The phrases have grown familiar to all of us. Global warming. Ozone depletion. Greenhouse effect. As recycling, composting and other eco-friendly activities become more common, the time seems right to start asking what else can be done to k…
It seems as if many of us have been here before. In the late 1970s and early ‘80s, fuel prices escalated faster than any professional forecasters in the field thought were imaginable, with heating oil soaring faster than gas, electricity, o…
With electric de-regulation well underway in New York City, increased focus is shifting toward how well the competitive system is serving customers. The phased-in process, which began in 1998, has gradually allowed customers to get their el…
Manhattan’s Upper East Side, at least in the prime real estate areas, is chock-full of parks and greenery, but lacks a convenient subway line. Wall Street area residents, on the other hand, have great subway accessibility–but not much of an…
Building house rules are the "Thou shalt not’s" of the co-op and condo world. Unlike the proprietary lease or bylaws, which cover operational and administrative matters, the house rules cover behavior of the residents–you know, the types of…
Many New York City co-ops have garages leased to the sponsor dating back to the co-op’s conversion. Though these garages, described by one judge as "a veritable gold-mine," throw off riches mostly to the sponsor, a little-known federal stat…
One might assume that the insurance policies carried by a building would cover any mishaps that would affect residents. This, however, is a misconception. A co-op corporation or condo association takes responsibility for the structural aspe…
New York City is currently enjoying a period of prosperity and low crime rates. However, no matter how safe a building appears to be, it is important that the board doesn’t relax building security. If a building isn’t adequately secured, it…
Insurance is always a "hot-button" topic among co-op corporations and condo association boards. Since insurance is an annual expense that is not mandated by a union contract or a city tax assessment, many boards regularly "shop" their cover…
Chinese lamps, leather chairs and carpeting reminiscent of the orient set the mood of subtle elegance in the lobby of Douglas Elliman’s executive offices. Company publications, Treasury of Fine Homes and Folio of Fine Homes, are set out for…