With the green movement in full swing across the country, it is not surprising that incorporating energy saving and efficient measures has trickled into condominium development. Today, many buildings in New Jersey pride themselves for …
Going green doesn’t have anything to do with choosing a natural paint color for your kitchen, or planting herbs in your community garden. But the phrase can have many different meanings and can be done across a broad spectrum. Turning o…
We as a culture produce a lot of trash—and not just in the form of reality television shows, late night infomercials, and bad romance novels. Whether it’s the candy wrappers we toss into the trash bins outside on the sidewalk, the newsp…
Energy efficiency has become a “buzz word” over the past couple years in New Jersey and more and more gadgets and devices have come on the market that are specifically designed to use less energy. Saving energy does a lot more than just…
Legendary funny man Benny Goodman once said, “I don’t want to tell you how much insurance I carry with the Prudential, but all I can say is: when I go, they go too!” The comedian hits on all-important issue: how much insurance is too muc…
It is one of life’s eternal questions: is it possible to have too much of a good thing? That question certainly can apply to the matter of long-serving board members, those individuals who get elected and re-elected term after term. And…
For the most part, human nature is fearful of change, and that’s why people are more likely to stick with what they have and what they know, rather than explore new possibilities. That’s definitely the case with condos and co-o…
New Jersey is one of the most diverse areas in the United States. Its proximity to two melting pot cities, New York and Philadelphia, only magnifies what is already a diverse mix of people. In any sizable community, people from…
“We have 500 condo accounts and I can count on one or two hands the number of the ones that are not having issues with arrears,” reports Karen Sackstein, CPA, whose accounting firm, The Condo Queens, is based in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. “…
Heating and cooling systems within condominium developments are called upon to provide safe, consistent energy to residents. The people who bring you heat, air cooling and refrigeration know that, and want to find what works—and what do…
There is little or no question that secondhand smoke is a carcinogen which poses a serious cancer risk and can cause other health problems to persons who are exposed to it. Indeed the 2010 U.S. Surgeon General’s report states unequivoca…
Q Is there a law allowing us to conduct a meeting without a quorum reached? We need more than 50 percent of the vote and certain shareholders refuse to attend meetings. We don't have a co-op board and cannot elect one. The old board mem…
Q We are a small, self-managed association that has a complicated problem that needs to be solved. The problem concerns the 25th garage and the association’s inability to obtain this particular garage. The original architect built 24 ga…