In many ways co-op, condo, and HOA living represents the most basic form of representative democracy. Like the ancient Athenians, we gather periodically to elect a small group from among us to represent our joint interests and to oversee th…
In the world of co-ops, condos, and HOAs, management plays a slightly different role than it does in the rest of the real estate world. For example, in many rental buildings, the landlord or property owner often acts as de facto manager as …
Like any profession, property management has its moments. Managers often feel a sense of great achievement when they’ve done a good job for a client community, sorting out a seemingly intractable problem, saving them thousands of dollars, o…
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 …
Even before the covidpandemic hit in 2020, more and more of us were buying more and more goods online, and having them shipped or delivered direct to our doorsteps, with no car trip, parking search, or even human interaction required. The c…
If you live in a condominium, cooperative or HOA, guess what? You’re part of a participatory mini-democracy run by an elected group of volunteers. As such, it’s to your benefit to get involved in how your community is governed in order to p…
Both locally and nationally, 2022 was a year of contradiction in the real estate industry. The year began on the coattails of 2021, one of the strongest markets for homes in recent history. By early spring, with inflation rising at a pace…
In 2017, a Boston couple were brutally murdered in their penthouse apartment in a high-end condominium building. The murderer, the former employee of a company that supplied concierge services to the condo, had worked there, and so knew the…
In the world of owned residential communities like co-ops, condominiums, and HOAs, the issue of leased or sublet units is often the elephant in the corner of the communal room. Most owners choose to buy their units because they want a stabl…
Whether you’re a manager or a board member, running a condo, HOA, or co-op has never been an easy job. There’s always a capital project to fund, a contractor to hire, a dispute to resolve, a leak to repair...the list can feel endless. Add t…