Abraham Lincoln once said, “Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. As a peacemaker, the lawyer has superior opportunity of being a good man. There will still be business enough.” Certain…
While essential to the successful operation of all cooperatives or condominiums, the contents of governing documents are often only glossed over by otherwise well-intentioned boards members and managing agents leading to potential pitf…
New York's co-ops and condos are both governed by a multitude of laws and rules. For co-ops, the primary governing documents are the bylaws and the proprietary lease. For condos, they are the condominium declaration and, once again, the…
Accountants are a norm for most people around tax time. And then, post-tax season, we rarely think about them. But for co-op and condo owners, this shouldn’t be the case. It’s crucial that large buildings hire an accountant to help with…
Everyone has experienced disorganization at one time or another. Say you have to go somewhere, and you forgot your driver’s license, only to find it in the pocket of another jacket. Or you can’t locate your cell phone because you turned …
The Cooperator’s annual Co-op & Condo Expo, which is now in its 26th year, is the premier event for education, networking and learning all you need to know about managing and maintaining co-op and condo properties in the Greater New Yor…
Recently, the Appellate Division First Department, in Fletcher v. Dakota, Inc., involving a shareholder in The Dakota, a historic luxury co-op on the Upper West Side, held that the business judgment rule does not protect individual con…
As the old adage goes, one bad apple can upset the apple cart. The same theory holds true for residents who choose to ignore bylaws or house rules, even if they are well-intended and in place to serve the greater good of the community. …
Working in groups can be a challenge. Working in groups when people’s homes—and possibly their life savings—are involved can be a far greater challenge. It’s one faced every day by those brave souls who volunteer to serve on their co-op …
While the New York City housing market has not suffered as much as in other parts of the country, there are some new construction condominiums that hadn’t sold as much as the developer had hoped. That’s why a recent trend in condos in th…