One of the unique aspects of community living, whether that community is a co-op, condo, or HOA, is the collective responsibility shareholders or association members take upon themselves when they offer to serve on their community’s board o…
For many people, insurance seems like its own mysterious realm, filled with terminologies that sound formidable and enigmatic. At the same time, people also understand the profound importance of insurance and what it can mean for the safety…
Co-op, condo and HOA living represents a unique social arrangement; it’s a paid-for membership club and a home at the same time. Many people enter into this arrangement without a complete understanding of the responsibilities of membership.…
You work hard and try to put money away to be used for a rainy day —hoping of course that that ‘rainy day’ is a long-awaited trip to somewhere fabulous and tropical. Then, boom—the brakes on your car suddenly go, or one of the kids needs br…
Money, money, money. The world runs on it. And your building’s well-being depends on it. The issue is not just having funds, but managing them. Handling the purse for an entire building or HOA is a major responsibility, and boards -- even …
There are few feelings worse than encountering an unexpected expense and finding the piggy bank empty. That is why reserve funds and reserve studies are such important elements in the financial well-being of co-ops, condos and homeowners’ a…
Like people, buildings age. Even under the best of atmospheric conditions, dust, dirt and grime accumulate, changing a building’s appearance over time. Often it’s not until a building’s façade is cleaned that one notices how it was dirty to…
When a building, HOA or an individual apartment owner starts a big project, coordinating phases of work, construction schedules, and other logistics can seem like an extremely daunting task. It’s a lot to orchestrate and keep track of – so …
In any large city, parking is a big deal—it’s often hard to find, and when you do find a spot, it can be very expensive. Parking spaces not only provide urban drivers with freedom and mobility in the crowded cityscape, but they can be a ser…
Today, some eight years after the Great Recession, financing for co-op and condominium buildings and individual unit purchases is widely available. The market is overall quite healthy, and though there have been some systemic changes to th…