Any building in New Jersey that is taller than, say, five stories usually has an elevator—and often, new buildings of even three stories have an elevator. If you live in a high rise co-op or condo building on Palisade Avenue in Fort Lee, c…

Every year the cycle repeats itself in numerous co-ops and condo communities from the Gold Coast to the Jersey Shore: as temperatures drop and snow begins to swirl, flocks of empty nesters and others fortunate enough to own a second home i…

With today’s condo and HOA residents much more conscious of their impact on the environment and looking for ways to reduce it, smart boards and property managers are looking to help. Simple tasks like turning down thermostats, shutting off…

There are two ways—and only two ways—to balance a budget: increase revenue or decrease spending. Whether you’re the treasurer of a co-op board or the President of the United States, those are the only two levers at your disposal. Ene…

I'm part of an association, and there's a couple big votes at our upcoming meeting. My question is related to the death of a fellow unit owner; can anyone who may have her proxy vote for her? Is it legal? She was buried very recently. …

Freelance photographer Jocelyn A. lives in a charming, post-war brick townhouse community of over 1,600 units and a $3 million annual budget. She receives a monthly newsletter with over 20 pages of everything to keep residents informed,…

Property management, in the broadest of terms, is defined as the operation, control and oversight of real estate. Most property managers would agree that definition is just a starting point, however. There are many facets to t…

Being on a board of a condo or co-op is no picnic. There are tons of decisions to be made, disputes to settle, finances to keep track of and a chance of being sued for a slip-up. So why do so many people decide to serve on a board—some …

Most co-op and condo residents have taken part in at least a few annual board elections, and perhaps they’ve even served on committees, or volunteered on behalf of their building in some other capacity. But those who’ve never taken a se…

No one needs to be reminded about the personal loss and devastation that Superstorm Sandy brought to the Jersey Shore in October 2012. Natural disasters like these are on the rise and serve to underscore the importance of having approp…