When you think landscaping, you probably don’t think of a swanky Boston co-op or condo high-rise building. After all, landscaping is typically reserved for suburban homes where there is rolling turf, strategically placed trees, sprawlin…
Green truly is the new black in New England. As more and more condos and HOAs look to save money as expenses rise, more and more boards and unit owners are exploring ways to incorporate “greening” into their building community. …
The shingles on the roof look worn. Paint is peeling off the clapboards on a few buildings. Potholes have turned the parking lot into a slalom course. But collections are down, several homes are in foreclosure, and the temptation to le…
As spring dawns anew on the frigid New England landscape, many condo dwellers will get their first prolonged looks at Mother Nature’s wintery ravages. Likely nowhere is this better seen than on a property’s exterior siding, much of which…
They say a house is only as strong as its foundation. A bad roof, or shoddy plumbing can set your building back a lot of money. But, a foundation in disrepair can put the entire building's structure at risk. It can also cost tens of th…
Condo owners don’t generally exude enthusiasm over their roofs. In fact, they don’t pay much attention to them until there is a problem. However, a roofing problem can cause a major expense. Roofs in New England condominiums br…
Every condo comes with challenges for board members and managers alike. How do you find the right professional for each job that needs to be done? How do you keep the property looking sharp when finances are tight? And how do yo…
Q I am the property manager for a medium-sized condo association. There is an owner who is several months behind on their assessment. We have followed the standard protocol of the association of sending out notices and it has reached t…
Q Our downstairs neighbor’s children always have the TV turned to an extremely loud volume. Our condo building is older and everything can be heard from below. We have tried to resolve the issue peacefully and spoke to them to turn it d…
Snow, ice, freezing, thawing, refreezing all take such a toll on New England properties that it’s practically a cliché—but it’s a cliché that condo trustees and managers have to deal with every spring. Paul Carraccio is preside…