Every board is different, with its own individual personalities meshing for one common cause: to run the co-op or condo in their charge efficiently and with integrity. Some board members come to their positions with years of experience…
Serving on the board of directors for your building brings on a range of emotions: pride that you were selected to represent the best interests of your fellow shareholders; unease at the thought of the additional time commitment of meetings…
Getting elected to a building's board can be a big job in and of itself—but the truth is that winning a seat is only the beginning. After making the decision to campaign for a seat, and then winning it, new board members can find themselves…
Board members come in all shapes and sizes—literally and figuratively. In some buildings, no one wants the hassle of working a thankless job for no compensation, and the same four people are guilted into the job every year by default. In ot…
As any co-op or condo board member knows, serving on the board carries with it a responsibility to fellow residents and shareholders to make decisions in the best interest of the building. They don't leave their role as board members at the…
They torched cars and set fires throughout the park and around our building in 50 mile-per-hour winds. And, yes, the fire spread to unprotected areas. It may sound like a scene from a war zone, but that's actually a local resident's…
Reading the papers you've just been served, your heart quickens in fight-or-flight mode. Part of your mind can't believe your eyes. You've just been sued, and you aren't sure what your next step should be. To people who aren't lawye…
Superintendents are a lot more than just handymen—an important point learned at a roundtable discussion hosted by The Cooperator last month. Six representatives from three of New York City's seven superintendent organizations gathered for a…
There I was, innocently removing empty cartons from my new condominium unit. I was approached by a woman on my floor asking why I'd left the cartons where I did. I politely, but firmly, informed her that I was following the superintendent's…
Before even beginning the hunt for that perfect co-op, the prospective buyer should be familiar with all the possible ways one's application might be rejected. That familiarity will enable one to focus on the appropriate buildings as well a…