Category: Association Operations

Whether a community is surrounded by suburbs or big-city high-rises, a little greenery can go a long way in adding visual appeal – and value. In fact, given the lack of space and the challenge of keeping plants healthy and thriving, urban g…

When you close your eyes and picture any building, you are quite likely imagining its facade – the outer shell which protects and contains all of the hustle and bustle that goes on within. In a residential property, the facade is what separ…

Home is where the heart is, sure – but it's also where most of where any given owner or shareholder's money is. For most people, their home represents their single biggest investment. And in a community association, both individual units an…

Whether it’s a balcony, terrace, patio or roof deck, outdoor space is many an apartment owner’s dream.  Desirable – and valuable – as they are, these spaces do present specific maintenance considerations for individual owners, co-op corpora…

Cities are crowded. That’s a simple fact. In the best of circumstances, there’s noise, dirt, dust, and the usual urban pests. Add to that the construction of a new building next to or nearby yours, and annoyance can quickly become overwhelm…

While a productive building or association manager who ably navigates the day-to-day operations of one or more client communities may not have millions in the bank, it's hard to argue that he or she is not 'successful' in practical terms. B…

Co-ops and condos routinely undertake major capital projects to improve and update their physical plant with the hopes of both increasing value and cutting expenses. But how about more modest programs to save money in areas that are often o…

Real estate brokers are nearly universal when it comes to touting properties with ‘tons of natural light,’ and nearly every apartment-hunter wants a room (or rooms) with a view. Windows let the light in, keep out the rain, and add value to …

Successfully running a condominium, cooperative, or homeowners’ association is no small task. A board and/or management must consider the interests of its residents when making sweeping decisions to benefit the property and those who call i…

Condo, co-op and HOA communities are made up of people – and people aren’t perfect. Within a community association, squabbles are inevitably going to break out between unit owners. Oftentimes these problems will be resolved relatively easil…