As surely as kids dread the back-to-school season every fall, so too must co-op boards face the budget season. A building really has only one shot at establishing income for the whole next year, and while many of you may be far from nov…

The age-old battle between applicants and co-op and condominium boards can sometimes seem like a cunning chess match in which the prospective buyers are pawns awaiting to be knighted with the stamp of approval before they are allowed to…

Everybody wants to show themselves and their home in the best light possible - literally. How you light a room gives it added definition and character, and enhances both the space's contents and its inhabitants. When it comes to interior…

Co-op and condo boards are charged with maximizing the value of their shareholders' and unit-owners' real estate investments. Year after year, these boards diligently replace aging equipment, refurbish lobbies, clear up code violations, …

Whenever a resident, board member or building owner gets frustrated by inaction or the process of wading through the bureaucratic red tape of board politics, it's hard to know where to turn for a solution. Hostility accomplishes li…

It is not uncommon for a precious commodity such as season tickets to the Yankees, Giants or Knicks to be handed down from father to son or from grandfather to grandson. So, in today's marketplace, it's easy to see why an apartment owner…

All too often, individuals hastily volunteer to become a member of the board of directors in their condo or co-op building. Although these people should be commended for their effort and enthusiasm, often lost upon the typical board mem…

Smoking, a purchaser's pets, personal habits, and even cooking with the flair of Emeril are only some of the touchy aspects that a board may take into account when considering a new resident's application for admission into a building t…

Apartment-dwelling New Yorkers have a tendency to spoil their trash. That is, they allow it to stink. "When people think of garbage rooms, they think of having to tolerate bad smells because it comes along with the territory," says …

The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) receives more complaints against home improvement contractors than any other category - Period. If you engage an unlicensed, unregistered contractor to carry out an improvement project…