Multifamily buildings serve as more than just residential spaces; they’re mini-municipalities unto themselves, where neighbors interact in common spaces, either incidentally (like in lobbies or elevators) or deliberately (like in kids’ play…
It’s little surprise to many that the residents of luxury apartment buildings spend less time in their apartments than their less well-off neighbors. Second and even third homes are the reality for many wealthy shareholders and unit owners—…
If you picture a specific American city in your head, what do you see? Its buildings, most likely. Cities come to be known and represented by their iconic buildings, one part often standing in for the whole: think the Empire State or Chrysl…
The appeal of multifamily living is not just in the hands-off maintenance and shared general expenses that come with living in a co-op, condo, or HOA. It’s also in the sense of community and the on-site offerings that can be shared among ne…
Over the last few decades, property technology, or 'proptech' has completely transformed how we live and work. Historically, the real estate industry has been slow to embrace technology - which means many co-op and HOA boards are missing ou…
In many ways co-op, condo, and HOA living represents the most basic form of representative democracy. Like the ancient Athenians, we gather periodically to elect a small group from among us to represent our joint interests and to oversee th…
In the world of co-ops, condos, and HOAs, management plays a slightly different role than it does in the rest of the real estate world. For example, in many rental buildings, the landlord or property owner often acts as de facto manager as …
Like any profession, property management has its moments. Managers often feel a sense of great achievement when they’ve done a good job for a client community, sorting out a seemingly intractable problem, saving them thousands of dollars, o…
Of the many consequential decisions boards and board members have to make on behalf of their communities, choosing a management company—or a manager within a given firm—is among the biggest. Managers are the point of contact between residen…
In the world of owned residential communities like co-ops, condominiums, and HOAs, the issue of leased or sublet units is often the elephant in the corner of the communal room. Most owners choose to buy their units because they want a stabl…