Flood” might as well be synonymous with “dread.” Or “mess.” Or “insurance hassle.” Think back to the devastating footage after Hurricane Sandy, and you may have a number of questions about flood zones and flood insurance. Knowing the…
A decorous, welcoming lobby in a high- or mid-rise condominium entices interested buyers to purchase, and it encourages current residents to interact more socially. The entrance area has also customarily been the hub for the day-to-day lif…
Embezzling occurs so rarely among New England condominium associations, that when a well-respected manager, trustee or contractor is caught pocketing a community’s funds, everyone affected is likely to be ill-prepared for the consequences.…
As the 2012 federal legislative fiasco over the debt ceiling—as well as any number of other spending bills proposed since then—demonstrated, balancing a budget can be like pulling teeth. Balancing a condo or HOA community's budget can some…
Preparing the annual budget is by no means an easy task. Those charged with preparing condominium or HOA budgets will soon begin reviewing costs, gathering data and projecting expenses for the coming year. At some point, board of trustee m…
Of all the responsibilities that come with being a board member or manager of a residential building, few are as important as ensuring the safety of your residents. Making and clearly communicating emergency plans, marking entrance/egress …
With multifamily buildings, who is in charge of the property and how well those people are trained are critically important factors in the successful operation of the community. Board members are a part of this management class, which is o…
Ask people to list the chores they dislike most, and doing laundry consistently ranks among the top ten. The need and appreciation for clean clothes gets overshadowed by the inconvenience of constantly having to wash and dry them. So…
A lot of us feel like everyday life keeps getting more and more complicated, and finances are no exception. In New England, there are strict limitations to what boards can do with their association’s funds, but that doesn’t mean there aren…
The adage is, “The customer is always right.” But when it comes to lawn care for condominium properties, the first question is, “What does the customer want?” According to Matt Lindner, the service line director for SavaLawn in Bedford Hil…