Because they are relatively large and must maintain sizable common areas, condominiums have been hit particularly hard by rising energy costs. But because they are shared ownership communities, and because they often share walls, condo…
We diligently sort our recycling. We drive our hybrids to the nearby market to buy locally-produced organic food. We are looking for ways to live more harmoniously with the planet. Real estate developers have carefully noted this trend, …
From fashion trends to purchasing priorities, the wants and needs of the Baby Boomer Generation have shaped American culture, industry and society in profound ways. As members of this influential demographic sell their large s…
A frantic phone call is received at 2 o'clock in the morning from a condominium. Water is cascading through three floors of Building 12, a 30-unit building. At least six units (two per floor) have experienced extensive damage, and the co…
Kennebunkport, Maine, is a destination. People visit or relocate there on purpose. Since 1602 when colonial fishermen spent their summers along the Kennebunk River, until the present day when former presidents and other solace-seekers …
Insurance is a hassle and an expensive necessity for any condominium. A great way to bring costs down and to keep them down is to reduce liability. Many things that can help with insurance costs are along the lines of common sense, and…
The importance of insuring one’s personal property is rarely grounds for debate, as people regularly make out checks in varying sums for policies they hope they will never have to make use of. And in theory, the concept is simple: You b…
Say you’re a new association trustee in your condo. It’s a great honor—you’ve been recognized as a leader, and now you can try to put some of your ideas into effect. However, in your new position, you could now be sued because of your fi…
For people with no experience in managing a community, understanding the fine print and the more obvious aspects of a building’s insurance policy often can be a challenge. To the uninitiated, it sometimes may seem like the details of one's …
The scenes are indelible: uprooted trees strewn across roadways. Windows broken. Streets flooded. Roofs torn from the homes they were designed to protect. Hurricanes are chaos machines, generating fear and destruction wherever and when…