Home to Chicagoland's largest mall, Woodfield Mall, and one of only two IKEA stores in the entire state, it comes as little surprise that Schaumburg is the largest center of retail development in Illinois outside the City of Chicago. …

Q Ours is a vintage condominium building on Chicago’s lakefront. All units in our building receive hot water from several water heaters located in a basement utility room. When the system was installed several years ago, we were told b…

Sometimes the future seems like it’s an awfully long way away. If a roof is going to last 30 years, why should we worry about it today? Same with that shiny new boiler or that flat, crack-free pavement just poured two summers ago. Eventual…

When a fire erupts in a Chicago building, it's terrifying but it doesn’t have to be deadly. There are a few essentials that can save the lives of the people who are inside that building: namely, a working smoke detector and a sprinkler sys…

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…