Walk down any street in Chicago and you’re likely to go under or around one of the ubiquitous steel-and-plywood structures that shade the city’s sidewalks, more often than not festooned with wheat-pasted posters for everything from the hot…
There’s nothing worse than being a unit owner in a building and seeing someone breaking a rule and seemingly getting away with it. It's even worse if that person happens to be on the building's board. Some board members believe that …
With today’s condo and HOA residents much more conscious of their impact on the environment and looking for ways to reduce it, smart boards and property managers are looking to help. Simple tasks like turning down thermostats, shutting off…
The foundation of any properly run condo association or co-op building rests on residents paying their monthly maintenance fees on time and in full, with no delays or delinquencies. However, thanks to the lingering effects of the reces…
Serving on a condo board has its challenges—mostly of a relatively mundane, everyday sort, like how to pay for new carpet in the clubhouse, or what kind of flowers to put in the new beds out front. Occasionally however, a much more sens…
While some condos and HOAs are lucky enough to have lawyers serve as members of their board, the majority of boards don’t have an in-house legal expert. They often reach out to their attorney to answer questions, vet documents, send the…
Walls are often the only separation between you and your neighbors when you live in a densely populated area like Chicago, and privacy sometimes seems to go out the window. People hear their next-door neighbors talking, footsteps from …
One of the things that attracts people to a condo or HOA are the beautiful grounds and lush landscaping that surrounds the property. Because of the topography of the Chicagoland area, depending on where a home is located, water could b…
For the most part, it's human nature to be somewhat fearful of change. People tend to stick with what they have and what they know, rather than explore new possibilities. That’s definitely the case with condos and co-ops in re…