Category: Association Operations

Insurance is a topic that seems to evoke one of two feelings: boredom in the best of times, and dread in the worst. It’s both complicated and expensive, frustrating yet necessary, mundane yet stressful. It’s also one of the most important d…

As noted elsewhere in this edition of New England Condominium, all types of properties, including condo, HOA and co-op communities, are experiencing steep increases in their insurance premiums while coverage is being reduced. Some are seein…

Over the past few years, nearly all property owners, including shared interest communities, have seen sharp increases in their insurance premiums. That costs have spiraled and coverage gotten harder to obtain is obvious. The questions are, …

Your building’s lobby and entry spaces are places where neighbors connect, guests are welcomed, and visitors get their first impression of what your community is about. Along with aesthetics, interior design creates spaces that tell a story…

Unless you’ve been living off the grid in a remote woodland cabin for the last several years, you know that costs for nearly everything, including the goods and services needed to operate and maintain multifamily properties, are up—sometime…

It’s just a fact: living in close quarters, whether vertically in a multifamily high-rise, or right next door in a suburban HOA, makes a certain amount of conflict inevitable. It can occur between residents, or between a resident and the bo…

Self-managed communities large and small can save a considerable amount of money by eschewing third-party management and handling their day-to-day business in-house. This means the board must assume the tasks and responsibilities that commu…

Maintaining your community’s public spaces is critical to the image your community puts forward to residents, visitors and potential buyers. Frequent updating and polishing of common areas—particularly high-visibility, high-traffic areas li…

The warmth of the spring sun encourages us to get outdoors and, even in big cities where concrete is king, we can appreciate the appeal of a well-kept grassy area. Whether it’s stretching our legs on a grassy lawn in Central Park or walking…

“You only get one chance to make a great first impression,” goes the old adage.  That’s the essence of curb appeal. When someone arrives at your property, they can be pleasantly surprised, or disappointed. Much of that reaction will depend …