Though the last couple of winters have been unusually mild, New York City does in fact get slammed with the occasional blizzard or ice storm—and when it does, the heavy snow and freezing temperatures inflict lots of wear-and-tear on co-op …
Big or small, disasters often strike out of the blue. They catch us unaware, flatfooted and feeling helpless at their impact. This is especially true when these events hit us at home or within our shared communities. When fire, flood, hurr…
As the holiday season approaches in the Big Apple, many New Yorkers may be preoccupied with choosing gifts for picky family members, finding a parking spot downtown, or snagging that coveted new smartphone. Those who live in multifamily bu…
Property managers know that whether they're running a small, contained walk-up building, a multi-unit high rise, or a sprawling condo development in the suburbs, materials, capital and personnel all fall under their administrative jurisdic…
Of all the modern conveniences we take for granted, perhaps none is as profoundly basic—and indispensable—as indoor plumbing. Carrying fresh water into our homes and taking waste water away, the pipes in our condo or co-op buildings are th…
The rarely stated—but all too well understood—Murphy’s Law for Boilers—asserts that if your boiler quits working, it will do so on Christmas or New Year’s Eve, or at 4:45 p.m. on the coldest day of the year. With some planning, though, tha…
From the outside, the structure of a condo or co-op building may appear to be monolithic; just one big piece of brick and steel, punctuated with some glass here and there. That's an oversimplification, however. A multifamily building is pe…
I would like to establish a revocable living trust and place my co-op apartment in the trust. This will avoid probate for my heirs. My co-op board is unwilling to agree to my request. I have not been given a reason for this. How can I convi…
Valuable paintings will be hung in our newly renovated lobby which is a common area of our co-op building. What if they are stolen or damaged? The owner who has loaned them has personal insurance but since the paintings are in our common ar…
Q I've heard a lot about the STAR abatement and other tax breaks for apartment owners, but I'm confused as to who gets what, and how those refunds are distributed among residents in multifamily buildings. Could you please clarify the most…