Funny thing about human nature—it’s not impulsively "natural" at all. Despite knowing that 1.1 billion people lack clean drinking water and thousands of children die from the diseases in that dirty water, people living in better circumstan…
There’s probably not a condo, co-op, or HOA board that doesn’t worry about money at some point or another, which is why staying on top of the latest money-saving opportunities is vital for any building or community to be successful. One of…
Q If the HOA has title to a unit and a bank holds the mortgage and takes it back from the HOA is the bank responsible for all expenses?—i.e., maintenance, taxes, water and electric. The bank has allowed one unit to become uninhabitable an…
Protection against embezzlement, fraud, theft, computer crime, forgery and more are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to crimes at community associations across the United States. During challenging economic times, crime goes up an…
Say you’re in bed, and you hear what sounds like the shower going. It's late, and you're tired, so you pay it no mind. You wake up at 4 a.m. to get a glass of water and find half the rooms in your apartment flooded— you forgot to turn the …
Individuals, associations and other entities carry insurance coverage to protect them from liability, loss, and other financial and legal threats—that's pretty basic. What isn't always so basic is deciding when to file a claim versus payin…
Sometimes insurance and the terms that accompany it can feel like a completely foreign language. It can be mystifying and overwhelming, whether for individual condo residents or the board members who oversee the community as a whole. The i…
When is a flood not a flood? That’s a serious question for the Garden State's residential communities. Even if they have flood insurance, damage caused by heavy rains and backed-up sewers may not meet the National Flood Insurance Program (…
Due to sudden and unfortunate circumstances, one of our condo's board of directors had to start the foreclosure process on his unit. The board is not sure how to handle the situation—if there are any conflict of interests. Does he have to r…
Q My property manager told me that the moisture meter in the hallway adjoining my bathroom has a high reading. There’s no visible damage on the wallpaper in the co-op hallway, there’s no visible damage, and there’s no leaks in the bathroo…