That was my impression of the realtor as well. His complaints about the view, 7 foot walls (when he knew this was going to be a rental property), the concrete floors and walls didn't draw any sympathy from me. Especially when he stated he got lazy and didn't keep up with the changes and what he was "getting" as the building went under subsequent changes. Also, he notes his price point was "too good to pass up" which there is a reason for. He also failed to acknowledged the positives such as the kitchen and bathroom!! I've been watching this project for the last five years. I knew what I was buying into when I purchased regarding sealed concrete floors and walls and the reputation of the builder. I opted for drywall and 9 foot wall extensions and planned to have my floors polished once I moved in as I've come to detest hardwood as it buckles or shifts after a new building settles in after a year or two. Polished concrete is way more durable and looks cooler in a soft/new construction loft. Builders always overcharge you for these types of upgrades so it is better you do it yourself anyways. The crooked tiles the realtor went on about are part of the reality of buying new construction. The only issue as a "new" purchaser that I was peeved about was with the exterior, which I thought was still going to have its original bright coloured facade but the builder changed 6 months after I put down my down payment. My love of the neighbourhood kept me involved.
When I moved into my current condo by a "top and reputable" builder, I had the same issues. Cracked or chiped tiles, doors off their tracking, buckling hardwood and a war zone common area and uncarpeted and unpainted hallways are the reality of any new construction...just realize the deficiencies are only temporary (do you want your neighbours scraping their furniture on your newly painted hall walls when they are moving in?), note your unit deficiencies in your PDI and they will eventually be fixed. We can also address the "decor" of the hallways when we get possession and the condo board takes over to determine if that is something we should invest in. The only valid point the realtor had was with the holes in the ceilings around the conduits and the piping which can be fixed. You can also paint the exposed plumbing pipes a consistent color like white if you don't like the pipes in their "raw" form. Many other lofts employ the same design tricks and look great. As for the discoloration and perf holes in the concrete? Tell the builder to sand it down to an even consistency in your PDI. I know this has been done in the Artscape lofts and it looks good. So don't worry about the realtor-I actually think he makes himself look worse and unknowledgable for posting his criticism on his blog. I would never hire him for the sole reason that he lost his composure over things he had control over! I have friends who have purchased pre-sale condos downtown who on their PDI were missing closets in their master bedroom! A big resale feature if you ask me. So it could be worse. Rest easy. You've invested well and it will be fine.