Privacy And Waterfront Condos: What To Look For And What To Expect
The waterfront condo can take many forms, from an apartment-style dwelling in a multistory building to townhouses where you own a couple of floors. Because the waterfront is always a popular place to be, living on the waterfront presents some unique privacy issues. When you search for a waterfront condo to buy, be sure you understand all of the privacy protections you have and what access the public has to beaches or harbors near your home. When you know what to expect before you buy a place, you'll find living there to be a lot calmer and happier.
The Beach in Front
Your condo may be right next to a beach, and depending on the city and county you're in, that beach could be private or public. If your condo is an apartment-style model that's on a high-up floor, you really have nothing to consider. No one can see inside, and so on. But if you're near ground level, ask how much of a buffer zone there is between the public areas and your building. Is there a fence, can non-residents walk right past your unit, or do you have a large section of the complex between you and the beach? You want some way — as with any ground-level or near-ground apartment — to ensure you don't have crowds of people constantly walking past, as that can get noisy, too, in addition to being a privacy risk.
Gates and Public Access
If the beach in front is public, you'll also want to be sure that you know where the access is for the public. Private gates should remain closed and locked, but public gates should at least be unlocked, if not open. Private landowners can't cut off access to a public beach, and you certainly don't want to do it by accident. But you also want to know where the public is passing by the building. How easy will it be for nonresidents to walk through the complex, for example, can be a dealbreaker for some because of the security issue it can pose, while other owners might not mind at all.
Evening Cruises and Boats
Say the condo you're looking at isn't on the beach but is instead near boat landings and the harbor. How close are those boats, and can they cruise right past the condos? Will you have to deal with the lights from the boats all night if you don't install special blackout curtains? If you are near the harbor, you're going to have to expect that there will be sailing activity and possibly smaller craft like jet skis. If you don't want to have the craft near your unit, definitely look for one that is on a higher floor.
It is always good to ask about these issues so you know exactly what you're buying when you put money down for the unit. You want that view of the water to be something you love to look at!
