Individuals, associations and other entities carry insurance coverage to protect them from liability, loss, and other financial and legal threats—that's pretty basic. What isn't always so basic is deciding when to file a claim versus payin…

Sometimes insurance and the terms that accompany it can feel like a completely foreign language. It can be mystifying and overwhelming, whether for individual condo residents or the board members who oversee the community as a whole. The i…

When is a flood not a flood? That’s a serious question for the Garden State's residential communities. Even if they have flood insurance, damage caused by heavy rains and backed-up sewers may not meet the National Flood Insurance Program (…

Due to sudden and unfortunate circumstances, one of our condo's board of directors had to start the foreclosure process on his unit. The board is not sure how to handle the situation—if there are any conflict of interests. Does he have to r…

Q My property manager told me that the moisture meter in the hallway adjoining my bathroom has a high reading. There’s no visible damage on the wallpaper in the co-op hallway, there’s no visible damage, and there’s no leaks in the bathroo…

Hackettstown, New Jersey is one of a kind, literally. In fact, it is one of the few towns in the United States that has no duplicate in name, meaning there is no other Hackettstown. Before its incorporation in 1853 it formed a part o…

Homeowners associations and co-ops alike are governed by a set of specific documents that lay out the administrative structure of the community, its rules and regulations, and protocols for decision-making. The certificate of incorporation…

One of the biggest problems that can cause the downfall of any co-op or condo is a lack of funds, or more specifically, not enough money to keep operations running smoothly and to make the necessary repairs to keep everything up to par. …

As the 2012 federal legislative fiasco over the debt ceiling—as well as any number of other spending bills proposed since then—demonstrated, balancing a budget can be like pulling teeth. Balancing a condo or HOA community's budget can some…

Preparing the annual budget is by no means an easy task. Those charged with preparing cooperative, condominium or HOA budgets will soon begin reviewing costs, gathering data and projecting expenses for the coming year. Communities, busines…