Cons and hustles are as old as civilization itself. For as long as there have been goods and currency to collect and divide, there have been unscrupulous individuals who are ready to relieve the unwary consumer of their holdings. Banking…
As every board member knows, a realistic budget is essential to the financial health of their co-op or condo. Creating a workable budget is not an easy task: while you can use the current year's budget as a jumping off point, many expens…
When a townhouse exploded on Manhattan's Upper East Side last summer, New Yorkers ran terror-stricken into the streets. As smoke billowed from the wreckage, no one knew what had caused the explosion, or how many people had been hurt. Jus…
The environmental challenges facing our planet are so big and so complex that they often feel far beyond our individual control. But the simple fact is, if we all step up to the challenge and do our part, together we can make a big differen…
There are certain touches that make a house a home. When it comes to designing and renovating co-ops and condos, that same rule applies. Adding touches that personalize a space, and tailoring that space to the needs and desires of the pe…
A capital improvement, as the name suggests, is any property enhancement—or "improvement"—that increases its overall value—or "capital." Capital improvements can be undertaken by individual owners as well as co-op or condo boards.…
When it's time for your co-op or condo to start discussing replacing the floor coverings for your lobby, staircase or hallways, it's important to look at all the options available, because a lot has changed over the past decade. Where once …
You know that you need to upgrade your apartment so that the building can both maintain its value and avoid costly repairs and maintenance down the road. But have you considered the common areas in the building as something that can affect …
Perhaps it's been years since your lobby was last updated, and the décor is reminiscent of an aesthetic better left in the past. Or perhaps the lobby and common areas have are showing signs of everyday wear-and-tear, and are now a hazard…
With so much talk these days about costly security projects designed to benefit buildings over the long term, it's easy to overlook a far more approachable option. Updating older video-based surveillance technology with a digital se…