Welcome Home! New Hampshire can be grouped with Maine as “Vacationland” due to the population explosion in the summer months. This traditional influx of people not only affects coastal tourist towns and inland lake villages but also condo communities. Whether your condo is self- or professionally managed, establishing policies and planning for returning snowbirds is….
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Condo Association Liabilities — Ignorance is not Bliss
So what keeps you up at night? If you are a condo board member or a property manager, it might be that dreaded phone call reporting calamity at the condominium. Whether it is the report of a fire; or a frozen sprinkler leak; or an injury due to a common element failure, the association’s actions in….
Burning Questions & Fire Safety Checklist
The words ‘safety or security’ mean different things to members of a condominium or HOA community. While the board or property manager may be focusing on the common element safety dangers such as the pool or the walkways/ paved surfaces, unit owners’ biggest concern is unit security and household accidents. In reality, condo communities are like families….
Want to Avoid Unexpected Property Maintenance Costs?
Whether you are a building owner, property manager, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT) manager—or if you are questioning whether a building purchase makes financial sense—it’s important to anticipate how the property will perform over time. For retail, multi-family, office or industrial properties, the best solution is to assess, plan and budget for the future. A….
How to Hire a Condo Engineer – A Tip for Any Successful Condo Association
Make sure you actually need one, too They don’t teach you how to hire an engineer in school. Indeed most folks have never had the occasion to hire an engineer or an architect in their whole life. This is also true for most condominium or HOA board members. So how does a condo board go….
Is Your Condo Breathing? Why Building Ventilation is Critical
We all need to vent. No, I am not talking about Monday morning venting about the bum calls the referee made during the big game. I am talking about venting the attic space in your condominium. I know, most folks think venting is a summer issue, so why talk about it when the snow is….
A Time for Giving, A way to Say Thanks – Plan a Passion Project.
During this season of giving thanks, but also a time of year that can be overwhelming and stressful, consider a passion project. While it may be too busy to start that project tomorrow, use this holiday season and extra time with family and friends to reflect and motivate: Envision a creative side project for the….
Planning Your Condo Maintenance Priorities? – #1 Building Envelope
What to do in a NH winter? Certainly snow sports, a good book, or dreams of spring golf are excellent pursuits but for the chairperson of the condo maintenance committee, winter is a good time to be planning building envelope repairs. The building envelope comprises the roof, siding, and foundation with all of the windows,….
Your Next Roof Decision – Black or White? Rubber or Plastic?
Some board members may think deciding about a new roof surface is over their heads (forgive the pun). Condominium board members and property managers of urban mid and high-rise buildings often face flat roof maintenance issues and now a new wrinkle in the roofing decision process has arisen: black or white. In the recent past….
Commercial Building Inspections: What does an Engineer Buy You that a Building Inspector Can’t?
For every real estate transaction that you are involved in—chances are—as part of the due-diligence process you are hiring a commercial building inspection professional to inspect the property. This is a helpful and valuable service that you routinely recommend to clients any may be required by lenders, however if the inspection is not done objectively….