In a high-cost, high-density real estate landscape like New York City, when disputes arise in a multifamily building, tensions can escalate from annoyance to litigation very quickly. In rental buildings, problems can range from lack of…
For many of us, there comes a point when our buildings become so familiar we hardly even notice them anymore. We rarely look up to admire the cornices or contemplate the brickwork around a doorway. The tile floor in the entry hall goes…
In today’s difficult economic times, more and more co-op and condo owners and boards are constantly on the lookout for new ways to improve their bottom line. It’s one of the many reasons that more and more renters are moving into co-op a…
Home may be where the heart is, but these days, it’s also the source of enormous anxiety and concern for a great many co-op and condo owners. With the economy mired in recession and unemployment still hovering near the 10 percent mark, …
Few board members would argue that the time spent serving their buildings and fellow residents can be both very strenuous and very rewarding. For years, they make decisions that affect their community in the present and may continue to …
Few things can be as upsetting as discovering that the funds that fuel a co-op or condo have been mishandled—or worse yet, stolen. For residents, fraud undermines their sense of trust in the men and women who oversee and manage the plac…
While the majority of co-op and condo communities in New York hire professional management firms to handle their day-to-day operations, many others choose to go the self-managed route, which can include hiring on-site staff or having r…
For New York residents, every neighborhood and every borough and every county could well be another state entirely. Whether it’s a few blocks or a few miles, every area has its own personality, its own perks and its own downside. When i…
Our homes are our sanctuaries—the places we go to feel safe. Sometimes, though, problems arise that can threaten that sense of security. We worry about fire, or intruders or other common fears, but rarely do we consider environmental co…
Clean laundry. It’s one of those basic things without which we would go mad but which we rarely stop to consider. Within New York’s co-op and condo complexes, laundry room facilities are an integral part of a happy, functioning environm…