Flat Chat hits 500

They said it would never last (well, I did) but this is my 500th Flat Chat column after more than 10 years of its existence.

Why are we still here? Perhaps it’s because some things never change while there is always a new challenge around the corner.

In the past decade, our greatest achievement was probably getting a ban on developers demanding that buyers hand over their proxy votes as part of their sales contract.

Former planning minister Frank Sartor, who pushed it through, said the change was partly due to media pressure.   Given that no one else was writing about strata back then, I’ll accept the gong.

The greatest disappointment would have to be the stutter and stumble towards NSW strata law reform that was supposed to be in place by July this year but now won’t be enacted until 2016, if then, depending on who wins the state election in March.

In the last 10 years, apartment living has exploded and attitudes towards it have changed dramatically.

No longer merely a ‘plan B’ for the impoverished, droves of people actively embrace a lifestyle that allows you to own your home right where you want to be, rather than some remote suburb with identikit houses, no services and fewer attractions.

As for tenants, units are so popular you can barely slip a shiny sales brochure between house and apartment rents.

That said, the perennial problems continue: pets, parking and parties still get email writers agitated – as does the “my home is my castle” attitude that makes owners think by-laws don’t apply to them.  These days you can add smoking and short-term rentals to the list.

For anyone who’s interested, most of my former columns are available on this website along with literally thousands of questions and answers that never made it to print. You’ll find them on the Forum.

But why dwell in the past when there’s always another crazy neighbour, parking thief, party animal, balcony smoker, common property invader and holiday let landlord just around the lift lobby.

Thanks for your support and please keep reading  and writing in – the view from here is fantastic.