Q We have an ant problem in our building. One of my neighbors had ants in early  spring after which another resident got them and now I have them. Is the  association or the individual owner responsible to pay for the exterminator?   …

Q In our parking garage we have access to a bike storage room and an outside bike  rack that is next to a resident's handicapped parking spot. Right now the only  way to get to the bikes is to "trespass" over the parking spot. Our concern…

Q I reside in a medium-sized condominium complex in suburban Chicago. Our homeowners association voted to have their board members sign an acknowledgment of their duty of confidentiality, and any board member who refused to sign the af…

 April showers may bring May flowers, but the snow and ice storms of December and  January are certain to bring a busy work schedule to Chicagoland condominium  properties.    Whether the region experiences a typical winter—with its…

 Working in groups can be a challenge. Working in groups when people’s homes—and possibly their life savings—are involved can be a far greater challenge. It’s one faced every day by those brave souls who volunteer to serve on their co-op  …

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  …