Chicagoland is known for its cold and windy winter weather, which often lasts from late October all the way through March and makes “The Windy City” a well-earned moniker. Between the cold prairie winds, and gales from Lake Michigan …

Condos, co-ops and HOAs draw prospective residents with a wide variety of appealing features, from proximity to an office or family member to amazing views, to the concept of having someone else mow the lawn, fix the roof, and maintain the…

Our condo association has a surplus of parking spaces. We used to rent the excess spots to people who do not reside in the building, but our management company advised us to discontinue this practice because it created a problem. They said …

Q I am the vice president of a small condo community and we are trying to find out if non-homeowners can serve on our board. Several of the homeowners would like renters to have a proxy vote. However, being a proxy and voting for an absen…

People aren’t the only life on your association's property; there are plants, trees, and other living landscaping elements as well. More than just decoration, these features provide the community a vitality and serene pleasure only nature …

Unlike New York City and some other areas of the country, Chicago's residential real estate market has been slower in recovering from the recession. Nevertheless, signs of a full recovery are on the horizon. While the number of new c…

As cosmopolitan and a bustling city Chicago is, it will always be partly known for its harsh winters. Chicagoans suffer through a good five-to-six months of winter, and they should be rewarded in every possible for getting through it. Whil…

They are the greenery that gives life to our cities, the leafy giants that give us shade and that unforgettable rustling sound just outside our windows late at night. Trees are the unsung heroes of the urban landscape and with proper plann…

No matter the size of community, one of the goals any condo or HOA has for their landscaping plan is to increase owner enjoyment of the property and enhance their investment purchase. Larger complexes often have a landscaper in house…

On any given day or night in Chicago, a stranger walks up to Craig Perry’s North Lawndale home, opens Perry’s door, hangs up his or her jacket, and relaxes in Perry’s bed while watching Perry's television and using his WiFi, before disappe…