Individuals, associations and other entities carry insurance coverage to protect them from liability, loss, and other financial and legal threats—that's pretty basic. What isn't always so basic is deciding when to file a claim versus payin…

Sometimes insurance and the terms that accompany it can feel like a completely foreign language. It can be mystifying and overwhelming, whether for individual condo residents or the board members who oversee the community as a whole. The i…

When is a flood not a flood? That’s a serious question for Chicagoland’s residential communities. Even if they have flood insurance, damage caused by heavy rains and backed-up sewers may not meet the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)…

A terrific opportunity for managers and board members to meet with more than 300 professionals from every corner of the co-op, condo and HOA industry is just around the corner. The Chicagoland Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo (www.chicagocond…

I live above a daily cigar smoker, and particularly in the warmer months I like to leave my windows and balcony door open. I’ve complained several times to the board and management that the smoke is getting into my unit, my rug, my bed shee…

Q I seem to be in the minority on the board upon which I am a director and chair of the finance committee, because I think that since shareholders are lessees/renters and the corporation is the lessor/landlord, that the corporation should…

The Village of Tinley Park, about 35 minutes from downtown Chicago, was honored in 2009 by BusinessWeek“as the best place to raise a family in America,” and today is known as one of the fastest growing suburbs in the country. Home to some …

As fuel prices continue to climb, consumers—including real estate developers and building administrators—are looking for alternative ways to power their buildings while saving money. Solar power is one possible option for such consumers, b…

Running the day-to-day business of a condo development or an HOA of any size—be it a sprawling, multi-building community, or a single self-contained building—requires not just a functional board but a team of competent outside professional…

There’s a reason why all the law drama shows do so well on TV. There’s so much material revolving around lawyers and the people who need to call one—even if those people are ordinary people doing ordinary things, like buying and selling pr…