In March 2015, an illegal tap on a gas line caused an explosion in a residential building in the East Village. Two lives were lost and three buildings were leveled. In the aftermath, it became clear that while the city required ins…
Many New Yorkers have happy memories of their grandmothers’ apartments that were dense with greenery despite the heavy curtains, window security gates, and stifling radiators. Yet their own modern city abodes are as bare as a desert and lac…
The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is an agency dedicated to retain the rich history of New York City, including its residential architecture. Boards of landmarked condominium or cooperative properties have a more strict set of rul…
Changing management companies is a big deal - but it doesn't necessarily have to represent a major upheaval. Knowing what documents and records to furnish to the incoming firm will help keep the process orderly and drama-free, and enable yo…
In New York City, having outdoor space is an amenity not enjoyed by many. Sure, some apartments may have tiny balconies. Some co-ops may share a front or inner courtyard. Condo developments -- especially new ones -- can boast shared roof de…
The rules are almost always different for co-ops, and that is most certainly true for occupancy issues. One of the initial reasons for the co-op ownership structure, both on the part of the those already living there and those buying in, w…
In a fiscal climate plagued with uncertainty resulting from threatened budget cuts at the federal level, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio released his budget proposals for fiscal year 2018 this past April. The FY18 executive budge…
There are some expenses that boards don't have much control over - maintenance supplies, utilities, and fuel, just to name a few - but others can definitely be kept under control, and legal costs are one of them. In this clip, legal pros gi…
Real estate agents who rebrand traditionally-known neighborhoods to promote or advertise their properties could face penalties if a new bill is passed, DNAinfo reported . On June 7, Democratic New York State Senator Brian Benjamin, who…
In the world of housing, discrimination is a very sensitive subject. A failure to understand it and abide by the laws could result in a lot of trouble, including for boards and owners at condos and co-ops. Avoiding such missteps involving…