2007 March
2007 March Vol. 5, No. 3
Focus on...Exterior Maintenance
Window Replacement
Good quality windows are essential to a building's aesthetic appeal, as well as its energy efficiency. But what is involved in changing out the old windows for the new? There are a few important things boards and managers should know about the process of a complete window replacement project for their building, be it a high-rise, a townhome, or a more spread-out condominium association. Read More
Home Staging Can Add Value
The real estate mantra is location, location, location, right? After that, it's price, square footage, condition, state of the market and maybe rooms with a view or available financing terms. Read More
Surface Maintenance in HOAs
People are pretty rough on parking lots. Not only do we drive on them, but we leak oil and transmission fluid on them, pour salt on them when it snows, and leave it there well into spring. Snow plows and heavy garbage dumpsters gouge and scrape blacktop and asphalt surfaces. Cracks go ignored, and few people care when pavement gets stained or faded. Read More
Updating Your HOA's Look
You've heard it before—first impressions are everything, whether it's for a job interview, a first date, or the curb appeal of a new home. So, if your condo or homeowners association has begun to look a little shabby or as out-of-date, perhaps it's time to make everything old new again. Read More
How Do Your HOA Expenses Compare?
Many HOAs would like to know how their association compares with others in their area. Measuring one's own financial situation against that of one's peers is often a good way to gauge financial solvency and level of preparation for things like capital improvements or unforeseen repairs and maintenance. Some of the answers many boards and managers are interested in knowing include: Read More
Leak Lessons: A True Story
Leaks happen all the time. American Leak Detection, a nationwide company (unrelated to the Scooter Libby trial), claims to have discovered 1.4 million leaks last year alone—and that's just one company! Common as they are, leaks can cause quite a bit of damage. The drip-drip of a leaky bathtub is literally the sound of money going down the drain—and if the leak is hidden deep in a wall somewhere, the damage can worsen and spread for months before you even know there's a problem. Read More
Profiling the Building Stone Institute
In an age of tinted-glass curtain walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, and ubiquitous vinyl siding, it may be comforting to know that the granddaddy of all building materials—natural stone, quarried from the earth and hewn by hand in some cases—is still very much relevant to building construction and architecture. Read More
Technology + Personnel = Maximum Security
Along with location and amenities, safety is one of the foremost factors homebuyers take into consideration when searching for a home. Current advancements in security technologies have evolved ten-fold since just five years ago, yet despite all of the high-tech developments, the presence of a security professional does wonders to make residents feel safer at the end of the day. Read More
A Ruling on Affordable Housing
On January 25, 2007, the Appellate Division struck down key provisions of the regulations of the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) limiting municipal fair share housing obligations for the period from 1999 to 2014 (often referred to as the "third round"). The court acted in a case brought on behalf of the New Jersey Builders Association (NJBA). The court ordered COAH to adopt lawful regulations within six months. It barred COAH from acting on any of the more than 250 pending petitions by municipalities for approval of their housing plans until it adopts lawful regulations. Read More
Q&A: A Few Good Bylaws
Our association is currently going through the transition from a developer-controlled board to a member-controlled board, and as one of the first members of the new board, I’m concerned about drafting our new rules and regulations. Some of my co-members feel that we should try to cover all the bases from the start—others feel that we’d be better off with fewer rules right off the bat and should play it more by ear as our community’s needs arise. What’s the best policy for new boards when it comes to working with developers and drafting bylaws and association rules? Read More
