Before 1989, during the height of the real estate market, shareholders were buying and selling apartments at an accelerated rate. But when the recession hit the market, between 1989 and 1993, co-op sponsors (holders of unsold shares) couldn…
The recent onslaught of millennium madness has made Y2K a household term. Once just the concern of computer aficionados and a select few with technological foresight, Y2K is now a universal problem. In fact, Y2K has become such a prevalent …
Successfully combining her talents as an artist, architectural and interior designer, Rebecca Alston, president of Rebecca Alston Inc., a design firm in Manhattan, recently renovated a 3,600-square-foot loft condo in Tribeca. Her clients, a…
Electric deregulation is fast becoming a reality in New York. Adhering to the historic 1996 decision of the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC), utility companies throughout the state such as Con Edison, LILCO, Central Hudson and…
When the clock strikes 12 on January 1 of next year, what will happen? Many warn of impending chaos as microchips failing to recognize the date bring us back to the beginning of the century. If you're overwhelmed by Y2K gloom and doom, it m…
Imagine this. Your contractor has finally completed the renovations to your bathroom - taking three months rather than the three weeks he promised. The wallpaper, special order wall and flooring tile match perfectly, and although you excee…
There was a time not long ago when New Yorkers could throw just about anything away and not give it a second thought. But in the late 1980s, the federal government enacted strong environmental legislation, including the closure of many land…
If you had to name the single most valuable individual to your co-op or condo, who would it be? Certainly, your board president, managing agent, corporate counsel and accountant are key players. But boards and residents should never underes…
There are countless war stories told by real estate brokers of deals that fell apart because the buyer felt that the building's financial statement contained negative information. There is no question that it is essential to review the fina…
Could your building use a facelift? Have you contemplated better-fitting windows, new carpet or an updated elevator, but the board's answer was always "There's not enough cash." From renovation and moving fees to renting out roof or basemen…