As jugglers of multiple and oftentimes complex tasks, property managers must be adept at mediating between board members and unit owners, as well as resolving all manner of maintenance and legal issues. To this end, property managers don’t…
The condominium’s swimming pool was 30 years old. It needed a renovation. That would trigger a legal requirement that it be in compliance with current regulations—and would cost $1 million. The association’s board of directors, aghast at t…
Faced with a less-than-satisfactory management situation, a condominium or cooperative board may decide not to adapt, but to replace their property manager, or even switch firms completely. According to experts, this practice happens more …
Q What recourse is there when it involves a condo resident whose heavy smoking has so polluted the building lobby outside his front door that there is a 24/7 stench that greets anyone who arrives from outside? In this case, his door is im…
The signs “Post No Bills,” “Active Driveway” and “Alternate Side Parking” are all fairly common and relatively self-explanatory in urban settings. Other equally common signs we see in suburban communities throughout the U.S. related to pet…
There are many different factors that prospective condominium owners take into account when looking to buy a unit. Aesthetics, price, and location are important, for sure. But perhaps the most critical factors of all are the safety of the …
Those who’ve lived through a Chicago winter know they don’t call this the Windy City for nothing. Winters here can be brutal, and most building's exterior structures, or 'envelope' are the first area to suffer wear-and-tear. Allowing leaka…
In Chicago,buying a co-op or a condo goes something like this: Your realtor takes you to see your dream home. You put in an offer—along with a bunch of other people. After a ferocious bidding war, your offer is finally accepted. You submit…
Q Can you videotape condo board meetings in Illinois? Are there any restrictions or rules permitting it and is it legal? If taping is permitted, do the parties in the room being taped have to be told beforehand? —Camera-Shy A “T…
Q How do you go about amending a board’s condominium documents? Our condo has often voted in favor of making amendments to the declaration but has never followed up to do so. The general understanding is that amendments must be handled th…