Real estate professionals, developers and builders are all reporting the same thing: today’s homebuyers who are looking for maximum value are asking for more than granite countertops and hardwood floors – they want energy savings and green…
Q I live in a 133-unit HOA with a nice clubhouse. The residents of the HOA are allowed to rent out the clubhouse. My question is, can a clubhouse be rented out to persons not living in the community? We are looking to bring in a little…
Pop quiz: Where did the Pilgrims first land in America? Plymouth, you say? No, actually –Plymouth may have the rock, but Provincetown, Massachusetts, is actually where the Mayflower first dropped anchor. In fact, Provincetown is the…
With the economy in the throes of the worst financial crisis in decades, it’s no wonder that the world’s second oldest profession – thievery – is on the rise. The nefarious Bernie Madoff and others of his ilk have highlighted the vulnera…
The roof of your condominium survived relatively unscathed through yet another New England winter (OK, there was that one leak), but the condominium board has unanimously agreed that it's time to reshingle. You’ve taken bids a…
As homeowner insurance costs continue to escalate in the coastal regions of New England, it has become harder to successfully wade through the morass of deductibles and policy lingo on storm insurance coverage. But with a little knowledg…
Afire sweeps through a row of condominiums, some of them partially-built units that were caught in the financial downturn. What happens when empty condo units, finished or otherwise, suffer damage? Who pays to rebuild them? Ac…
Ah, summertime! It’s a great time for property managers to kick back and relax! Except for that out-of-control grill fire on the deck of unit 31 that nearly jumped to adjacent units. And that pesky 13-year-old who broke his finger durin…
In today's harsh economic times, maintaining a healthy reserve fund is more important than ever. A community association’s reserve fund can be used to cover any number of emergency expenses from sudden repairs to legal costs. In additio…
When these decisions have to be made, boards must consider the best way to include residents in their thought process. And when the board of trustees comes to the conclusion that fees must be raised, hopefully they’ll announce it in a m…