When purchasing a residence in a condominium, homeowners association or a co-op, you by default agree to reside in a community association. You live in relatively close proximity to your neighbors and equally share the right to utilize comm…
Q. I live in a condo and my neighbor downstairs from me is constantly smoking. I brought it to the attention of management and nothing has been done. What are my options as an owner: do I bring legal action against the management, or do I t…
Most condo association and HOA boards are made up of volunteers who may or may not (usually not) be legal professionals. This can lead to even the most well-meaning boards making costly legal blunders. In this short clip, two legal pros dis…
A recent decision in Illinois Appellate Court will bring relief to condominium owners involved in lawsuits with real estate developers over construction defects not disclosed in the engineering reports provided during the purchasing process…
Boards are usually composed of volunteers who work regular jobs when they're not helping to govern their building or association. It's not often that those jobs are as attorneys or other legal professionals, so it's probably not surprising …
It’s a question we’re asked all the time: “Can we use reserves to cover an operating fund shortfall?” Under normal circumstances, our standard response would be an emphatic “No!”—because reserves are for major repair and replacement project…
Whether you’re living in a co-op apartment building in Manhattan, a condo on Chicago’s Gold Coast, or a townhouse community or HOA in Las Vegas, Reno, or Florida, issues of legality and liability are always a concern for owners, board membe…
Whether you live in a super-luxe Park Avenue co-op in New York City, a waterfront condo on Lakeshore Drive, a sprawling HOA in Nevada, or a multifamily community in Miami, one thing is certain: you have neighbors. Hopefully they’re the peop…
A few years ago, I was on the phone with a homeowner. He was irate with how his community’s money was being spent. He was unhappy with the budget increase. It was a call I took regularly from any one of my homeowners (and more often than no…
According to a recent piece in Chicago Agent Magazine , the office of the Cook County Recorder of Deeds, which has been closed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, is now able to accept and record plans and condo declarations with a …