Q Our condo association, which is private, has a situation that seems to be going nowhere. One of the units in the association has been for sale for over 2 years and the owner has not paid their HOA dues in 3 plus years. We as the bo…
The harshness of winter can be challenging for all of us, but for cold-blooded insects, it's downright brutal. Yet every spring when temperatures rise, insects are once again crawling and buzzing around as though winter never happened.…
As recently as five years ago, traditional phone logs and Rolodexes were a common part of a property manager's daily communications arsenal. Yet, with recent advances in property management software, such anachronistic methods are larg…
Most buildings have emergency preparedness plans in case of fires, floods, or hurricanes. But there’s one form of crisis that very few have an organized response for: the public relations disaster. It could come in the form of a scandal…
Job losses. Bankruptcies. Foreclosures. These are tough times for everyone, but when homeowners fall on hard times, they are often late paying condo, townhome or co-op fees. Some can’t even afford to pay them at all. Add in to…
Drawing up a contract for management services looks at first glance like a simple task. Such contracts usually follow a particular format and outline services for condos, townhomes and co-ops regardless of size. But what about contract…
These are hardly the best of times for those who manage condo and homeowner association buildings, charged as they are with overseeing financial well-being, maintenance goals, legal issues and an almost unpredictable kaleidoscope of ot…
With the New Year under way, The New Jersey Cooperator’s 2011 Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo is quietly taking shape as this spring’s must-attend event for the Garden State’s property managers, board members and unit owners. Held at th…
Q I am buying a condo, the developer wants me to waive the implied warranty of habitability? Is this normal? His reason is that they have rehabbed the building and didn't build it from scratch. Should I be concerned? —Prospec…
Upon appearance, concrete may seem like a very dense material. However, in reality, it is like a sponge. It can and does absorb water. This can be easily observed on a summer day. Pouring water on a sidewalk, you may actually observe the…