The folks at Georgetown are a great group of people who care about their neighbors and their property. As you know, living in close proximity in an older building such as ours presents its own unique challenges. As part of the service provided by Pointe Association Management, a review of our governing documents is underway. Here are a few points worth reviewing for living in and enjoying your condominium.

Understand Shared Space

Everything inside the door and walls of your unit belongs to you. The remainder of a condo building is shared space including your porch, balconies, hallways, and amenities that are shared with every other resident. These areas are owned, operated and managed by the condominium Association for the benefit of all. The Georgetown Declaration documents specifically prohibit keeping or storing anything inappropriate on the porches, patios or other common space. Keeping your patio free of clutter helps the “curb appeal” and since many patios are shared with your neighbor, it allows for the enjoyment of all.

Keep Noise Levels Down

Noise from your condo can be heard by neighbors. The same applies to noise made in hallways. Vibrations reverberate to neighboring units. Banging, loud music or television, and stomping can be heard a distance and many floors from your Unit. Keep anything with speakers away from walls that are shared with a neighboring Unit. Try to keep your voices and the volume of any electronic devices down. If you tend to play music or television loudly, periodically check with neighbors to be certain they do not hear any noise. When on the balcony try not to be overly boisterous or make noise late into the evening.

Use Carpets or Rugs on Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors do a poor job of absorbing sound. Most condos have rules to mitigate the transmission of sound. Walking around in shoes, moving chairs to sit down and other daily actions can become disruptive to neighbors.

Carpets or rugs do an excellent job of preventing these disruptive noises.

Be Pet Friendly

Georgetown allows Owners one small dog and two cats According to the declaration documents Tennant occupants are not allowed cats or dogs. You love your pet but be considerate of those who might not. Georgtown has a few rules to ensure other residents are not inconvenienced by your pet. Don’t use the main entrance when taking your pet for a walk. Please carry them or have them on a leash when in the common areas.

When accidents happen, clean them up. Finally, sometimes even the most well behaved or quiet dog barks when left alone for long periods of time. If your pet is a barker one suggestion is to keep the dog in a quiet part of your unit with the shades closed while you are gone

Avoid Smoking in Condos

There is no easy way to put it. Smoking is not conducive to condo living. Smoke can travel through doorways, walls, or through plumbing and heating ducts. It can travel through windows or balcony doors and re-enter other Units.

Individuals do not have the right to smoke whenever and wherever they choose. Condo management has a responsibility to protect the “quiet enjoyment” of your neighbors in their home. The law protects the rights of your neighbors not to be exposed to second-hand smoke.

Smoking is best done outside a condo building or on the rear balcony in bad weather. If done in your Unit, don’t throw butts off the balcony. Avoid leaving uncovered ashtrays outside. Use whatever means you can to eliminate odors from smoking before they migrate to a neighboring Unit.

AirBNB and Other Short Term Rentals

On line services such as Airbnb which offers a marketplace for people lease or rent short-term lodging is growing in popularity for finding a low cost alternative to hotels and for people to find a way to earn a few extra dollars. However the restrictions specifically prohibit the rental of a unit for less than 6 moths and therefore vacation rentals are not appropriate at Georgetown.