At 7 p.m. on a Friday evening, Keith J. Hales, president of Hales Property Management, Inc., happened to be checking his email. He found a message from a woman who lives in a four-story condominium building his company manages on Chica…
For any homeowner or tenant, the worst feeling is vulnerability. Association dues are paid, in part, to provide a sense of safety and security. High fences, security guards and gates, along with cameras and key codes help to achieve a …
Property managers handle a wide array of tasks, from the physical to the administrative. While many of these jobs are outlined in black and white (send out monthly bills, attend meetings, file paperwork), one important component is not…
Hardy Chicagoans stash their winter coats away as soon as spring temperatures allow; and, come fall, they resist pulling out those parkas again until their teeth are chattering. Buildings, however, need preparation that’s a little more …
For building owners and managers in Chicago, winter weather not only refers to the white stuff that falls out of the sky—but rather, the white stuff that collects in a building’s lobby. That’s right—ice and snow can be a buildi…
It’s a well-known fact that Chicagoans are tough. But even the bravest among us shivers just a little bit when the first signs of winter settle over the city. Winter and the inevitable snow and ice that accompany it take their toll not …
In many ways, a building’s boiler is like the heart is to the body: it provides heat and circulation; it works unseen; and if it is not functioning, it won’t take long for life to go away. Maintaining this heat source of the community i…
Keeping indoor air clean is critical to maintaining a healthy environment. The inner workings of a building’s operating system is often a mystery to the untrained person or board member. Since it’s easier to determine the cleanliness of…
Rick Wilberschied of All That’s Wildlife in Chicago once had to catch a raccoon that had climbed 64 stories and was sitting on an apartment building balcony. Three months ago, in Chicago’s Boystown, a mother deer found an unlikely spot t…