Funny thing about human nature—it’s not impulsively "natural" at all. Despite knowing that 1.1 billion people lack clean drinking water and thousands of children die from the diseases in that dirty water, people living in better circumstan…

Energy is money. And in big condo buildings, energy is big money—we’re talking thousands upon thousands of dollars in waste or savings. Most folks know that turning off lights in unoccupied rooms, taking shorter showers, and turning down t…

There’s probably not a condo, HOA or co-op board that doesn’t worry about money at some point or another, which is why staying on top of the latest money-saving opportunities is vital for any building or community to be successful. One of …

Circle the Date. The Chicagoland Cooperator returns to the Navy Pier to host the fourth annual Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo on Tuesday, October 28th. Admission is FREE for the trade show which runs from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Come meet w…

After this winter, a concrete walkway in our condo property was completely ruined. Several unit owners contend the property manager used rock salt instead of the usual calcium chloride. If we can establish that rock salt was indeed used as …

Q My condo's board recently approved a plan to provide an office for our property manager. Since the building did not have a space for an office, they want to put up walls in one of our common areas, so the property manager has a place to…

Once a tranquil prairie town, Plainfield is fast becoming a destination in its own right, offering the comforts of suburban life blended with the tranquility of country living. Recognized as Will County’s oldest community, Plainfield conti…

It's a truism that's been phrased many ways by many wise people: “A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity.” That's the case in any number of situations, but it's especially applicable to the administration…

Of all the stages of co-op life, the initial application and approval process, especially the interview, is certainly the most harrowing. Many people fear that just one wrong word will mean the difference between acceptance and rejection. …

Say you’re in bed, and you hear what sounds like the shower going. It's late, and you're tired, so you pay it no mind. You wake up at 4 a.m. to get a glass of water and find half the rooms in your apartment flooded— you forgot to turn the …