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The Problem with Insurance Claims “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” – Latin proverb dating back to the 13th century, probably written by the world's first insurance agent. Condominium associations are communities. What is good for one is to be good for all. Assessments are generally...

Kids, Condos and Pools “Kids are the future, just not always the future we envision.” - Me. “Condominium” is not an old Latin word for “quiet” or “kids free.” Unfortunately, too many associations think this is the correct translation. So they make rules that directly or indirectly bar children ...

Condominium Contractors - The Great Quest Frequently condominium association members have little to no experience in such routine work around associations such as landscaping, wood rot repair, brick re-pointing, painting, roofing, plumbing and electrical work. What to do? Hire a contractor. But...

The Financial Hole of Associations "I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something." — Jackie Mason The comedian Jackie Mason could have been talking about life in a condominium association. It is not unusual during spring for one or more members of a condominium as...

SPRING THINGS A couple of thoughts for spring that are worth of mentioning, but can be addressed in less than a column. Critters I was recently walking around the property of an Association with some Board members. They are good people. Like most Boards they want and try to balance the needs of...

High Times at the Condo Association It's almost spring. That means it's almost time to be sitting outside on your deck, having a drink with friends, laughing, looking up at the stars, breathing deeply the fresh clean air … and hacking because a neighbor is smoking. Now, truth be told, I love a g...

THE STORY OF MOLD The very word makes some shiver, others cringe, and make condominium Boards fret about ruining the maintenance budget. However, Boards should not overreact. Mold has been around long before condominiums existed and even before humans. We evolved with it; it hasn't killed us yet...

A Touchy Subject As I have noted in previous columns, condominium boards have the sole duty of maintaining and increasing the value of the Units. This includes setting a budget that makes the Common Area look nice; has sufficient funds to address maintenance issues such as wood rot; and has a pro...

The Numbers Game It will be spring soon. Grass will grow, windows will open, we will step outside and breath in the air deeply, and we will greet the sun by turning our faces upwards and allowing its rays to warm our faces and souls after yet another New England Winter. And taxes will be due. E...

Windows (and Doors) of Opportunity “People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” Rogers Hornsby. As established by the Condominium Act, Unit doors and windows are a Unit Owner's responsibility. But frequently th...

Condo World The Ice Dam Cometh After the gifts are opened, the food has been cooked and savored, and, the relatives have left, or you've left them, for better or worse it's time to get ready for winter. Sadly, in Condo World, one of the major concerns of homeowners in condominium associations th...

It's an Annual Thing It's near the end of the year. In most condominium associations, that means it's time for the Annual Meeting. Annual Meetings are important because despite what many believe, the only time an Owner is entitled to appear is at an Association Meeting, not a Board meeting, and ...

Rentals at the Condo (Part Two) Or, how to bring possible chaos, calamity and concern to your Association. “An empty house is better than a bad tenant.” - Irish Proverb One of the latest movements in landlord/tenant relationships is the rise in the use of a home, including a condominium, for th...

Rentals at the Condo (Part One) “This is to let you know that there is a smell coming from the man next door.” Tenant quote of unknown origin. Tenants live in Condo World. There is a misconception, however, that having tenants at an Association is bad. I would much rather have an Association...

Everyone's Favorite Pet One of the recurring issues in Condo World is what to do about pets. Not everyone has a pet, but those who do have pets have them because they love them. My wife and I once had a dog named Elliot (in case I ever forgot where I lived). As we were about to have our daughter...

Quick Tips in Condo World Not all issues in Condo World need the depth and length of several hundred words to address and explain. As such, here are some shorter issues with Quick Tips to addressing them. Legal Fees. No one likes to pay legal fees. I don't like to pay legal fees when I get the...

HOW TO BUY A CONDOMINIUM – PART 2 In the last column I noted the single biggest mistake condominium buyers make is not exploring the financial health of an association before purchasing a unit in it. As I wrote, the Condominium Act allows owners to acquire certain documents once a Purchase and ...

HOW TO BUY A CONDOMINIUM The purchase of a condominium fits the desires of buyers across every demographic. They include the after-the-kids-have-left downsizing couple; the I-don't-want-to-be-bothered-with-anything person; the we're-too-active-with-our-(kayaks, mountain hiking, rock-climbing, ...

THE ONLY TIME TO MEET The only time unit owners in a condominium association are entitled to appear at a meeting is at an Association meeting. To some this may be harsh, but condominium associations are corporations in a sense. As such, much like Apple or Google or any other corporation, the only...

The Most Important Person at the Condo Association No one grows up wanting to be second best. No one goes to the Olympics to strive for a silver medal; no one dreams of growing up to be Vice-President of the United States. So most people who choose to become an officer at a condo association seek...

Working From Home in a Condo Most condominiums in New Hampshire were created before the invention of this Internet thing. Some were invented long before home computers. Since we still cannot predict the future, there was no seeing the problems the Internet and home computers and cell phones (my ...

How to Run it Right Despite the points made in an earlier column about rogue Boards, the vast majority of time Board members are well-intentioned, hard-working people who only want to see the best for the Association. And that's good because the best way to run an Association well is to get a go...

Quick Tips in Condo World Not all issues in Condo World need the depth and length of several hundred words to address and explain. As such, here are some shorter issues with Quick Tips to addressing them. Despite the advance of technology, as my ten-year-old, technically proficient daughter co...

The Most Important Person in the Association I had the great privilege of being a high school social studies teacher for seven years. I met a lot of really wonderful young men and women. Despite the impression left with their parent(s) from the emotional minefield of the teenage years, many, many...

Your Home is Your Castle … Sort Of One of the common misconceptions in Condo World is that the Unit Owner's Unit is his or her castle. It may be their castle, but the castle is part of a larger kingdom, the condominium association. This fact means there is a higher power that needs to maintain t...