Small and medium size community associations have many choices when they consider how to manage the day-to-day operations of their properties. Do they keep fees as low as possible and save money by being self-managed? Or find a way to …
It’s Murphy’s Law that when a homeowner is on vacation or away for the day, the unexpected happens. A pipe bursts and water starts dripping through the ceiling of the unit below. It’s essential that the management firm gets into the uni…
Most people assume that as soon as they buy their first home, they will finally have the freedom to paint their decks purple, to hang fluorescent window treatments and colorful sconces, or litter their lawns with political or yard sale…
It is one of life’s eternal questions: is it possible to have too much of a good thing? That question certainly can apply to the matter of long-serving board members, those individuals who get elected and re-elected term after term. And…
Susan Jones wants to join the board of trustees. She’s been a unit owner for a few years and really believes that she can make a difference to the association. When it comes to co-op and condo boards, many members join because they have…
Budgets and financial reports provide a crystal-clear picture of how the association is doing. From an investment perspective, they show how unit owners, managers, tenants, building owners, board of trustees, etc., whether the property…
Q Our property manager wants to buy a unit in our condo community but a lot of owners are not happy about it. Is that a conflict of interest? Do we have any legal power in this manner? Please advise. —Becoming a Buyer …
Q A friend of mine is the president of a condo in Waltham, MA. She had been working for the superintendent as a secretary when the super started his own business, which is on the condo premises. Although it’s just office work, my friend…
Q Our rules and regulations state that owners may not have more than 2 pets, one of which may be a dog. One of the unit owners who also happens to be a board member keeps 4 dogs in her unit as pets. Since she is a board member, the boar…
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…