For any residential development, dirt, extreme weather conditions, and everyday wear-and-tear can play havoc with even the most durable building materials, such as stone or steel. Those same elements take an even greater toll on painted …
Everyone knows the old phrase about April showers bringing May flowers, but what the saying doesn't tell you is that the rain in April can also bring a lot of damage to your gutter system. Hard rain and blustery wind are always around on…
Once the first home in a new community development is sold, its homeowner association is activated. And from that moment on, the association has to fulfill its obligations to the community and its residents. At the start of the proc…
On Wednesday, March 16th, The Cooperator hosted its 18th Annual Co-op & Condo Expo at the New York Hilton in Midtown Manhattan. The event featured more than 200 exhibitor booths and drew over 4,000 registrants from all corners of the co-…
A giant shrub trimmed to resemble a stock car? Shutters painted an eye-shattering fuschia? Eight not-so-tiny reindeer blitzing across the roof? Some people's idea of design heaven is almost certainly someone else's idea of aesthetic purg…
With both history and innovation on its side, the trade association known as the Professional Landcare Network, or PLANET, is going strong midway through its fourth decade. Based in Herndon, Virginia with branches across the contiguous U…
By all accounts, the condo/co-op real estate market in New Jersey was more than robust during 2004 and experts are hopeful that the trend will continue in 2005. Whether it's Union County, Morris County or Hudson County, the feeling …
Most people would agree that even the most upscale homeowner association could benefit from some well-tended, well-cared-for green spaces. According to the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA), landscaping adds real, measur…
Decorating an association's grounds isn't an easy job; decisions needed to be made on dozens of design elements, plant species, arrangement, and so forth. Along with shrubs, bushes, and flowers, trees are central component of any landsca…
When people think of "landscaping," most bring to mind images of lush shrubs, trees, and sprinklers watering verdant green lawns. There's more to it than that, however, and in some cases, less-typical landscaping elements can not only se…