About 6 weeks ago, we signed a contract to buy a 2 BDRM unit (#6C) in 200 Westend for $1.9m, a new development from the Clarette Group. As a new development, we saw the floorplan and mock bathroom/kitchen at their sales office. A week after we delivered the signed contract, we got an email from the developer showing us the "real" floorplan which has a column (2 feet wide) in the dining room. We... [more]
About 6 weeks ago, we signed a contract to buy a 2 BDRM unit (#6C) in 200 Westend for $1.9m, a new development from the Clarette Group. As a new development, we saw the floorplan and mock bathroom/kitchen at their sales office. A week after we delivered the signed contract, we got an email from the developer showing us the "real" floorplan which has a column (2 feet wide) in the dining room. We were extremely upset with the outcome and asked them to adjust the price lower to reflect the fact that the diinning has a large column obstructing the view and not to mention taking up significant space. The developer maintained it was an "honest mistake" (their website still shows A and C units without the column) and would not adjust the price but offered a tour of the construction site for us to see the column. Few days before our appointment, the developer, the Clarett Group, informed us they were taking the apt "off the market" and if we still interested, we would need to increase the original ask by $100k or buy the unit below, #5C, for the same price. Even though, the price/square foot still appears to be reasonable compare to Trump and other buildings in the neighborhood, we just haven't been able to convince ourselves to deal with those lying bastards and fall for the "bait and switch" again.
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Response by anonymous
almost 19 years ago
Posts: 84
Member since: Oct 2006
Did they sign and return the contract to you? If so, they can't ask you to pay $100k extra.
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Response by anonymous
almost 19 years ago
Posts: 3
Member since: May 2007
They didn't sign the contract.
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Response by anonymous
almost 19 years ago
Posts: 217
Member since: Mar 2007
A 2x2 pillar = 4 square feet. I don't see how it's bait and switch... there are always some reasonable construction allowances, granted the pillar could be in a bad location. I doubt they raised the price on you without giving you a chance to honor the original contract first. Or perhaps they thought you were going to back out anyway (scheduling the visit far in future) and went ahead with their price amendment.
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Response by mcfm85a
almost 19 years ago
Posts: 72
Member since: Dec 2006
there are a slew of new buildings going up. including one on columbus 3 blocks from 200 WEA. Also there is a building going up on 76 and 78th and ams. I would tell them to drop dead and buy something else. They were the only game with ariel in town until just recently. If youy dont mind the east side take a look at 300 east 74th, and the brompton, and lucida.
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Response by mcfm85a
almost 19 years ago
Posts: 72
Member since: Dec 2006
I tried to combine 3 apts and 200 WEA dragged me arround for weeks, until raising prices and refusing to combine for me. I bought at the Ariel.
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Response by anonymous
almost 19 years ago
Posts: 84
Member since: Oct 2006
If they didn't sign the contract, you are out of luck (you probably know this). Personally, I would only either tell them to take my last offer right away, or simply tell them to screw. Crappy way to do business, but it happens all the time.
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Response by anonymous
almost 19 years ago
Posts: 217
Member since: Mar 2007
The OP said SIX weeks ago and just posted. Think about it... if you were a seller and six weeks went by with a potential buyer dragging their feet and trying to negotiate you down after an agreement, what would you do? Walk away probably. I feel for the OP, but in fairness, you probably took too long and thought you had more negotiation power then you thought. The developer probably had a scheduled price amendment already in the works and with you dragging your feet, they had no choice.
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Response by anonymous
almost 19 years ago
Posts: 3
Member since: May 2007
I wish I could find out this website earlier(found out 3 days ago) and then i could get more ideas and suggestions. We were traveling when we got the email from the seller with "real" floorplan after submitting our contract. We came back to New York in A week and were waiting for 2 weeks to see the column in construction site since the seller has no time to show us. The seller just kept us waiting and increased the price. Most important thing is that the column is the structural thing and will be there forever. I can't understand why the seller could make this socalled "honest" mistake. Even now the 200 westend website still shows no column on its floorplan of line A and C-- line A and C both have column within the apartments.
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Response by anonymous
almost 19 years ago
Posts: 217
Member since: Mar 2007
You could have driven by the site to see it also. Evidently they think they can get more for the apartment now.
