2012 September
Focus on... Energy & The Environment

The Chicagoland Cooperator's Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo
2012 September The Chicagoland Cooperator's Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo

 At last, it's that time of year again! After its blockbuster debut last year,  The Chicagoland Cooperator’s annual Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo is returning to the Navy Pier Convention Center in Chicago on  Wednesday, November 14, 2012 from 10…

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Energy Conservation Help with Going Green
2012 September Help with Going Green

With the green movement in full swing across the country, it is not surprising that incorporating energy saving and improved efficiency measures has trickled into condominium development. Today, many buildings in the Chicagoland area p…

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Energy Conservation Green Pioneers
2012 September Green Pioneers

 Going green doesn’t have anything to do with choosing a natural paint color for your kitchen, or  planting herbs in your community garden. But the phrase can have many different  meanings across a broad spectrum. Turning off lights in roo…

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Energy Conservation Garbage In, Garbage Out
2012 September Garbage In, Garbage Out

 We as a culture produce a lot of trash—and not just in the form of reality television shows, late night infomercials  and bad romance novels. Whether it’s the candy wrappers we toss into the trash bins outside on the sidewalk, the  newspa…

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Energy Conservation Ten Hot (and Cool) Tips
2012 September Ten Hot (and Cool) Tips

 Energy efficiency has become a “buzz word” over the past couple years throughout Chicagoland and more and more gadgets and  devices have come on the market that are specifically designed to use less  energy. Saving energy does a lot more …

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Board Operations Dealing with the Difficult
2012 September Dealing with the Difficult

 As an attorney and an apartment dweller, Michelle F. has seen it all when it  comes to living with difficult residents. “I lived next door to twin toddlers whose parents were both attorneys,” says Michelle, who in addition to being a real…

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Board Operations Board Members for Life
2012 September Board Members for Life

 It is one of life’s eternal questions: is it possible to have too much of a good thing? That  question certainly can apply to the matter of long-serving board members, those  individuals who get elected and re-elected term after term. And…

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Management Trash Talk
2012 September Trash Talk

 Removing a multifamily community's trash and recyclables is an important job,  especially in a private development that is not served by municipal or city-run  sanitation services. And though it is crucial to their daily lives, most peopl…

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Management Under New Management
2012 September Under New Management

 For the most part, it's human nature to be somewhat fearful of change. People  tend to stick with what they have and what they know, rather than explore new  possibilities.    That’s definitely the case with condos and co-ops in re…

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Finance The Nuclear Option
2012 September The Nuclear Option

 In the tough environment that has characterized both the national and world  economy over the past few years, many condo owners have faced job loss, reduced  salaries, or just financial uncertainty. While the situation has made things  ex…

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Organizations Keeping it Cool
2012 September Keeping it Cool

 Heating and cooling systems within condominium developments are called upon to  provide safe, consistent energy to residents. The people who bring you heat,  air cooling and refrigeration know that, and want to find what works—and what do…

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Q&A: Buying Power
2012 September Q&A: Buying Power

Q We have a few units going into short sale and one of the unit owners mentioned she was interested in buying two of them. However, I was also told by one of the unit owners that a real estate agent was telling some of the owners that …

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Q&A: Renter's Rights
2012 September Q&A: Renter's Rights

Q I am on the board in a condo community. We currently have a renter that was sneaked in by the owner. What is the proper way of addressing this? What is the proper way to remove the renter and can there be fines made to the owner? …

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