If state legislators get their way, wealthy people who own expensive second homes in the Big Apple may have to fork over more in taxes. This past Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and other Democratic leaders in Albany announced their suppor…
Most board members are not legal professionals. They're volunteers, and may have plenty of useful expertise, but when it comes to legal issues facing their building or HOA, it's easy to fumble - and those fumbles can be costly. In this clip…
Co-ops and condominiums are subject to more and more legislation affecting how they govern and interact with shareholders and unit owners. In fact, boards and residents alike should be aware of several new laws and regulations that have rec…
Everyone wants to feel safe and secure in their homes -- but it's easy to get carried away and waste resources on over-the-top security measures that may not actually be warranted. In this segment, multifamily security pros discuss how they…
In a New York TImes “Ask Real Estate” letter from last December, a co-op shareholder lamented the sorry state of her 10-unit building: the board president was abdicating his position with no willing successor, and the managing agent w…
In a community association, it falls on the board to put out any fires that ignite among the property’s residents. But what happens when that blaze springs up between the board members themselves? Those who volunteer to serve on their com…
One of the most important factors in the decision to purchase a condominium or co-op is lifestyle. Many who live in residential communities, particularly those in single-family HOAs, choose community living over a single-family home for the…
Volunteerism is arguably the bedrock of co-op and condominium communities. One buys into one or the other with the expectation of participating in the governance and operation of the property. Volunteering for board or committee service, th…
Community association and co-op boards typically consist of elected volunteers whose job is to serve the best interests of the community in day-to-day decisions both big and small. In an ideal world, every board would live and die by its fi…
While it may seem like a smaller building or community might be a cakewalk to manage compared to say, a 1,000 unit building or HOA with amenities, landscaping, and other aspects demanding attention, the fact is that dealing with tiny commun…