While some co-op and condo communities have tried social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Twitter as ways to build community spirit and facilitate better communication between neighbors, management, and even the board, m…
The invention and adaptation of vertical transportation – otherwise known as the elevator – in the 1850s changed the face of architecture, space design, and apartment living forever. Unfortunately, like any mechanical system, every so often…
When the topic of exterior maintenance comes up, it’s important to keep in mind that when it comes to multifamily properties, even projects that focus on a building’s ‘envelope’ are by no means limited to just the façade or roof. Projects l…
All over the news, from coast to coast, reports of fires and explosions caused by lithium-ion batteries describe blazes that are out of control, difficult to extinguish, and excessively smokey. Tragically, many have resulted in fatalities a…
The holidays: a time for upholding long-standing traditions, usually involving festive gatherings of family and friends, communal meals, sacred services, gift exchanges, visitors, and, invariably, crowds—until this year, that is. The coro…
In 2017, a Boston couple were brutally murdered in their penthouse apartment in a high-end condominium building. The murderer, the former employee of a company that supplied concierge services to the condo, had worked there, and so knew the…
Board approval has been part and parcel of buying into an NYC co-op since the housing model was introduced in the late 1800s. Boards can demand troves of personal information from buyers, and can approve or deny a purchase for just about an…
This publication spends a lot of time exploring and explaining the duties and purpose of multifamily boards—the benefits and drawbacks of serving on them, and even the difficulty that many buildings and communities have with motivating owne…
The vast majority of co-op and condominium boards are well intentioned and work diligently with their management and accountants to draft and monitor their annual budgets—and recalibrate them as necessary. Despite their best efforts to keep…
As more and more co-ops and condominium communities seek to attract residents, boards and managers have turned to attractive new programming opportunities for individuals and families. Whether it’s a rooftop Fourth of July party, a gardenin…
No matter what the size of their portfolio, a property manager must wear a great many professional hats: human resources pro, administrator, mediator, organizer, social director, project manager, sounding board—sometimes even therapist. I…
Management by definition is a process; a series of ongoing systems and controls put in place with a specific outcome in mind. The management needs and requirements of HOAs, co-ops and condominiums have helped define the overall property man…
For many people, one of the most attractive aspects of co-op or condo living is the fact that everything, from the windows to the elevators to the numbers on the apartment doors, looks great; clean, bright, elegant and well-maintained. For …
‘Home sweet home’ can become un-sweet very quickly indeed when the physical environment you’ve worked hard to create becomes a source of environmental toxicity. Chemicals, smoke, pet dander, and mold, along with other allergens and irritant…
While Flint, Michigan may have been the highest profile case of water being contaminated with lead in recent years, lead is an issue that water systems across the country have to navigate and monitor closely. Earlier in the year, there wer…
One of the benefits of transitioning from renter to homeowner is the knowledge that your space is sacred and belongs only to you. But, when it comes to association living, sometimes unit owners have to give building staff or managers access…
The synopsis for the 2013 horror film The Purge is pretty extreme: in the future, society implements a 12-hour period called “the purge,” wherein any and all crime is legalized. Always wanted to vandalize your boss’s car? Thinking about sho…
Tis the season to be…watching football! Football seems to dominate American culture at this time of the year. There are pro games every week, preseason, post-season and Pro Bowl games, college, indoor, fantasy football, and of course the de…
Money, money, money. The world runs on it. And your building’s well-being depends on it. The issue is not just having funds, but managing them. Handling the purse for an entire building or HOA is a major responsibility, and boards -- even …
One year-plus into the largest public health crisis in a century, CooperatorNews spoke to real estate professionals across the geographic regions we cover to learn the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on their specific areas. What…