceless zaibatsu.

With a house you have your say what to do and spend, you don't have to do it or pay till when you want, condo fees must be paid on time that contributes to the collective that necessary have no benefits for you the fee payer. Condo owners pay municipal tax that are as close as a house owner, yet you own no land !

Seems like Vancouver has had it's share of condos from Hell

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c ... -1.2597347
http://www.vancourier.com/living/travel ... s-1.378410
http://www.macleans.ca/society/life/condo-hell/


A nice lawn is a passion that highlights neighbor's crappy weed infested lawn !

JPTN wrote: ↑In a well built, well managed condo (yes, admittedly that's few and far between), there's plenty: no shoveling snow, decent amenities, practically all the maintenance taken care of, and to keep on topic, fast & cheap Internet such as Beanfield.

I'm definitely happy in my non-glass facade, 4-year old building with a huge reserve fund, and a superbly competent board president who's a construction foreman. The last item should also be resolved soon if the talks with Coextro Fiber go well.

If you take the average $200/month condo fee which works out to $2400/year which I know is significantly higher in GTA, having someone mow your lawn and shovel your snow works out to less than $1000/year and you look like a boss to the rest puffing on a Havana with the money you didn't have to pay out watching someone else do the chores !

If you take that $2,400 before inflation over a period of 40 years, you could have Freedom 55 !

EdT586 wrote: ↑If you take the average $200/month condo fee which works out to $2400/year which I know is significantly higher in GTA, having someone mow your lawn and shovel your snow works out to less than $1000/year and you look like a boss to the rest puffing on a Havana with the money you didn't have to pay out watching someone else do the chores !

If you take that $2,400 before inflation over a period of 40 years, you could have Freedom 55 !

Think the fees start above the $300 mark here in charlottetown, that plus the higher city property tax rate, plus a condo here would cost you almost the price of a dream home and have comparable property taxes.
Seems a mini home in a trailer park would be better especially for a young couple starting out, the newer ones they make these days can be as much as 1200 sq' and the lot rent averages between $150 to below $200 and they are pretty cheap to heat. And if you end up with a mr lahey I guess one could always by a lot in the country and put it on a foundation. Of course that is of little help if you work in the gta and don't want a two hour commute.

betamaxman wrote: ↑Think the fees start above the $300 mark here in charlottetown, that plus the higher city property tax rate, plus a condo here would cost you almost the price of a dream home and have comparable property taxes.
Seems a mini home in a trailer park would be better especially for a young couple starting out, the newer ones they make these days can be as much as 1200 sq' and the lot rent averages between $150 to below $200 and they are pretty cheap to heat. And if you end up with a mr lahey I guess one could always by a lot in the country and put it on a foundation. Of course that is of little help if you work in the gta and don't want a two hour commute.

You're a smart guy. I never knew condo prices were that high in PEI, but I guess it is in tourist town could be why.
I agree trailer parks and homes are a great alternative, $100,000 buys a nice one and the $150-$200 grounds rental fee beats condo fees as your property tax is included in that fee.
I looked into trailer parks several years ago and was surprised that there was one close by which I would have never known was there if I didn't specifically look for it.

Now that you mentioned it, I'm giving serious thought of buying and owning a trailer park as real estate investment. Mobile homes need to make a come back as municipalities are closing them down when they are most needed.

This is just to make sure fiber won't make its way to your condo.

EdT586 wrote: ↑You're a smart guy. I never knew condo prices were that high in PEI, but I guess it is in tourist town could be why.
I agree trailer parks and homes are a great alternative, $100,000 buys a nice one and the $150-$200 grounds rental fee beats condo fees as your property tax is included in that fee.
I looked into trailer parks several years ago and was surprised that there was one close by which I would have never known was there if I didn't specifically look for it.

Now that you mentioned it, I'm giving serious thought of buying and owning a trailer park as real estate investment. Mobile homes need to make a come back as municipalities are closing them down when they are most needed.

All rents are controlled here usually to no more than the cost of living yearly and can be appealed by the rent payer as well.
But one could also move the mini home to a lot in the country if things really got bad for them, if they can mortgage the a lot. One could simply put it on a foundation or a slab later as they are 2 by constructed with the same materials as a modern house. Think it would cost about $5000 to move and $20000 to $30000 for a country lot though.
I am surprised the idea of a condo like mini home park hasn't caught on where one owns their lot with no more to be expected of them than a home owner in a sub division. Property taxes then though. Have seen new mini homes sell for a low as $80k here.

Off-topic

dealseaker101 wrote: ↑Off-topic

Na don't think so, but at at any rate certainly adds more to the conversation than "off topic".

betamaxman wrote: ↑Na don't think so, but at at any rate certainly adds more to the conversation than "off topic".

This house vs. condo debate has been beaten to death on RFD. Everyone and their grandma has an opinion on this matter. Who cares, live where you like the most/can afford. Why does it matter what other people think? If you like condo living then live in a damn condo, if you like houses then live in a damn house. Live and let live.

/story

hi everyone, thanks for the feedback.
To follow-up on my OP, the price i was quote is $65 for unlimited d/l and 100mbps download. It was this price because 1) Longtime customer (20+ years), and 2) considered a referral from my mom to me. This will be a 2 yr term. Installation fee waived. Only need to pay the $15 activation.

Not too bad as i have no other choice.