Bonjour *|EMAIL|*, Paris Pain and Pleasure Parler Paris Nouvellettre® Your taste of life in Paris and France http://www.ParlerParis.com Wednesday, March 10, 2010 Paris, France • Printer Friendly http://www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/textissues/10-3-10pparis.txt • Parler Paris Blog http://parlerparis.blogspot.com/ • Community Calendar (Updated Every Wednesday) http://www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/calendar.html • Recommend to Friends http://www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/tell-a-friend/index.php • Don't miss a single issue of Parler Paris! "Whitelist" Parler Paris by adding "info@adrianleeds.com" to your address book. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Practice Your French...or English! http://www.parlerparlor.com Parler Parlor French-English Conversation Group Practice speaking French and English. Make friends, discuss interesting topics, learn about other cultures, progress in understanding and speaking, naturally and easily. Meets three times a week -- come as often as you like! THIS WEEKEND, JOIN US FOR OUR 12TH-YEAR ANNIVERSARY CREPE PARTY (FREE)! Saturday, March 13th, 11 a.m. 23, bd de Sebastopol SPECIAL OFFER THAT DAY! Save 25 euro when you sign up for any 6 month membership-- 20 sessions, 6 months as a new member or renewing member! For further details, visit Parler Parlor at: http://www.parlerparlor.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Parler Paris Reader, Tonight is my annual "Assemblée Générale" of the "Copropriété" of my building. In other words, it's the annual meeting of the home owners association that manages the property. In 10 years of ownership, only one has been missed. Not a bad record. The meetings are always a mixture of both pain and pleasure. It's interesting to get to know your neighbors. Even though you live under the same roof, there's rarely more exchange between you than a simple "Bonjour Madame," "Bonjour Monsieur," until that fateful day once a year when important decisions must be made. The meetings can seem to last forever (many hours) and the owners can often discuss 'around' a topic endlessly coming to no real conclusion or end up in verbal arguments that get shelved until next year. The structure of the meeting can be quite formal, depending on who's running it. In our case, the "Syndic" (manager) is a volunteer who lives in the building. He's been the manager for many, many years -- a thankless job he's been willing to take on. For this reason, our meetings are generally pretty congenial. Tonight it will take place at the café La Pierre du Marais, upstairs in the same spot where "Parler Paris Après Midi" was held yesterday afternoon. (See the report on yesterday's meeting by clicking here: http://www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/apresmidi.html ) Other building owners hire professional agencies costing the owners more in dues, naturally, and the service may not necessarily be better. In fact, there's no real definitive answer to which method results in better management -- it all depends on the individuals responsible for the work, as with anything. The average cost of management and maintenance in Paris is about 25€ per square meter of your property per year. Yet, in our building, the fees are less -- mine last year were less than 20€ per square meter. The monthly maintenance costs of my daughter's apartment in New York is ten times that (!), although those fees do include the property taxes and mortgage interest, accounting for 69% of the total cost. But then again, property taxes here in Paris are so low, they're hardly worth considering. Last year they amounted to about 15€ per square meter. Tonight's meeting is particularly important for me as I've requested several items to be addressed and added to the agenda. It was done quite formally, with a registered letter written by my Notaire to the Syndic. It all has to do with the studio apartment with a terrace that is currently under renovation, once having been a "viager." (The story can be read in full at http://www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/viager/ ) I am asking that the copropriété confirm certain modifications to ownership of various parts of the apartment. First, that the terrace does in fact belong to the apartment and not to the copropriété as it says in my deed, but was voted on years ago. Secondly, that I am able to purchase one small part of the "combles" (attic) in which to install the "ballon de l'eau chaude" (hot water tank) -- over which there is confusion as to who owns what (this in itself is a "grande histoire" [big story]!). These questions could turn into a big debate, as there is much ado over the various aspects of the 4th and 5th floors of the building ever since the viager many moons ago took it upon himself to acquire the terrace and attic without permission of the copropriété to