Many co-op shareholders and condo unit owners arrive in their respective communities after a history of living as renters. Often they carry with them certain ingrained assumptions and expectations from having lived under a landlord. These a…
Security is always a primary concern for homeowners. In a multifamily building without a doorman, the first line of defense is the front entrance – which more often than not features some sort of intercom system to enable visitors to announ…
Once upon a time, you usually greeted your neighbor in the hallway of your building as you were coming or going. But you haven’t seen or heard a peep from her in almost two months. You wonder if she is okay. So you ask the super one morn…
Do you remember when you were a kid, and the closest thing you had to a cell phone was two cups with a string pulled taut between them, speaking into one cup to see if your friend holding the other could hear you? That long-ago game worked …
It’s been a long time since most people have felt comfortable just leaving their front doors unlocked. For better or worse, security has become the order of the day – and technology follows security needs. Today, that path leads to electr…
While children are most certainly the future, in the present they can often be a bit of a handful. In buildings and associations where residents live in close quarters, it’s inevitable that unit owners without kids will cross paths with the…
When a community association enters into a contract with a professional management company, board members may feel a sense of relief. After all, much of the burden of running the community’s daily operations has now been transferred to (hop…
Ideas about architecture, design and the use of space have changed over the years. Back in the first half of the last century when both developers and consumers had different needs and agendas than they do today (not to mention less advanc…
Even before Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) introduced the Green New Deal resolution to Congress on February 7, the impending consequences of climate change and global warming has been a hot topic (no pun intended). While some may cove…
So, you want to renovate your kitchen. You’ve chosen your tile, cabinetry, and fixtures. You’ve gotten bids from several contractors, and are ready to dig in and overhaul the whole space. But not so fast. You live in a co-op. You need b…