So, you want to renovate your kitchen. You’ve chosen your tile, cabinetry, and fixtures. You’ve gotten bids from several contractors, and are ready to dig in and overhaul the whole space. But not so fast. You live in a co-op. You need b…
As community members, co-op and condo owners work together to maintain the greater structure in which they live – not just their individual units. Major systems – things like boilers, roofs, and facades – are expensive to maintain and repai…
Q. Is ordinance or law insurance required in New York State for co-ops? I am being turned down for refinancing my mortgage because our building does not have this insurance. Is it mandated for co-ops? They have all other required insuranc…
Co-ops have several ways which they could explore monetizing untapped potential. These opportunities range from air rights sales, to creating retail components, to selling the entire property outright. When shareholders come together with a…
Rare in all but a few cities around the country, residential co-ops are by far the most prevalent type of owner-occupied apartment in New York City, outnumbering condos by 3-1 by some estimates. According to a study commissioned by N…
“Two shareholders who were on the verge of moving out undertook a repair in their home on their own, not hiring a professionally licensed mason to conduct the repairs. They are now submitting a bill for personal reimbursement. The sharehold…
Valuable paintings will be hung in our newly renovated lobby which is a common area of our co-op building. What if they are stolen or damaged? The owner who has loaned them has personal insurance but since the paintings are in our common ar…
I would like to establish a revocable living trust and place my co-op apartment in the trust. This will avoid probate for my heirs. My co-op board is unwilling to agree to my request. I have not been given a reason for this. How can I convi…
From the Magna Carta to the U.S. Constitution, written documents have helped shape the way people live and interact with one another for centuries. The fundamental documents that establish co-ops and condos have that same importance in bui…
It's probably no surprise that no matter what field of law they practice in, attorneys have some pretty good stories. (The volume of television shows and movies devoted to lawyers and legal procedures may be one indicator of this.) T…