For half a decade now, The New Jersey Cooperator’s Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo has been the annual must-attend event for the Garden State’s property managers, board members, real estate professionals, shareholders and  unit owners. Now the popular trade show has expanded adding landlords and  building managers to its attendee list with the debut of the Apartment  Management Expo.  

 Providing the right information is key. “Obviously our goal is to present attendees with information and products that  will make running their communities easier and more efficient,” says Yale Robbins, president of Yale Robbins, Inc., Expo producer and publisher  of The New Jersey Cooperator, “but we also put a great deal of thought into the bigger picture, anticipating  trends and trying to broaden and build on our offerings from one year to the  next.”  

 Henry Robbins, executive vice president and director of sales for Yale Robbins,  Inc., added that despite a sluggish economy, overall attendance and interest in  the Expo—both from vendors and attendees—has grown each year since the show was launched in 2007. “It's really our exhibitors and our attendees who make this show what it is,” says Robbins. “Their enthusiasm and interest is contagious—the fact that the event grows and draws more people each year is proof of that.” The 2012 Expo attracted over 2,000 registered attendees with hundreds of  exhibitor booths to visit throughout the day.  

 Information and Instruction

 While the exhibitors provide valuable information to attendees— the community essentials ranging from alarm systems to roofing, the New Jersey  Condo, HOA, Co-op and Apartment Management Expo also offered seminars designed  to enlighten attendees about key issues affecting both condominium and  apartment building management.  

 Seminar presenters included the management teams from Association Advisors and  Associa, attorneys from Stark & Stark, and lending strategists from MetLife. Lively discussions on pest control  and tenant retention also whetted attendees’ appetite for information.  

 Association Advisors’ Bonnie Bertan, joined by Attorney Hubert C. Cutolo, Esq. of The Cutolo Law Firm  and Ed Wilkin of the East Brunswick accounting firm Wilkin & Guttenplan, reviewed some of the biggest issues faced by association boards in “The Big Five: Top Issues for Associations.” The seminar presented an overview of some of the biggest challenges boards face  in their community's day-to-day operations: handling collections, understanding  fiscal responsibility, managing committees, following proper board procedure,  and selecting vendors.  

 Cutolo discussed board operations and what documentation boards should have to  keep them on the right side of the law. “The first thing we always recommend is a written code of board conduct,” he explains. “When new board members come on, everyone should be familiar with what their  responsibilities and obligations are.”  

 Wilkin examined proper financial procedures and practices. “I’d like to see an annual increase every year, even if it’s one, one and a half percent,” he advised. That way the board is prepared and doesn’t get caught short if an emergency situation arises. He also spoke of the  ability of associations to suspend privileges to common area elements if a unit  owner is in arrears.  

 Association Advisors’ Bonnie Bertan addressed the collections process and said that ideally an  attorney should draft a specific policy for your association. “In hard economic times, early intervention is key. You want to make sure you’re headed in the right direction.” The policy should have a trigger, namely, a dollar amount or a time frame where  the management and legal teams step in.  

 Attorneys Chris Florio and Mary Barrett of Stark & Stark presented a standing-room only audience with “Legal Lessons: Who to Call and What Your Board Can Learn from Others,” providing advice on using legal counsel, working with management, and staying  on track with your legal budget.  

 Barrett outlined three legal cases of interest to New Jersey HOAs. She spoke  about alternative dispute resolution, prohibiting leasing and suspending  parking privileges of owners behind on their payments. Florio spoke of  important legislation that may soon be affecting New Jersey’s community associations and HOAs, including manager licensing.  

 Associa’s Rob Hastings of MAMCO Property Management in Mount Laurel took the third  session into the afternoon with “Making the Most of Your Board/Management Relationship.” Hastings looked at ways that boards and property managers can develop and  nurture a positive relationship. The governing documents and the bylaws are the  starting point for any discussion, said Hastings.“The manager’s role is to guide the board members through good decision-making, be fiscally  responsible and adhere to the governing documents. Our role is not to really  make decisions. We make decisions on the board’s behalf.”  

 Vanessa White of MetLife Bank presented the final condo seminar on obtaining  federally-backed funding approvals through the Federal Housing Administration  and the challenges of getting that approval in a tough economy. “New Rules, New Challenges: Getting FHA Approval” answered questions on the state of the housing and mortgage markets and how  current lending practices affect condominium financing.  

 Seminars for Apartment Managers

 Property managers Chris Cervelli of Cervelli Management, and Elaine Warga-Murray  of The Regency Management Group teamed up with attorney Andrew Sobel of Ehrlich  Petriello Gudin & Plaza to introduce the first seminar “Full House: Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Tenants.” The panelists talked about the state of the rental market, leasing practices,  marketing strategies and services and how equity in your property can be  increased through capital improvements and proper maintenance.  

 “Pricing,” says Warga-Murray, a certified property manager, “tends to be whatever the market will bear. In some locations, if you’re near public transportation, if you’re near a desirable amenity, if you’re near something desirable, that will also affect your rental rates.”  

 According to Cervelli, “The biggest challenge I see is competition. You’ve got to keep the building competitive with other rental buildings. You have to  keep it competitively-priced. It’s very important to look into who you’re doing business with. You’re going into a partnership with this person. You’re offering them a service and they’re going to pay you for that service. You have a contractual agreement with that  person.”  

 And given the re-emergence of pests, especially bedbugs in the metro New York  area, the topic of “Roaches, Bedbugs & Mice—Oh My!” was very timely. Speakers were Hank Johns of Cowley’s Pest Control, attorney Michael Karpoff of Hill Wallack and Sam Verona of  Wentworth Property Management. They talked about the varied responsibilities of  tenants and landlords and how pests can be safely removed.  

 Free Advice Booths & More

 In addition to networking and education opportunities, crowds gathered to visit  the show's popular free advice booths. Experts manned the booths to field  questions about association finances, policies and day-to-day management.  

 Various prizes were given away throughout the day including tickets to  professional sporting events and shows, iPads, certificates for valuable condo  and HOA services, even vacation packages.  

 $2,500 Reserve Fund Giveaway

 One of the most popular offerings is the Reserve Fund prize giveaway, courtesy  of The New Jersey Cooperator and Yale Robbins, Inc. One attendee at the Expo  will be the winner of a $2,500 contribution to their building or association's  reserve fund. The winner is drawn at random and a check for the winnings is  made payable to the winner’s association, care of their management company. Only board members qualified to  enter the reserve fund drawing, and attendance at the Expo was required for  eligibility  

 And don’t forget while this year’s show is but a memory, preparations are already underway for the 2013 show  which will be held May 1, 2013 at the Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus. Mark  your calendars and don’t forget to join us next year. In the meantime, go to www.nj-expo.com for more  information.