Whether you live in a suburb or in the heart of the city, life is expensive. Sometimes it can feel as though everybody from the barista at your favorite coffee shop to the kid who bags your groceries is trying to nickel-and-dime you half to…
Economists often say that markets love consistency. So do condos and HOAs – and they share that preference for stability with another important group: insurance companies. Residential communities seek to keep their costs stable, and insuran…
Since their insurgence over the last dozen years, Airbnb, Homeaway/VRBO and other home-sharing sites using a similar model have provided travelers all across the globe with alternative – often more affordable – accommodation to hotels, mote…
In markets throughout the nation, 2019 was a year of uncertainty, reflecting change in the basic mechanisms of how we view, buy, and sell real estate. That uncertainty extended to all markets, from traditional single-family homes to co-ops…
Q. Once a budget is passed, can monies be taken from one account and used for something else? Example, if there is money in a “paving account” can it be transferred to a “pool repair account,” if needed? It seems that our association budg…
Q. I would like to know if it is legal for board members to share personal and financial information regarding our home in the community with other residents who don’t serve on the board — and some who don’t even own property here, but li…
It’s that time of the year again – the Halloween candy is long gone, Thanksgiving turkeys are being ordered, and Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve are all approaching, complete with sparkly lights and ornaments, as well as a …
Some lucky apartment owners can come home from work on a cold winter’s night and warm their feet by a roaring fire while drinking a hot toddy. A working fireplace is a coveted amenity for many, adding a dash of vintage charm to prewar apar…
Anytime you have hundreds, or even thousands of people living in close quarters – in a multifamily co-op or condo building, say – certain challenges will inevitably arise. One of the bigger ones is how to maintain the flow of fresh, hygieni…
No matter how well-constructed and carefully maintained, no mechanical system lasts forever – and that goes for elevator cabs and equipment just as much as it applies to roofs or boilers. At some point, your building’s vertical transportat…