Drawing up a contract for management services looks at first glance like a simple task. Such contracts usually follow a particular format and outline similar services. But what about contract areas where there’s room for negotiation? Ho…
Job losses. Bankruptcies. Foreclosures. These are tough times for everyone, but when homeowners fall on hard times, they are often late paying condo fees. Some can’t even afford to pay them at all. Add i…
These are hardly the best of times for those who manage community associations, charged as they are with overseeing financial well-being, maintenance goals, legal issues and an almost unpredictable kaleidoscope of other daily concerns, …
With the New Year under way, New England Condominium’s 2011 Expo is quietly taking shape as this spring’s must-attend event for New England’s property managers, trustees, and unit owners. Held on Tuesday, May 24th at the Seaport…
Q We have a owner in one of our condos that always has excessive noise. Last night around 3 a.m., the police were finally called. The owner and his roommate have been told to keep the noise level down but to no avail. Fines have also be…
Q I am a board member of a Maine condominium. One of our unit owners has consistently broken our rules, and continues to do so. What can we do to stop him? — Mandated in Maine A If everything else fails, the boardcan fi…
Like all towns in Vermont, Bennington is small. Lesser known than its peers, Burlington and Brattleboro, Bennington is often called the “gateway” to Vermont – a position that appeals to some, but leaves others unconvinced. Benn…
A proposal to ban federal lenders from purchasing mortgages in condos with deed-based transfer fees has community association leaders worried the ruling would lead to diminished operating budgets and severe disruption of the condo mark…
When safety or security lapses occur in a community association setting, the assigning of blame will often cast managers and board members in a bad light, and can also result in major lawsuits. But many common lapses can be ea…
Visible – and armed – security is routine in places where terrorism is predictable. Israelis pass guards daily at building entrances, coffee shops and restaurants, and shop entrances. Life is simpler in New England, though not…