While essential to the successful operation of all cooperatives or condominiums, governing documents are often only glossed over by otherwise well-intentioned board members, residents and property managers leading to potential pitfalls.…
Stores and other commercial businesses on the ground floor of an apartment building are a tradition in big cities. By contrast, when one looks at the typical suburban condo development, one must go to another location to shop—maybe to t…
Whether indoors or out, few design elements are as dramatic and arresting as a waterfall, water wall, koi pond, reflecting pool or statuesque fountain. These water features add beauty and value to any property or building, whether they …
In the 1960s, people would laugh at the notion that someone could make money by going to people’s houses and asking to mow their lawn. This was something that everyone did themselves and the thought of paying someone else to do it seeme…
Whether enhancing a towering high-rise or a sprawling suburban development, landscaping not only helps a condo or HOA increase and retain property values, but has a positive impact on residents themselves. Beautiful, functional green s…
One of the things that attracts people to a condo or HOA are the beautiful grounds and lush landscaping that surrounds the property. Because of the topography of New England, it’s almost always necessary for properties to use irrigation…
In Worcester, Massachusetts, the north side of the city has been stripped of its shade trees, victims of a slow but persistent invader from China—the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB). The value that mature hardwoods provide in dense reside…
New England is not exactly known for year-round sunshine and palm trees swaying in the breeze. At first glance, greenery, lawns and lawn care, may seem a non–issue for many Northeast residents—but like most Americans, New Englanders have…
Free seminars, networking opportunities and a chance to get all your condo questions answered — the 2013 New England Condo Expo brings it all together, in one day, under one roof. If you’ve been trying to find solutions to ong…
Q I'm a board member of an association in Cambridge, MA and recently the board majority has called for a special meeting in order to have a trustee step down. We have 12 units, and 11 of them were either willing to meet at the proposed …