2018 December
Focus on... Building Maintenance

Maintenance Hidden Energy Wasters
2018 December Hidden Energy Wasters

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…

Read More
Maintenance Heating Options for Multifamily Communities
2018 December Heating Options for Multifamily Communities

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…

Read More
Maintenance Elevator Repair and Replacement Projects
2018 December Elevator Repair and Replacement Projects

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…

Read More
Board Operations Handling Conflicts
2018 December Handling Conflicts

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…

Read More
Board Operations Effective Committees
2018 December Effective Committees

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, …

Read More
Board Operations Boards Battle Burnout
2018 December Boards Battle Burnout

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…

Read More
Board Operations Readying Your HOA for Emergencies
2018 December Readying Your HOA for Emergencies

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…

Read More
Finance The Appraisal Process
2018 December The Appraisal Process

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…

Read More
Board Operations The Chain of  Communication
2018 December The Chain of Communication

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…

Read More
Board Operations The Upsides of Board Service
2018 December The Upsides of Board Service

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…

Read More
Board Operations Diversifying the Board
2018 December Diversifying the Board

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 …

Read More
Q&A Q&A: The Issue of Pets
2018 December Q&A: The Issue of Pets

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…

Read More