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The vast majority of co-op and condominium boards are well intentioned and work diligently with their management and accountants to draft and monitor their annual budgets—and recalibrate them as necessary. Despite their best efforts to keep…
In a world where the cost of services and goods are generally rising, even in the absence of any substantive inflation, co-op and condominium boards and management are always looking for ways to hold the line on increasing monthly costs. T…
As we all know - and are probably sick of hearing at this point - the past year has been a time like no other. Many of us who regularly work in offices have been working from home, many for the first time. Does that qualify us for the same…
According to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the median annual property tax paid by homeowners was $2,578 in 2019, or 1.03 percent of home value - not a huge percentage on average, but many households pay far more than this bas…
As we’ve reported in previous articles, special assessments are not the only tool condo associations and HOAs have to finance common area improvements and major repairs when needed; there are also loans available in the marketplace to help …
Reserve funds are a normal - and crucial - component of the budget for any co-op and condominium community. Lenders of all types, whether it be the banking institution that holds the underlying permanent mortgage on an entire co-op building…
Even before the COVID-19 crisis hit, the question of where real estate values were going was the elephant lurking in the corner of the room. Some submarkets (like Florida, for example) were strong—and getting stronger. Others (like New York…
Each year, boards are tasked with figuring out the costs associated with all aspects of their community’s operations, including any capital repairs or improvements they plan to undertake in the coming fiscal year, and then making sure the r…
Among the many realities made visible (or more visible) by the COVID-19 crisis is the domino theory: when one falls, the others follow. Conceived (and largely disproven) as a political metaphor, the notion has proven more useful when applie…
It’s a question we’re asked all the time: "Can we use reserves to cover an operating fund shortfall?" Under normal circumstances, our standard response would be an emphatic “No!” -- because reserves are for major repair and replacement proj…