Imagine sitting down with your significant other to pay the monthly bills. You both put your checks into a joint account and know how much there is to take care of expenses, or so you think. Out of his wallet your husband pulls out receipt…
Q My association has noticed an uptick in criminal activity lately and we are looking for some guidance as to what is the best course of action to curb illegal activity and, in particular, gang activity that seems to be occurring on…
Every relationship starts the same way—people getting to know each other and moving into a new co-op or condo is no different. It’s actually a lot like moving into a new town; there are new neighbors, new rules and new community leaders. S…
Q I live in a new condo within an 185-unit building that opened nearly five years ago. Some of the units, including mine, have balconies which provide stellar views. For over a year now, we have been warned not to step out onto said…
For co-ops, condos, and HOAs, insurance premiums are some of those quiet necessities that tend to fly under the budgetary radar until it is time to examine the bottom line, provoking a search for savings. Without a doubt, insurance e…
In South Africa, it’s called a “sectional title.” In Quebec, it’s a copropriété divise or “divided co-property.” In Italy, they call it “condominio,” derived from Latin. Regardless of location, a condominium, commonly referred to as “condo…
Like a python that has swallowed a deer and now needs to rest while digesting it, the Illinois General Assembly emerged from a 2014 session full of important common-interest community association legislation, and paused in 2015 to digest w…
Six years ago, I bought a two-bedroom condo advertised as having two parking spaces. They are piggy-back spaces, as the first car cannot get out until the second car is moved. These parking spaces are not part of the deed; they are assigned…
Q At present, I am a member of a small association consisting of 12 units, with $30K in reserve. We have been told that we need to procure two new roofs for our building, to the tune of $20K each. While our reserves can clearly cover one …
“It’s All Here!” exclaims Rosemont’s catchy slogan, with the Chamber of Commerce clearly paying tribute to the area’s mega quantity of tourist attractions, entertainment venues, cultural hot spots, corporate headquarters, sporting event fa…