Consensus holds that Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has it all. Not content with a distinguished naval history only, the city of about 20,000 has blossomed like the strawberries once did on the banks of the Piscataqua River. Now, while remai…
If a service company’s number one asset is its people, there is no more important topic than “How to Attract and Keep Staff.” The challenges of finding, hiring and keeping the best staff—at a cost that still fits within the overall finan…
Conflict among neighbors is something every property manager must face. As long as people have different viewpoints and varied lifestyles, they will argue and bicker and call each other names. Add to that the close living quarters of som…
Whether it’s a neighbor’s barking dog or a backed-up toilet, the problems of condominium owners and residents are always personal. Their homes are a haven–and an investment–so at times, even an easily-solved issue can feel like a catastr…
No two condos are the same, and neither are the needs of the buildings. A brownstone in Cambridge, a hotel-like complex in Boston’s Back Bay, a row of townhouses in Nashua—each requires specific services from its management company. …
The Climate of the real estate market across the country has shifted, and the fallout from the subprime mortgage crisis has been felt in cities and towns throughout the country. The co-op and condo market in New England is no exception, …
There’s always something to do around a condominium or co-op building. There’s landscaping to be done in the spring, summer and fall. A swimming pool adds to summer’s workload, and snow removal is one of winter’s most important chores. M…
There's nothing quite like a summer's day spent relaxing on your deck with friends. For many of us, it's like having a small piece of paradise right outside our doors. Condominium associations know that well-maintained and attractive dec…
In his book, "Paul Revere's Ride," David Hackett Fischer suggests that General Thomas Gage suffered from "stovepipe intelligence," or gathering information from the top down. The British Military Governor of Massa-chusetts asked que…
When the Puritans bought Muske-taquid from the Algonkians in 1635, they changed the name to "Concord" to signify the harmony of the agreement. The Massachusetts town has lived up to its name ever since, albeit rather unconventionally. It…