Good quality windows are essential to a building's aesthetic appeal, as well as its energy efficiency. But what is involved in changing out the old windows for the new? There are a few important things boards and managers should kno…
The real estate mantra is location, location, location, right? After that, it's price, square footage, condition, state of the market and maybe rooms with a view or available financing terms. This is all true—but there's a rel…
People are pretty rough on parking lots. Not only do we drive on them, but we leak oil and transmission fluid on them, pour salt on them when it snows, and leave it there well into spring. Snow plows and heavy garbage dumpsters goug…
You've heard it before—first impressions are everything, whether it's for a job interview, a first date, or the curb appeal of a new home. So, if your condo or homeowners association has begun to look a little shabby or as out-of-date, perh…
Many HOAs would like to know how their association compares with others in their area. Measuring one's own financial situation against that of one's peers is often a good way to gauge financial solvency and level of preparation for things l…
Leaks happen all the time. American Leak Detection, a nationwide company (unrelated to the Scooter Libby trial), claims to have discovered 1.4 million leaks last year alone—and that's just one company! Common as they are, leaks can cause…
In an age of tinted-glass curtain walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, and ubiquitous vinyl siding, it may be comforting to know that the granddaddy of all building materials—natural stone, quarried from the earth and hewn by hand in some cases…
Along with location and amenities, safety is one of the foremost factors homebuyers take into consideration when searching for a home. Current advancements in security technologies have evolved ten-fold since just five years ago, ye…
On January 25, 2007, the Appellate Division struck down key provisions of the regulations of the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) limiting municipal fair share housing obligations for the period from 1999 to 2014 (often referred to a…
Q I live in a condo that I own. Lately, our elevator has been stalling and making scary noises for two months. Are we as condo owners entitled to withhold our monthly fees until our management fixes the problem? They’ve been unresponsiv…
Q I live in a co-op in Bergen County, and have a question regarding the separation of co-op administration and outside business concerns. Recently, several shareholders (including myself) noticed that one of our board members, a realto…
Q Our association is currently going through the transition from a developer-controlled board to a member-controlled board, and as one of the first members of the new board, I’m concerned about drafting our new rules and regulations. So…