Often when we think of the “good old days,” thoughts of a time before cell phones, Facebook and GPS come to mind, when kids played in public parks stocked with swing sets, monkey bars and maybe (if you were lucky) a basketball hoop and …
In Chicagoland, your building maintenance professionals are the chief engineer, head engineer, or sometimes, even the janitor. Regardless of title, these people keep the home fires burning and make sure every apartment building runs sm…
Traditional household cleaners may leave sinks, floors, carpets and countertops gleaming, but they also leave behind traces of toxic chemicals. According to PlanetGreen.com, in any given home in America, you’re likely to find up to 10 g…
As anyone who’s ever had their heat go out in the dead of winter can tell you, condo buildings don’t maintain themselves. It might take a village to raise a child, but it takes a knowledgeable, experienced team comprised of a qualified …
For those who might not know, building facades are the exterior walls of a building—they're important not just for their architectural and aesthetic significance, but because they're built to withstand the elements and preserve the unde…
While the board is the one who makes important financial decisions for their communities, it’s the property manager who handles day-to-day administrative tasks and keeps the association’s buildings running smoothly. If there’s an issue …
Some property managers fly through their to-do lists with the greatest of ease, while others send you to voicemail. Again. The difference between a serviceable manager and a really great one may not be something they’re born with; but m…
Two miles north of downtown Chicago you find one of the Windy City’s quintessential neighborhoods, Lincoln Park. Lincoln Park is located along the lakefront and comprises the area north of North Avenue, south of Diversey Parkway, west o…
This is a great time to be on the board of directors of a condominium association—if you like a challenge. Gone are the days of flush and growing reserve funds and easily balanced operating budgets that marked the real estate …
It was an odd call to management, but Erik Conrad, president of InCommercial Property Group in Chicago, knew that when his residents have a gripe, they also have the right to call and let him know what the problem is. In this …