For the uninitiated, tax filing for something as complicated as a community association can seem a daunting task. Fortunately, there are multiple options for homeowners associations, and with a little background knowledge, you can take t…
New York co-op boards are notorious for scrutinizing prospective buyers with the intensity of federal investigators. The application and interview process can be lengthy and exhausting for someone looking to move into a cooperative. As s…
Boston, Massachusetts may seem worlds away from the serene Garden State, but the story of one embattled condo building there represents a dire cautionary tale for boards and managers everywhere. A couple of years ago, the residents …
Imagine this scenario: you’re trying to purchase a co-op apartment, but also in the midst of a divorce. The board, concerned you may have to shoulder additional child support and alimony payments, fear that you might be unable to meet yo…
Along with big-ticket items like boilers, HVAC systems, and the like, residential buildings also have to purchase lots of little, everyday things like cleaning supplies, light bulbs, and paper products. Though not necessarily expensive i…
They don’t call it “the bottom line” for nothing. When all is said and done, pretty much everything in business (okay, pretty much everything, period) comes down to money. In most business situations, a company CEO or president has the f…
For many years—or at least until the energy crisis of the 1970s—urban and suburban planners didn’t seem to care much about conserving natural resources. Suburban towns were laid out in such a manner that you had to drive everywhere—even …
Nestled on three and a half miles on the Hudson River at the foot of the Palisades, Edgewater borough is a small nugget of New Jersey’s Gold Coast. With a growing, young population looking for proximity to Manhattan, as well as a communi…
Q For the past three years, I have lived in a condominium complex that was built approximately five years ago. The condo association is composed of five members, three of which include the builder and two others employed by the builde…
Q We have a situation at our condo association regarding the likely possibility of changing our maintenance from a contractor to a direct hire. It has been widely speculated that our board president would be the candidate for the position…
Q We have a number of apartments in our condo where owners have not paid maintenance for a few months. As our condo is in the process of legal action and collection can we stop their access to the apartment until the bad debt is paid? Rig…