As housing markets in many parts of the country—including Chicago—have foundered, many developers have opted to convert portions of communities originally intended to be condominiums into rental properties. When a development with no ow…

 Can’t we all just get along? It's a million-dollar question. When someone moves into  a community, they often look for the friendliness and camaraderie that living  in an association brings. But with many personalities often butting heads…

Q I am a condo owner in good standing and a former board member. Several months  ago my hardwood floors were damaged by a leaking radiator. In our bylaws, it  explicitly states that the radiators are the property of the building; and that…

 Whether you are dipping your toe in the real-estate buying pool for the first  time, or you’re soaking in it after purchasing numerous properties, the Institute of Real  Estate Management (IREM) is an organization to take note of.   …

 The Loop, as it's officially known to Chicagoans, or Chicago Loop as it's known  to the rest of the world, is one of 77 officially designated neighborhoods in  Chicago. It is the historic commercial center of Downtown Chicago as well as  …

 For most people, there simply are not enough hours in the day to do everything  that needs to be done. We rush to pick the kids up from school, make it to that  impromptu work meeting that just got called or even find the time to grab som…

 Condominium and cooperative management companies are plentiful in Chicago. And  since there are hundreds of management companies vying for your attention and  your business across Chicagoland, it can be tough for them to set themselves  a…

 Everybody sometimes disagrees with the decisions of their condo or HOA board.  Maybe the choice to rearrange the garbage receptacles out front seems  ridiculous, or the ongoing clattering of machinery on the roof is driving the  top-floor…

 How can you tell whether the on-site property manager at a condominium or  homeowners association community is doing a good job? And what is “a good job”? Whether a manager is well-liked and whether he or she manages well may not be  the …

 These days, there are few people who don’t have a business website, a Facebook account and even a Twitter handle. It’s the same for buildings.  As the rise of online social media invades nearly every aspect of our daily  life, co-o…