2018 December
Focus on... Building Maintenance

Co-ops and condos routinely undertake major capital projects to improve and update their physical plant with the hopes of both increasing value and cutting expenses. But how about more modest programs to save money in areas that are often o…

Whether you live in a high-rise building or a spread-out condo association, you probably take having reliable, adequate heat in the winter months for granted. But heating a multifamily community is not so easy as simply turning a dial. Ther…

The invention and adaptation of vertical transportation – otherwise known as the elevator – in the 1850s changed the face of architecture, space design, and apartment living forever. Unfortunately, like any mechanical system, every so often…

Condo, co-op and HOA communities are made up of people – and people aren’t perfect. Within a community association, squabbles are inevitably going to break out between unit owners. Oftentimes these problems will be resolved relatively easil…

While a board and management take on the lion’s share of responsibility for maintaining a building or community association, it certainly helps to have some extra hands on deck to keep track of smaller details. While by no means mandatory, …

While a productive building or association manager who ably navigates the day-to-day operations of one or more client communities may not have millions in the bank, it’s hard to argue that he or she is not ‘successful’ in practical terms. B…

Planning for a rainy day is pretty easy. Have an extra umbrella handy, or a waterproof coat, and you’re probably fine. On the other hand, planning for the rainiest day ever is significantly more daunting – especially if during the deluge th…

For many people, appraisals – why they’re done, how they’re done, and how they’re used – are a mystery. But that need not be the case. For all intents and purposes, appraisals are a straightforward and simple component in the process of com…

The board of a condominium, cooperative, or homeowners’ association literally exists to serve, and to represent residents’ best interests in the day-to-day business of the association. The relationship between owner/shareholder and board me…

One of the unique things that sets co-op, condo and HOA living apart from living in a single-family home, or even a rental, is the buyers’ choice to live in a community-within-a-community. By purchasing a unit in a particular building or de…

A democracy fares best when it is proportionally representative of its constituents. That's why a government that mainly consists of, say, old white men cannot necessarily relate to the plights of a diverse voter base. For all intents and …

Q. I am at the end of the purchase of a condo in Pompano Beach. I just found out that the association wants me to pay one year of condo fees in escrow for three years, and continue to pay the regular fees monthly. With all the cash outlay…

Q.   I live in a 40-unit condo building with a no pet amendment from 1980. A woman recently purchased a unit and has been seen with a dog, and the dog barks all the time. She signed all the disclosure forms stating we don’t allow pets or r…