Q. I live in a five-story condominium with 24 units, 24 designated parking spots, and six undesignated spots. ‘Designated’ means that only the 24 people with parking tags can park in any one of the 24 designated spots (but the spots are n…
Over the last 10 years, the Boston metro condo market has moved from a period of dynamic growth to something of a recalibration phase thanks to the pandemic and historically high interest rates. According to the National Association of Real…
On March 18, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac issued a significant update to their project standards and property insurance requirements. These changes reflect the realities of today’s housing market and focus on the long-term financial sustainab…
New England may not produce as many headline-grabbing HOA lawsuits as say, Florida or California, but when disputes in its condo communities reach the courts, they tend to be very specific. From battles over free speech to the “right to dry…
Most U.S. municipalities have local laws on their books governing how exterior building façades must be inspected, maintained and repaired. While such legislation is occasionally enacted at the state level, generally these laws are a local …
With summer travel on the horizon, now is the perfect time for managers and residents to assess and refine their strategies for handling short-term vacancies in their buildings. When residents are away, no matter the duration, pre-planning …
Keeping a building dry is both an interior and exterior challenge. All buildings, regardless of materials and construction, are at risk of water infiltration and moisture build-up in walls, ceilings, window wells and roof materials. This …
Q. Our condo building’s roof is in poor shape, and has not been well maintained the past few years. It’s also old, and simply reaching the end of its useful life. Recently, a few major roof leaks have caused damage in the units directly b…
Transparency is touted as a cornerstone of good board governance. Shareholders and unit owners want—and have the right—to see what goes on behind the curtain at board meetings and better understand why certain decisions are made. Residents …
Each and every multifamily community is different, with unique needs, expectations, and challenges. If you’re a regular reader of this publication, you’ve heard that refrain many times, across a broad range of contexts—including board gover…