2011 May
Focus on... Recreational Amenities & Programs

Recreation Get Active, Stay Active
2011 May Get Active, Stay Active

You’ve all seen the ads—whether you’re over 55 or not. They’re called “active adult” communities, “retirement” communities, “over-55” communities, “active-lifestyle” communities or any number of other names. Popular locations fo…

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Recreation New & Improved
2011 May New & Improved

It’s a different world for amenities, these days. Just a decade ago, if you were fortunate enough to live in a building with a gated entrance or a nicely-landscaped swimming pool, you thought you hit the jackpot. It was easy for the bu…

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Recreation Fit By Design
2011 May Fit By Design

 As the mass media reminds us almost daily, staying fit (or even just getting fit  in the first place) is on many people's minds. The risks of a poor diet and  sedentary lifestyle are being taken more seriously, and that seriousness is  be…

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Recreation Keeping it Clean
2011 May Keeping it Clean

Years ago, when apartment residents wanted to do laundry, they gathered their basket and detergent, loaded up their pockets with quarters and perhaps a good book or their Walkman and trudged downstairs to the dark, dingy laundry room. A…

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Recreation Community in Diversity
2011 May Community in Diversity

 Chicago has a long tradition of being culturally diverse, and that tradition  continues to evolve today.    The Metro Chicago Immigration Fact Book reports that the Chicagoland area added  1.4 million immigrants in the past decade,…

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Recreation Worth the Rent?
2011 May Worth the Rent?

There's no denying it: the housing bubble has definitely burst. And while there is still some speculation on how, when and why, most financial experts agree that the correction and balancing process has begun—though it will likely be lo…

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Recreation Choosing the Right Property Manager
2011 May Choosing the Right Property Manager

 Choosing the right property management company is a tedious but important task  for any Board of Directors.    The use of a Request For Proposal (RFP) process by a cooperative board will  greatly enhance the selection of the most a…

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Neighborhoods Living in Chicago's Hyde Park
2011 May Living in Chicago's Hyde Park

 Hyde Park, located on the South Side in Cook County is approximately seven miles  south of the Chicago Loop and one of Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods and community areas.    As a neighborhood, Hyde Park's definition has shrunk to a cor…

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Q&A: In-House or Outside Help?
2011 May Q&A: In-House or Outside Help?

Q Does the secretary and treasurer position have to be a board member or can it be delegated/hired? —Curious in Chicago A “Most condominium association bylaws,” says attorney and managing partner Ebony Lucas of Chicag…

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Q&A: Who is Resonsible for Exterior Maintenance?
2011 May Q&A: Who is Resonsible for Exterior Maintenance?

Q With respect to the exterior of a condominium, who has basic ownership rights and responsibilities for maintenance and repairs—the unit owner or the association? Can a unit owner have an air conditioner installed through a licensed…

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Q&A: Need a Little Time
2011 May Q&A: Need a Little Time

Q I am three months behind in my association payments. Can the condominium foreclose on my unit? My mortgage payments are up to date, and I called my lender who said no, they cannot foreclose. I wrote a letter to the board asking f…

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