2015 April
Focus on... Landscape & Curb Appeal/Expo

While it is common for buildings or associations of any size to have designated committees in place to help boards and management handle aesthetic, social, and other community concerns, “green” committees are a more recent trend…though, on…

They are the greenery that gives life to our cities, the leafy giants that give us shade and that unforgettable rustling sound just outside our windows late at night. Trees are the unsung heroes of the urban landscape—and with proper plann…

Southerners find it cold here…Midwesterners consider the winters mild…and Europeans are shocked by the humidity of a New York summer. Not unlike the city itself, the weather of New York offers almost everything, which the residential…

Thankfully, it’s been a long time since the Lehman Brothers fiasco and nationwide real estate market crash. The recession has since faded away and Manhattan and many parts of Brooklyn are seeing a flurry of new buildings going up or breaki…

There’s an old saying, ‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression,’ and that holds very true for multifamily buildings. Large or small, deluxe or modest, a building's lobby serves as a snapshot for the rest of the building. …

People aren’t the only life on your association's property; there are plants, trees, and other living landscaping elements, as well. More than just decoration, these features provide the community a vitality and serene pleasure only nature…

One of fastest growing segments in New York area real estate is the increased popularity of boutique condos and co-ops. According to Propertyshark.com data, there are about 5,000 condo or co-op buildings across the city that have between j…

Most condo/HOA boards are made up of ordinary, well-meaning folks who volunteer for the relatively thankless job of running their association. They donate their time, expertise, and effort to make their community as functional, solvent, an…

There are a few classic story lines of Sesame Street that you never forget: Cookie Monster can’t control his appetite, Oscar the Grouch doesn’t like to socialize, and Bert loves two things: oatmeal and pigeons. Bert loved the bird so…

Living in a co-op or condo means living in a community where residents get to know each other, attend events together and, sometimes, even become really close friends. In most cases, the people you meet are normal, down-to-earth folks, but…

The media and political buzz surrounding so-called 'homeshare' or 'short-term rental' websites (primarily Airbnb, but also other similar services like Homeaway.com and VRBO.com, just to name two) has been on the upswing over the last year …

For those looking to move into a Manhattan condo or co-op, there are zounds of factors that come into play while searching for the best—and most efficient—place to live. Usually, location, size, and safety are always a concern. Amenities a…

The idea of cooperative living began in the 19th century in central and northern European countries, and came to America late in that century, sprouting in various forms in parts of New York City. For some residents here, it was a way that…

Known for its Romanesque and Renaissance Revival architecture, Sunset Park, part of the western section of Brooklyn, also is known for another architectural first. The neighborhood is home to the city’s first Finnish cooperative. Bou…

While nowhere near as prevalent as it was in the 1980s (when it seemed as if one couldn’t find a clean wall in the city), graffiti has never completely disappeared from New York...or any metro area, for that matter. It seems to have become…

Most of us wouldn't know what to do with ourselves if we didn't have a smartphone or tablet to help us communicate, navigate, and otherwise organize our lives. Property managers throughout the country, whether they handle urban high-rises,…

Normally, a co-op, condo, or HOA management team is well-equipped to handle a wide variety of day-to-day matters, like leaky roofs and faulty garbage disposals. There are other bigger issues—such as embezzlement and fraud—that require outs…

The Community Right to Know Regulation (RTK) was signed into New York City’s ordinances under the Bloomberg Administration in an effort to protect residential tenants, building personnel and emergency responders. The original legisla…

Q I am the president of a 25-unit condominium association in Suffolk County, N.Y. Our offering plan, declaration and bylaws all stipulate that the community is for single-family occupancy only. In the past, all owners have complied. One o…