As in life, there are no guarantees when it comes to building systems, parts, and components. But unlike life, there are warranties and service agreements to ease the pain when something breaks down, gets damaged, or proves to be defective.…
Supers, building managers, maintenance persons, custodial staff, groundskeeping personnel, porters, doormen, concierges—depending on the size of a community, the staff roster for a condo, co-op or HOA can be pretty long. The truth is, in th…
Ideally, building or HOA boards and their managing agents or property managers work as a team, collaborating to carry out the administrative duties and make the decisions that keep their communities running from day to day. Management cont…
These days, it seems like everybody is looking to 'go green.' The term is shorthand for a movement of environmental awareness that involves everything from the way architects design new buildings and homes to the ways HOAs recycle their wa…
Since the 1950s, American lawns have been “hooked” on petroleum-based and synthetic chemicals. A plethora of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers have been eagerly embraced by both homeowners and landscape professionals, w…
Trick or treat! It’s that time of year when pumpkins are picked and decorated, costumes are chosen and all the children in the association are anxiously waiting for Halloween. But for the association, this is also a time of concern as c…
Worn-out or damaged common areas in community associations can hurt overall property values and send the wrong message. Of course, a newly-refurbished grand entrance and beautiful common areas that give owners bragging rights are univer…
To disclose or not to disclose? That is the question community association boards wrestle with on a regular basis. If homeowners want to see the association’s financial records, should the books be open to them? What about a list of owne…
It’s been a roller-coaster ride wild enough to churn even the sturdiest of stomachs: Unemployment is up, property values down, bankruptcies rising, sales dipping and then lurching upward again. For many community associations,…
It’s an unfortunate fact of condominium life: Board members’ responsibilities and their personal agendas intermingle more often than they should. After all, it’s part of human nature to want the best for us or our loved ones. Fa…