2012 March
Focus on... Exterior Maintenance

Make Connections at the 2012 Expo
2012 March Make Connections at the 2012 Expo

 As a condominium board member, you rely on a long list of service professionals  for work ranging from HVAC maintenance to parking lot sealing. Finding the  right person for the right job, though, can be a challenge.    In today’s …

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Maintenance Green Exteriors
2012 March Green Exteriors

More often than not, when boards or associations broach the issue of their buildings “going green,” images of bamboo flooring, hemp drapes, or solar panels on the roof suddenly spring to mind. The impression seems to be that in a condo,…

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Maintenance Deck it Out
2012 March Deck it Out

 When you consider all the different exterior components that a condo association  has to deal with, decks are sort of like the Rodney Dangerfield of the list—they rarely get any respect.    “Decks are definitely something that peop…

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Maintenance Green Light
2012 March Green Light

 As the ubiquity of the condo “green” movement reaches even greater heights, many property managers find themselves  searching for new ways to spruce up their operations. And with the continual  advances in lighting technology—each more re…

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Maintenance Concrete Concerns
2012 March Concrete Concerns

Freezing, thawing and deicing undoubtedly take their toll on concrete during typically harsh New England winters. Corrosion of concrete is an issue in the Northeast, and homeowner associations need to ensure that the concrete forming t…

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Maintenance Ready for Spring?
2012 March Ready for Spring?

 Visions of lounging by the pool on a hot July weekend lure many homebuyers into  the condominium lifestyle. For families, the attraction may include use of  their own, “private,” playground, swing set, tennis court or patio for cookouts. …

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Management Let's See Your License
2012 March Let's See Your License

 People say “ignorance of the law is no excuse.” In the same vein, ignorance of contractor illegalities is no excuse—and no comfort—when something goes wrong. Association members are well-advised to bone up on  what’s important before they…

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Finance What's in Your Wallet?
2012 March What's in Your Wallet?

Just as families are encouraged to set aside a portion of the household budget into a savings account, so are community associations advised to maintain a reserve fund for capital improvements—repairs and replacements of major common-ow…

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Neighborhoods "The Bermuda of the North"
2012 March "The Bermuda of the North"

 Nestled in the frothy Atlantic, 12 miles from coastal Rhode Island—its home state — Block Island is a scenic haven that promises rest, relaxation and refuge for  visitors and residents alike.    It’s small—just 21square miles—and o…

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Organizations A Concrete Solution in New England
2012 March A Concrete Solution in New England

Concrete is the most prevalent building material in existence today, though most people probably don’t notice how widely used the material is until it begins to break up in front of their homes, or falls off of their buildings, roads an…

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Q&A: Liability When Not at Home?
2012 March Q&A: Liability When Not at Home?

Q I am looking for information regarding service contractors (i.e., cable, Internet) needing to set up a prior appointment to access the equipment that is installed on owner's terraces. Does the unit owner have to be at home to let the…

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Q&A: Can Professional Still Serve on Board?
2012 March Q&A: Can Professional Still Serve on Board?

Q I am on the board of directors in a Connecticut leasehold property. For some time, we have wanted to nominate one of our leaseholders but she keeps refusing to be on the board because she says that as a lawyer/ accountant, she holds h…

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Q&A: Using Board Money for Repairs?
2012 March Q&A: Using Board Money for Repairs?

Q I belong to a small self-managed condo of six units. There are two serious  concerns: 1) Recently, I discovered that two of the board members used fund  money to repair their boilers so that they could pass inspection. They led us  to b…

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