Q “Recently our association dues went from $166 to $275, and the main reason we  were given was that the last board was 'corrupt' and money wasn't being  allocated correctly. Another reason we were given was that others in the  complex we…

 For most New Yorkers, the search for housing is perhaps the least favorite part  of the New York experience. If the size is right, the price is wrong; if the  price is right, the neighborhood’s wrong. And then there’s that hideous wallpap…

 New York's co-ops and condos are both governed by a multitude of laws and rules.  For co-ops, the primary governing documents are the bylaws and the proprietary  lease. For condos, they are the condominium declaration and, once again, the…

 Accountants are a norm for most people around tax time. And then, post-tax  season, we rarely think about them. But for co-op and condo owners, this  shouldn’t be the case. It’s crucial that large buildings hire an accountant to help with…

 Everyone has experienced disorganization at one time or another. Say you have to  go somewhere, and you forgot your driver’s license, only to find it in the pocket of another jacket. Or you can’t locate your cell phone because you turned …

 Every time someone enters or leaves a building, they travel through at least one  of the common areas. Multiply that times the number of units in a building and you can get a rough  idea of how much faster these areas may wear out than an…

 There are a few things that New Yorkers just take for granted as part of life in  Gotham: Traffic is one. Noise—whether from the street outside or the neighbors upstairs—is another.    And so are swarming, fluttering, cooing, pecki…

 Green truly is the new black in New York City. As more and more co-ops, condos  and HOAs look to save money as expenses rise, more and more boards,  shareholders and unit owners are exploring ways to incorporate “greening” into their buil…

 While recent reports point to signs of economic recovery, many co-ops and condos  are still feeling the financial burden that has accumulated over the last few  years due to increased operating costs, residents in arrears, defaults, and n…

 Residential buildings are constantly under attack—not by barbarians or marauding bandits, but by a force far more subtle and  insidious. The most tenacious enemy of a residential building is not fire or  structural collapse—though a build…