Serving on one's condo or association board is sometimes a rough job; there are tough decisions to make that impact the lives of one's own friends and neighbors, priorities to set that cannot possibly please everyone, and financial cha…
With the sun beating down on the shores of Lake Michigan and the mercury nudging the top of the thermometer, it may seem strange to think ahead toward late autumn and beyond, when the Chicagoland area's condo and HOA communities will b…
It's no secret that the insurance industry is big business; there are approximately 2,000 companies competing for market share, which means that co-op, condo, and HOA boards have their work cut out for them when it comes to understandi…
Recent developments, both legislative and environmental, have led to considerable changes in the Illinois insurance marketplace. And such changes, as managers know, often lead to added paperwork, confusing requirements, and tricky lega…
Pools, hot tubs, saunas and gyms are big-ticket, high-demand amenities. They add value and enjoyment to properties without question—but they also come with major considerations when it comes to insurance coverage. A condominiu…
Meet John Anderson. He is your friendly association board member. He doesn’t know much about being on a board. He simply wanted to help his community, and he’s very willing to learn. And then there’s Anne Davis. She has been a member of …
Co-op and condo board members usually are volunteers who live in the building and contribute their time and expertise to help their community. Ideally, they ensure that the building runs well and efficiently, and that residents’ investm…
You may not know the name of your local alderman, or even your state representative—plenty of polls have shown that many people don't. Politicians are one thing, but when it comes to the people running your condo building or homeowners …
Q I live in a condo complex that has four buildings. Our election for board members is based on the highest number of votes from the four buildings. The problem is that the number of units in each building are not equal. For example on…
Q We have a new unit owner in our building who is a young, very smart man. He had a party of about 15 people, which flowed out from his unit into the lobby and in front of the building where his guests were drinking champagne right out …