It seems that suddenly, everyone's talking about green buildings and green construction. But it's really not a new concept. Back in the 1970s and '80s, after the energy crisis made us all aware of the high cost of electricity, energy-eff…
It's bound to happen eventually: calamity befalls your condominium development in the form of windstorm damage, fire, personal injury or the like. The first step most associations take is to call the insurance company and file a claim. Howe…
To those who don't know much about the subject, insurance for condos and HOAs can seem like a fairly simple thing—like car insurance, or life insurance. It's tempting to just trust their broker or agent, and leave it at that. There'…
Along with management fees, insurance premiums represent one of a homeowners association's largest annual expenses - and with good reason. Protection from major financial loss is integral to a civilized society. Without the security of i…
There is a joke that is regularly circulated via e-mail among insurance industry professionals. It goes a little like this: A North Carolina man, having purchased a box of 24 rare and very expensive cigars, insured them against fire. (Ye…
Having a well-lit, well-maintained laundry room in one's building is a definite plus. Residents don't have to traipse out to the overcrowded Laundromat in the dead of winter or in the pouring rain to spend hours waiting for machines when…
Monthly charges, including common charges, emergency repairs, special assessments, maintenance fees, dues and so forth, are a big part of owning a condominium in New Jersey. When an owner is late, or misses monthly payments entirely…
For the first time since Fiscal Year (FY) 2001, New Jersey's state budget does not rely on tax or fee increases. Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed a $33.47 billion state budget for FY 2008 that is committed to no new taxes, substantial tax reli…
Cons and hustles are as old as civilization itself. For as long as there have been goods and currency to collect and divide, there have been unscrupulous individuals who are ready to relieve the unwary consumer of their holdings. Banking to…
Almost everyone, whether they're financially successful or not, knows what it's like to feel the pinch of financial insecurity at one time or another—those moments when an unexpected expense looms on the horizon like a storm, or the real…