Q. In the summer, we usually have social gatherings among the residents of our condo. Our board of directors has approved over $1,000 for the cost of our monthly community barbecues. I assume, rightly or wrongly, that using the monthly ma…

Even with proper risk management best practices, it’s impossible to completely avoid all types of insurance claims from happening. At heart, a claim is like any other business dealing—a negotiation. Your ability to convincingly argue your p…

Just as the ways in which we socialize have changed in recent years, so too have the spaces in which that socializing has traditionally been done. Common spaces and amenities in multifamily buildings and condo associations have evolved to s…

No matter what the size of their portfolio, a property manager must wear a great many professional hats: human resources pro, administrator, mediator, organizer, social director, project manager, sounding board—sometimes even therapist.  I…

A cooperative, condominium or homeowner's association is more likely than not governed by a ragtag band of brave volunteers. Oftentimes, these folks have outside jobs that have little to do with maintaining a residential real estate propert…

I wish someone had told me the nuances of trying to cultivate a community while also trying to manage a business,” said Pat Burke, the current president of the Fieldstondale co-op in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, when asked what he wi…

Like beauty, what constitutes an 'amenity'—particularly a 'luxury' amenity—may well be in the eye of the beholder. Young families may want indoor and outdoor play equipment, while professionals may appreciate a well-appointed gym, and senio…

For over a century, states have had laws, rules and regulations in place to ensure that employees who are injured while performing their jobs are adequately taken care of. An uninsured employer that finds itself embroiled in a workers' comp…

As any manager, board president or building administrator rightly knows, protecting your building community against a man-made catastrophe, natural disaster, act of God, or just basic negligence, is not a trivial task. Property casualty in…

Q. We are a small 24-unit condo complex in Bergen County. As it is in many walks of life these days, it seems that nobody wants to serve on the board of managers. We seemingly have the same people all the time and they keep serving over a…