Q. We live in a waterfront condo of 51 homes. The owner of a unit had a window fail twice during high winds. He wants to pay the full cost of replacing the window, with a sliding door and balconies on the south exposure of his unit. He ha…

Secure.  The word has many meanings.  According to Google definitions, it can mean “to fix or attach something to something else.  It can mean to protect against threats or make safe. Or it can mean to feel free from fear or anxiety.” Perha…

Some days it rains, some days it pours — and some days, there’s a Category 4 hurricane. And while the latter is relatively rare, it can be a true disaster, and any condominium, co-op or homeowners’ association worth its salt should be prepa…

Everyone is right to be concerned with the safety of their communities, whether they live in an area highly susceptible to crime or a sleepy Mayberry-esque hamlet. Condominiums, cooperatives, and homeowners’ associations are no exception; i…

Q. I am a unit owner in a condominium association containing 189 units. We manage ourselves and wouldn’t ever want to have a management company manage our property. However, the question has often been asked as to what happens when a mana…

Q. Someone made a motion at an association meeting to ban smoking on all of the condo property—the outdoor deck, the garage, the surrounding area until you get to the public sidewalks. Although many people left the meeting which was an ot…

Q. We have an owner who is in arrears for 6 months of maintenance payments and has paying tenants in his condo unit. Just two months of rent would catch him up to his obligation, but he refuses to pay more than one month’s maintenance at …

Since before recorded history, people have celebrated events, often decorating homes and public spaces to mark this or that special day or event. We still love to adorn our doors, windows, and other areas with festive décor at different tim…

Whether you live in a suburb or in the heart of the city, life is expensive. Sometimes it can feel as though everybody from the barista at your favorite coffee shop to the kid who bags your groceries is trying to nickel-and-dime you half to…

Whether interior or exterior, well-built, properly-maintained woodwork can last for centuries—but if wood-boring pests like beetles, termites, and carpenter ants find their way into the wood, they can wreak all kinds of havoc. Wood-destroyi…