Category: Board Operations

One of the most common problems in co-op and condo management is the failure of building boards and staff to maintain accurate and accessible records of the past performance and activities within the building. Recording the minutes of board…

The terraces were crumbling and the board engaged an engineer to make a recommendation. When the engineer reported that the terraces needed several hundred thousand dollars worth of repairs, the board went through a bidding process with the…

Anyone who has spent time serving on the board of his or her co-op or condo knows that it is a job that no one can do alone. Even if you have the most conscientious group of board members, the job is too time-consuming for a group of volunt…

While real estate brokers live by the old adage, Location, Location, Location, accountants define their relationships with the real estate community with another phrase: Communication, Communi-cation, Communication. While cooperatives and c…

All too often boards of co-ops and condos find themselves at the mercy of the conversion sponsor. Wielding his influence over the building and all its affairs, the sponsor's goals are frequently in contrast with those of the board and build…

Imagine that your building's sponsor has planted a friend or business partner in one of the units he owns in the building. This shareholder then decides to run for a seat on the board and with the help of the sponsor, wins. In addition t…

Tom Marcossan laughs when he remembers joining the board as treasurer when his building went co-op in 1986. "I was stupid. I didn't read the magazines available or take advantage of any organizations out there. We were the first board the b…

The co-op and condo community has been shocked by recent disclosures concerning inappropriate and/or illegal activities by real estate managing agents, their employees and the various industries selling supplies and materials to co-ops and …

At eight o'clock on a weekday morning, you won't find Peter Grech hustling to catch a train or waiting in line for the bus. Nor will you find him snug in his bed, dreaming the morning away. Grech is a resident manager for the Alfred, a 224-…

While everyone at 24 Fifth Avenue will miss the doorman, Caspar Orenga, nicknamed Mr. Wonderful, those who will be affected most by his retirement will be the older residents he cared for and attended to with patience and a smile for over 2…