Get what you paid for in your apartment<\/p>\n
There are rich pickings to be scooped up at present as
\napartment prices plummet.<\/p>\n
Expatriates and locals are turning to the comfort and
\nconvenience of apartment living, which offers the added selling
\npoint of security following the past year's numerous unrests.<\/p>\n
Yet the old adage of \"buyer beware\" is still good to keep in
\nmind.<\/p>\n
Most apartment owners run above-board operations and fulfill
\ntheir promises to tenants. But the few bad apples can spoil
\napartment residents' dreams and turn them away from the idea of
\nliving with their \"head in the clouds\".<\/p>\n
As with all purchases, prospective buyers' best defense is to
\ncheck out the wares for themselves.<\/p>\n
SPOT CHECK: Contact the marketing manager or apartment owner
\nto visit the apartment for yourself. Be attuned to their
\nattitude; are they helpful, show concern for your questions and
\nappear cooperative?<\/p>\n
Pepper them with a few choice queries. What is the surrounding
\narea like? Has the area been a hot spot for trouble? What are the
\nneighbors like? Watch their reactions -- you may expect them to
\ngloss over the truth but sometimes they will give away telltale
\ndetails.<\/p>\n
\"I asked the apartment owner about what his neighbors were
\nlike, and he was refreshingly honest,\" says John, an expatriate
\nwho went apartment hunting earlier this year. \"He told me that
\nthere had been trouble with the neighbors' kids running and
\nplaying in the hallway, but it was sorted out with the building
\nmanagement.\"<\/p>\n
He said the apartment owner scored points with him because he
\nwas prepared to tell the truth.<\/p>\n
\"He didn't just fob me off by telling me that everything was
\nhunky-dory, and I felt that would bode well for our relationship
\nlater on down the line.\"<\/p>\n
SECURITY: A major concern of Jakartans today after all the
\nunrest and an upsurge of crime in the capital amid the economic
\ncrisis. Of course, each of us has our own personal security
\nquotient.<\/p>\n
Investigate the security system. Are there security guards in
\nthe parking lots? Do they note the occupants of the vehicles when
\nthey enter? Are regular patrols made of the grounds and parking
\nlots?<\/p>\n
Evaluate the opportunities for illegal access. Are guests and
\ndelivery people required to register? Can nontenants gain access
\nto the elevators without prior screening?<\/p>\n
Some apartment complexes have sophisticated security systems,
\nincluding cameras and sensor cards restricting access to
\nfacilities to residents and employees only. Ask the marketing
\nagent to show you how they work; they should be happy to do so if
\nthe gadgets are in working order.<\/p>\n
But even the most state-of-the-art technical gadgets can be
\nsubject to the vagaries of human behavior.<\/p>\n
\"It sounds ridiculous, but I know of at least one apartment
\nwhere as long as you look like you should be in the building, the
\nsecurity guards will open the door for you, even though it is
\nsupposed to be through a card-screening system,\" John adds. \"They
\ndon't even bother calling up to find out if you are a real guest
\nof one of the tenants.\"<\/p>\n
Inspect your apartment for safety-lock windows (also important
\nif you have young children), alarms and secure doors. Is there a
\ndoor peephold so you can screen visitors? Is a chain lock
\nprovided?<\/p>\n
Not all apartment security systems are created equal. Some of
\nthe most recently built upmarket apartments offer video screening
\nof guests and a phone line designated for reports of security
\ndisturbances.<\/p>\n
It is also advisable to survey the surrounding area. Questions
\nto ask yourself and others familiar with the capital include the
\narea's crime rate and its access to major thoroughfares and toll
\nroads in the event of trouble.<\/p>\n
Without harping on gloom and doom too much, you could ask the
\nmanagement if it has any contingency plan in the event of renewed
\nunrest. What did it do during the May riots and was the building
\naffected in any way (ask other tenants, too). Prevention, after
\nall, is better than picking up the shattered pieces afterward.<\/p>\n
SAFETY: Examine carefully all the safety aspects of the
\nbuilding and its compound.<\/p>\n
Are there fire escapes, fire alarms and a sprinkler system?
\nAre fire extinguishers readily available in the stairwells and
\ncorridors (be sure to check the make, their date of issue and
\nexpiration)?<\/p>\n
Does the security team know what to do in an emergency? If you
\ncan speak Indonesian well enough, ask them directly what they
\nwould do if a fire started in the building. Do they have regular
\ndrills on fire evacuation? How would they inform residents in the
\nevent of a fire or other emergency?<\/p>\n
Back to the issue of children. Child proof the grounds to find
\nout if they are secure for your kids. Pay particular attention to
\nareas like the swimming pool, stairwells and corridors.<\/p>\n
AMENITIES: Promises need to be kept on both sides of the
\ntenant-apartment management relationship.<\/p>\n
You are forking out good money for your apartment, and the
\nmanagement is obligated to keep its end of the bargain.<\/p>\n
The sweet-talking marketing agent may promise the earth but
\nreality requires him or her to cough up with the goods.<\/p>\n
\"I wasn't very impressed with one marketing agent who took me
\naround to a couple of apartments, found out my budget and said
\nshe would call a few days later,\" John says. \"She finally did,
\nbut a week had already passed and I had already lost interest. It
\nseemed she was interested in bigger fish.\"<\/p>\n
Read the fine print of the contract. Guaranteed a microwave
\nbut none in sight when you inspect your new apartment? Get down
\nto the nitty-gritty and make the manager set a date for when it
\nwill be installed, with the understanding that its continuing
\nabsence may lead to changes in your own commitments. Playing
\nhardball may be the best approach to getting what you paid for.<\/p>\n
Be on the alert for signs of wear and tear. Are there cracks
\nin the walls or ceiling, or permanent marks on counters and
\nwoodwork? Is the furniture what you expected? If the furniture is
\nthe worse for wear but the management will not replace it, make
\nphotographic records of it to ensure that you are not deemed
\nresponsible when your contract is up.<\/p>\n
Toilet talk is not something most of us enjoy, but we need to
\ntake stock of the bathroom facilities. Ask what type of sewage
\nsystem is used. It sounds gross, but some of the older systems
\nlead to a backing up of the system, inevitably giving off
\ndecidedly unpleasant odors. If need be, talk to a resident or
\nplumber beforehand to find out which type of system is best to
\nprevent a shock to your senses.<\/p>\n
A pesky problem in Jakarta is pests. Ask about the problem of
\ntermites and whether the management conducts regular fumigations?
\nWill you be unwittingly sharing your new home with rodents? Find
\nout what the management does to prevent the problem, including
\nthe efficiency of its garbage disposal system. Are there regular
\ngarbage pickups and separate treatments of organic and solid
\nwaste?<\/p>\n
A pool and fitness facilities part of the advertised package?
\nCheck whether these are more than just a divot in the ground and
\na darkened room with a couple of rusting barbells.<\/p>\n
If too many of the promises seem to be hot air, and dates for
\ntheir eventual realization appear iffy, it could be time for you
\nto head in another direction. Your money and your peace of mind
\nare too precious to waste on an apartment which leaves you
\nfeeling -- and living -- down in the dumps. (Bruce Emond)<\/p>",
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