Many people believe in the ethos of 'reduce, reuse, and recycle'—they buy vintage clothing, pre-owned cars, or refurbished electronic equipment. But most of us also like brand new things, including homes. And with markets across the country…
Here in the Garden State, the uniformity of condo exteriors is mind-numbing, with the vast majority seemingly identical. Typically, they feature tedious, monochromatic curb appeal, void of color or creative material elements. Within these b…
Running the day-to-day business of a co-op, condo or HOA of any size—be it a self-contained high-rise in Fort Lee or Jersey City or a sprawling, multi-building community in Sparta—requires not just a functional board, but a team of competen…
If it's like a ghost town in your building and summer hasn’t hit yet—where is everybody? Maybe they’re on a winter hiatus and are inhabiting their second home in Florida—and that possibly means a season-long absence from their co-op or co…
In this challenging economy, many condo and HOA communities are struggling to pay their bills while planning for future needs. Still, most boards are loathe to raise maintenance fees or levy special assessments on their residents until ther…
It’s no secret that residents in co-ops or condos can be a fickle bunch, and many times decide to undertake a repair or remodeling project themselves, without going through the proper channels. Maybe it’s a new owner who wants to make maj…
Winter in New Jersey can be brutal—piles of slushy gray snow to wade through and frigid winds that keep you inside. So you curl up with a good book, sip a cup of tea and watch the flurries through the window. As the flakes fall, you might f…
When most people think of landscaping, especially in the Garden State, they think of shrubs, trees, meticulously laid-out and maintained flowerbeds, and artful plantings scattered around a building or development. However, landscaping doesn…
New Jersey is the famous Garden State—that population-dense East Coast treasure known for its natural splendor above all else. Who knows more about beautiful flora than green-thumbed denizens of Parsippany, Secaucus, or Ho-Ho-Kus? Nobody, p…
Q. Certain owners in our building keep some of their personal belongings (i.e., bikes and tricycles, baby strollers, skates, tennis racquets, etc.) in the hallways next to their condo units. Sometimes we have to squeeze by all of their ha…