begin with. I've inherited the problems along with this jewel of an apartment, and am determined to put it all to rest, once and for all. In some ways I look forward to tonight's conclusion (the pleasure), but am sure that there will be many trials and tribulations along the way (the pain). I'll report on the results next week. Stay tuned. A la prochaine... Adrian Leeds Editor, Parler Paris Share this article with a friend... http://www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/tell-a-friend/index.php Respond to Adrian mailto:info@adrianleeds.com P.S. Don't miss the "1er Festival Indépendant des Musiciens de Jazz Américains à Paris" featuring Steve Potts, Kirk Lightsey, John Betsch, Jack Gregg, Sylvia Howard, Steve McCraven, Rasul Siddik, Tom McClung, José Palmer, Mohamed Hafsi, Lamin Sow, Mra Oma, Wayne Dockery, Katy Roberts, Chris Dailey, Mark Sims, Ricardo Izquierdo and more. Saturday, March 13th from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the American Church (http://www.acparis.org/) - 65 Quai d'Orsay, 75007 Paris. For tickets et Information, visit http://www.americancenterfrance.org/front/index.php?lvlid=113&mduuseid=MQ%3D%3D&dsgtypid=0&page=actu&actid=MTU1 or call 01.45.4407.27 or 01.40.62.05.00 --------------------------------------------------------------------- French Property Fractional. Visit our website to view these exceptional properties. Chez La Tour Visit: http://adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/fractional/chezlatour.html Boulevard de Latour-Maubourg, 7th Arrondissement, Eiffel Tower Two-Bedroom, 88.1 m2 118,900€ 2 Shares Available: January, November Le Petit Trésor Visit: http://adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/fractional/tresor.html Rue de Trésor 4th Arrondissement, Le Marais One Bedroom, One Bath, 56 m2 87,900€ per Share 1 Share Available: January-February To take advantage of this offer, please contact Steve Navarro and be sure to tell him you're a reader of Parler Paris: mailto:steve@navaro.com?cc=adrian@adrianleeds.com&subject=Adrian_Leeds_Referral --------------------------------------------------------------------- New! Le Beaubourg . Located in a grand Haussmannian building, just steps from Le Centre Georges Pompidou, Le Beaubourg is a masterpiece of design and function. Warm, elegant shimmery colors mixed with luxurious fabrics, rich upholstery and elegant crystal and glassworks combine to create a space that you won't want to leave. To check availability, visit Le Beaubourg at: http://www.parlerparisapartments.com/rentals/beaubourg.html. All Parler Paris Apartments are luxurious and well-located with attention to every detail, to make your stay in the City of Light as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. To view all apartments, visit the Parler Paris Apartments site at: http://www.parlerparisapartments.com/ or email us at mailto:apartments@adrianleeds.com . --------------------------------------------------------------------- Book your personal consultation with Adrian Leeds. French Property Consultation: Your Complete Solution to a New Home in France... Let the Adrian Leeds Group guide you through the process with ease and peace of mind... to have your very own pied-à-terre in Paris or home in the French countryside. Visit http://www.frenchpropertyconsultation or email mailto:info@adrianleeds.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- WRITE YOUR HEART OUT IN CHAMPAGNE! Welcome to Writing from the Heart...a journey into the heart of France, and into your own heart...April 13-19, 2010 in the inspiring village of Essoyes, in the heart of Champagne country, two and a half hours southeast of Paris. “A wonderful week of writing, in a charming and welcoming French village.” The workshop is given by Janet Hulstrand, a writer, editor, and teacher whose essays and articles have been published in the Christian Science Monitor, Guide to Retirement Living, International Educator, Smithsonian.com, and other publications. For more information visit: http://www.essoyesschool.com or email mailto:janet.hulstrand@gmail.com?cc=adrian@adrianleeds.com&subject=Parler_Paris_Reader --------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy and sell with Parler Paris classifieds: http://www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/advertise.html Earn money. Become and Introduction Partner of French Property Consultation: http://adrianleeds.com/introducers.php Read past issues of Parler Paris: http://www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/issues/readpastissues.html Know someone who would be interested in the opportunities in Parler Paris? Forward it for FREE to your friend, relative, or associate here: http://www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/tell-a-friend/index.php [FOOTER] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2011, Adrian Leeds® Adrian Leeds Group, LLC, http://www.adrianleeds.com