As the old saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression—which is why the façade of your building should always look clean and in top shape, for both aesthetic and commercial reasons. Important as appearances are, however,…
In addition to their boards, common interest communities are governed by a set of foundational documents. In a condominium, those documents are the declaration and bylaws; co-ops also have bylaws, as well as a unique document called a propr…
Like the skin of the human body, a building’s façade is its largest organ (so to speak), offering structure and protection, as well as a first aesthetic impression. It also takes the brunt of extremely harsh conditions: weather, wind, water…
It’s little surprise to many that the residents of luxury apartment buildings spend less time in their apartments than their less well-off neighbors. Second and even third homes are the reality for many wealthy shareholders and unit owners—…
According to a recent announcement by Sen. Bob Casey (D-Penn.), chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, by 2060 one in four Americans will be over the age of 65, and two in five adults over 65 live with a disability. In …
According to a recent investigative piece by the Orange County (Florida) Register , Fannie Mae is keeping a secret “blacklist” of condominium, HOA and cooperative properties which the federal agency has decreed that lenders should st…
Q. I live in Chicago. We are having our annual meeting to elect board members. Ballots were sent to each unit to vote. Our management company wants our voted ballots to be signed and returned by mail before our annual meeting. I feel my v…
Q. My neighbor, who leases the condo from a married couple who live out of state, is not home a lot. Last summer it was quite hot, and being an athletic person, he went out for a long run. There are only two entrances to our condo buildin…
Q. How do you go about filing a complaint against the board and property management for financial mismanagement? We suspect the board has exhausted its operating expense budget on items that are deemed capital expense. The board is now as…
Q. Is there a definition of ‘owner-occupied’ in Illinois for co-ops? The issue is whether a mom and dad could purchase a unit in our co-op for their son or daughter who would be living in the unit alone. Or could a son/daughter purchase a…