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Response by anonymous
almost 19 years ago
Posts: 91
Member since: Apr 2007
I looked at 200 wea with a friend/broker. We were given one price for an apartment and when I said that I wanted to purchase it, the sales agent said she needed to call the sponsor to confirm. She returned and said that the price of the apartment I wanted would acutally be 800K more than she had quoted because "the sponsor knows he can get that". When we questioned why we had been given a different price the sales rep basically said, the sponsor knows he will get that much eventually so pay it now or lose it. I lost interest because the prices were too outrageous and the owners too self-righteous!! It is definitely true that there are structural columns right in the middle of the living space and you can do nothing about it. The other problem is the taxes after the abatement become prohibitive. Beware!!! There are many obstacles to this one!
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Response by anonymous
almost 19 years ago
Posts: 77
Member since: Apr 2007
The sponsor can not raise the price on a unit unless he has issued an updated prospectus with the Attorney General. This is a detailed process. If you suspect the sponsor is increasing prices on a whim as the market escalates, call the AG's office.
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Response by anonymous
almost 19 years ago
Posts: 91
Member since: Apr 2007
Thanks for that info--it seemed so cavalier to me at the time. Apparently, the sponsor is only releasing apartments in very small numbers so that he can continue to raise the price as time goes on. I am no longer interested in living there because of these practices but for anyone who is buying there, please make note.
Did they sign and return the contract to you? If so, they can't ask you to pay $100k extra.
They didn't sign the contract.
A 2x2 pillar = 4 square feet. I don't see how it's bait and switch... there are always some reasonable construction allowances, granted the pillar could be in a bad location. I doubt they raised the price on you without giving you a chance to honor the original contract first. Or perhaps they thought you were going to back out anyway (scheduling the visit far in future) and went ahead with their price amendment.
there are a slew of new buildings going up. including one on columbus 3 blocks from 200 WEA. Also there is a building going up on 76 and 78th and ams. I would tell them to drop dead and buy something else. They were the only game with ariel in town until just recently. If youy dont mind the east side take a look at 300 east 74th, and the brompton, and lucida.
I tried to combine 3 apts and 200 WEA dragged me arround for weeks, until raising prices and refusing to combine for me. I bought at the Ariel.
If they didn't sign the contract, you are out of luck (you probably know this). Personally, I would only either tell them to take my last offer right away, or simply tell them to screw. Crappy way to do business, but it happens all the time.
The OP said SIX weeks ago and just posted. Think about it... if you were a seller and six weeks went by with a potential buyer dragging their feet and trying to negotiate you down after an agreement, what would you do? Walk away probably. I feel for the OP, but in fairness, you probably took too long and thought you had more negotiation power then you thought. The developer probably had a scheduled price amendment already in the works and with you dragging your feet, they had no choice.
I wish I could find out this website earlier(found out 3 days ago) and then i could get more ideas and suggestions. We were traveling when we got the email from the seller with "real" floorplan after submitting our contract. We came back to New York in A week and were waiting for 2 weeks to see the column in construction site since the seller has no time to show us. The seller just kept us waiting and increased the price. Most important thing is that the column is the structural thing and will be there forever. I can't understand why the seller could make this socalled "honest" mistake. Even now the 200 westend website still shows no column on its floorplan of line A and C-- line A and C both have column within the apartments.
You could have driven by the site to see it also. Evidently they think they can get more for the apartment now.
I looked at 200 wea with a friend/broker. We were given one price for an apartment and when I said that I wanted to purchase it, the sales agent said she needed to call the sponsor to confirm. She returned and said that the price of the apartment I wanted would acutally be 800K more than she had quoted because "the sponsor knows he can get that". When we questioned why we had been given a different price the sales rep basically said, the sponsor knows he will get that much eventually so pay it now or lose it. I lost interest because the prices were too outrageous and the owners too self-righteous!! It is definitely true that there are structural columns right in the middle of the living space and you can do nothing about it. The other problem is the taxes after the abatement become prohibitive. Beware!!! There are many obstacles to this one!
The sponsor can not raise the price on a unit unless he has issued an updated prospectus with the Attorney General. This is a detailed process. If you suspect the sponsor is increasing prices on a whim as the market escalates, call the AG's office.
Thanks for that info--it seemed so cavalier to me at the time. Apparently, the sponsor is only releasing apartments in very small numbers so that he can continue to raise the price as time goes on. I am no longer interested in living there because of these practices but for anyone who is buying there, please make note.