Budgeting is never easy, not for a family of four and certainly not for a co-op or condo community of hundreds or thousands of residents. That fact is made all the more difficult by the lingering effects of the recession, which continue…
The holidays are behind us, and the long haul toward spring is underway. Along with the usual springtime showers and flowers, of course, comes The Cooperator’s annual Co-op & Condo Expo. The Expo is quietly taking shape as this spring’s …
The last few years have been stressful and uncertain for many in the real estate game—developers have had to adjust projections and expectations for certain projects. Likewise, sellers and brokers have had to acclimate to a market that,…
As a construction attorney I can say that it is rare that a change is made in the law which revolutionizes the design industry. Up until now, the laws in the State of New York only allowed architectural and engineering firms to be owned…
Tell someone at a cocktail party that you are on a co-op board and the most likely response is “What a thankless task!” It seems every New Yorker has a co-op board horror story—and many of them probably contain more than a grain of truth…
The sad reality is that when a hurricane, flood or fire strikes, often the greatest damage is not caused by the crisis itself, but rather by poor decision making by boards in the aftermath of the event. In the aftermath of a d…
New York City law will phase out the burning of Number 6 fuel oil in the near future. Should you wait until the last minute until making the switch to cleaner fuel oil in your own building? Does it make sense to do it now, or …
Election season typically starts around Labor Day, when we start to be bombarded with reminders to cast our ballots to choose who we want to be in charge of our city, town, state and country. It ends on Election Day in November, when th…
If the board of directors is the Barnum & Bailey of the cooperative or condominium, the manager is the ringmaster. The board finances the show and books the talent, but all eyes are on the manager. “Everything falls on you,” sa…
Whether you are dipping your toe in the real-estate buying pool for the first time, or you’re soaking in it after purchasing numerous properties, the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) is an organization to take note of. …