With winter rapidly approaching and the memories of last winter’s onslaught of snowstorms still in mind, this is a good time to begin thinking about an association’s duties and obligations to maintain the common areas throughout these comi…
In an episode of the television classic, “Seinfeld,” George Costanza’s father (played by Jerry Stiller) invents “Festivus—for the rest of us” to mold all the holidays into one event. Attorney Frank Lombardi of the law firm of Goodman, Shap…
Property management, in the broadest of terms, is defined as the operation, control and oversight of real estate. Most property managers would agree that this particular definition is just a starting point. There are many facets to t…
In Bolton, Massachusetts, a condo resident owned a truck with commercial license plates and, when it wasn’t in use, he wanted to park it on the property. The previous board gave him approval to do so, but when it came time to produce proof…
Finding the right balance of involvement between HOAs and condo boards and residents can be like maintaining a healthy relationship with a significant other—you want to be compassionate, responsive and attentive, but not too needy, nosy or…
There’s nothing worse than being a unit owner in a building and seeing someone on your board breaking a rule and seemingly getting away with it. Some board members or trustees believe that they are “above the law” so to speak, and se…
Whether condo associations will buy into the so-called “electric highway” has become the perennial $64,000 question. And the answer? Maybe — eventually. The demand isn’t there yet, but just how fast this wave of the future is t…
The carefree lifestyle of condominium residents may make an owner feel as though taking off for a winter in Florida is a simple as removing the trash and locking the unit doors. Managers will explain that it’s not so simple. Jeff Mar…
Freelance photographer Jocelyn A. lives in a charming, post-war brick townhouse community of over 1,600 units and a $3 million annual budget. She receives a monthly newsletter with over 20 pages of everything to keep residents i…
Lawsuits are usually not an association’s go-to method for dispute resolution. Expensive and time-consuming, they can quickly turn into a financial burden and may create strained relations in the community. Unfortunately, in some cases …