Like people, buildings age. Even under the best of circumstances, weather – particularly water, in the form of rain, snow, and ice – followed by or combined with extremes in temperature can do permanent damage to facades, cornices, parapets…
Whether a community is surrounded by suburbs or big-city high-rises, a little greenery can go a long way in adding visual appeal – and value. In fact, given the lack of space and the challenge of keeping plants healthy and thriving, urban g…
When it comes to energy, conservation is the watchword – not just as pertains to usage (although definitely that!) but also to cost. This may be especially true for New York City's condominium and co-op buildings, in which volunteer boards …
If you're not fortunate enough to have a washer/dryer in your apartment, the next best thing is a communal laundry room -- and those facilities have come a very long way since the days of bleak, fluorescent-lit basement spaces with a couple…
‘Jumbo loans.’ It’s a term we hear frequently and see advertised regularly. But what exactly is a jumbo loan, and how did ‘jumbos’ come to be? Origins The world of home loans -- including co-op and condo mortgages -- has changed and evo…
Most co-op, condo, and HOA boards are made up of honest people who truly want to act in the best interest of their community -- but sometimes bad actors do wind up on boards, and sometimes even whole boards can be corrupt. In this short cli…
When you close your eyes and picture any building, you are quite likely imagining its facade – the outer shell which protects and contains all of the hustle and bustle that goes on within. In a residential property, the facade is what separ…
Home is where the heart is, sure – but it’s also where most of where any given owner or shareholder’s money is. For most people, their home represents their single biggest investment. And in a community association, both individual units an…
Whether it’s a balcony, terrace, patio or roof deck, outdoor space is many an apartment owner’s dream. Desirable – and valuable – as they are, these spaces do present specific maintenance considerations for individual owners, co-op corpora…