Accountants are a norm for most people around tax time. And then, post-tax season, we rarely think about them. But for co-op and condo owners, this shouldn’t be the case. It’s crucial that large associations hire an accountant to help w…
It’s the same dilemma that single-family households across the U.S. are facing: What bills need to be paid immediately and what bills can wait? And should we stretch ourselves thin, taking more out of our bank accounts to pay for privat…
In December 2008, the National Bureau of Economic Research announced that the United States was in a recession that had started back in December 2007. The official announcement was old news for most Americans. Most financially…
Unless it's a thoughtful gift or a party in their honor, nobody likes surprises. That's especially true when it comes to sudden, serious, or non-negotiable repairs to a condo building or HOA. A community must have enough money saved to …
“We have 500 condo accounts and I can count on one or two hands the number of the ones that are not having issues with arrears,” reports Karen Sackstein, CPA, whose accounting firm, The Condo Queens, is based in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. “…
For a crystal-clear picture of how an association is doing, there are few better lenses than the community's budgets and financial reports. From an investment perspective, they show the shareholders, managers, tenants, owners, and board…
Money is a topic people are often skittish about discussing—especially when the discussion involves rising fees, or having to pay more money for something. When you’re a board member or the property manager of a condo building or residen…
As the weather gets warmer with the arrival of spring, condo, HOA and co-op residents are getting the urge to cool off in their community swimming pool or relax in their heated clubhouse spa. But before that can happen there’s…
These days, everybody is looking to save money—or dealing with the repercussions of not having saved enough in the past. And while lawns and shrubbery might seem like luxury items to some condo and co-op residents, aesthetics and curb a…