New tariffs on building materials are already hitting the housing market hard: according to the NAHB, construction of single-family homes dropped 12% year-over-year in April, and builders now estimate tariffs have added $9,200 to the cost o…
According to a recent press release, Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) has released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey ® (PMMS ® ), showing the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.81%. “Mortgage rates moved lowe…
New Yorkers are not big fans of sidewalk sheds—the hulking, sunlight-and-storefront-blocking, trash-accumulating, rat-sheltering metal-and-plywood structures that protect passers-by from falling debris during facade repair and restoration w…
New York City is one of the most complex and competitive real estate markets in the world. From towering Manhattan co-ops to charming Brooklyn brownstones, managing property here is both an art and a science. Behind every well-maintained lo…
Q. If a board chooses not to conduct a criminal background check on either a prospective employee or purchaser, could the board and/or board members be liable if that person commits a crime or other misdeed against the property or residen…
In New York City, certain cooperative apartment buildings can receive substantial revenue by selling unused air rights. While potentially very lucrative, capitalizing on these opportunities requires navigating unique challenges, from antiqu…
In our current environment of steeply rising costs, it’s more important than ever to safeguard your reserves to ensure that your association has sufficient funds available for immediate and future capital projects. Unfortunately, many ass…
While some graffiti certainly qualifies as art, with many considering it a legitimate form of creative self-expression, its lesser variations—tagging, acid, markers, stickers, and ‘scratchitti’ (etchings carved into surfaces with knives, ra…
Self-managed communities large and small can save a considerable amount of money by eschewing third-party management and handling their day-to-day business in-house. This means the board must assume the tasks and responsibilities that commu…
Within any community, there will be disagreements. In shared interest communities, unfortunately those disagreements can sometimes lead to litigation. That litigation can take many forms: shareholder or owner vs. co-op or condominium, or v…