With dozens—sometimes hundreds—of people living in a community governed by neighbors, acquaintances and friends, it should be no surprise that disputes occasionally arise in condo buildings. The possibility of disagreements among residents…
Despite a long history and presence in cities and towns around the globe, condominiums are, too often, misunderstood by prospective buyers—which can translate to a source of conflict after buyers become owners. Regardless of its location a…
It’s an annual rite, as predictable as winter storm warnings and spring apple blossom festivals. Legislators in state houses throughout New England begin slogging through piles of bills filed by politicians and requested by constituents th…
When buyers purchase condominium units, they also purchase access to the condo’s shared amenities. Depending on the scale and financial demographics of a building, those amenities can be substantial; during the real estate boom of the earl…
You think it can’t happen in your community but it does. And, all too often, I’m afraid. -A Chicago woman, beaten and robbed near the entry to her condominium building, files a negligence suit against the association in January 2015,…
When it comes to managing buildings, sometimes bigger is better. Larger properties with more units typically have a full property management team to run the place, a bigger budget and a much bigger reserve to tap into for unexpected repair…
People have a right to their privacy, and to be able to enjoy their own homes. Which means others don’t have a right to infringe upon that enjoyment, unless it’s unavoidable (such as in the case of a street renovation project). If only the…
Break the rules. Pay a fine. Repeat. That’s not the way it’s supposed to work—but community associations that don’t keep penalties for rules infractions up to date may find that residents consider it easier (and possibly cheaper) to …
Often, the best, most successful boards and communities share the same combination of habits and traits; all the while, the worst, most fleeting share the same, as well. Case in point: there isn’t tremendous mystery in what actions make ce…
Dealing with service vendors is a necessity for any condo development, as there are always going to be things that need to be repaired, replaced, serviced, cleaned or renovated. New England communities do not differ greatly from the …