Developers try ‘free’ chic to sell condos

By Amanda Fung

When Albert Laboz got a call from Hearst Magazines last winter, he was slow to respond because he thought the caller was just looking for advertising.  Instead, the media giant wanted to use Soho Mews, Mr. Laboz’s new 68-unit luxury condominium building, to promote four of its magazines. The publisher agreed to bring in well-known designers to dress up three large units plus a penthouse with high-end furnishings and interiors—all for free—and feature them in upcoming editions of Town & Country, Veranda and others. The freebie is paying off handsomely for theManhattan developer.

The ABCs of Cable Contracts

By Larry Kessler

The alphabet soup that passes as the language of a cable contract is confusing enough to make you dyslexic. Learning to decipher the jargon and understand the terms is the only way to negotiate a good deal.

Understanding a property’s existing cable contracts, services, and resident demands is key when researching and negotiating for new cable contracts and services. Detailed knowledge of the existing contract, cable services, potential legal and regulatory encumbrances, as well as…

Creating a Community Website Saves Money

Communication and budgetary issues are two of the biggest challenges facing a Condo Association. An effective website can facilitate communication and also save a Condo Association money!

The Internet has revolutionized how condominium associations can operate. If good communication and active participation are the two biggest challenges to managing and building a strong condominium association, then an effective website might be the solution.

Making the Most of the                  Annual HOA

Annual meetings are important events in the life of an association, and making the most of these events takes careful planning.
Required by the association’s governing documents, annual homeowners meetings have legal and functional purposes: to elect new board members, vote on assessment issues, etc. But less explicit is the opportunity at image building, the chance to show the association’s value to the homeowners – an often-overlooked objective which is critical to an association’s future success.

Welcoming and Educating New Residents

By: Gail VanDyke

Perhaps you noticed the title indicates how to welcome new residents, not just owners. We tend to focus on owners, but we should treat all new residents the same way when it comes to welcoming them into the community and educating them about life in a community association. It is important to make good citizens of all who move into the community. For many, this is their first experience with deed restrictive life.

A Seasonal Walk-A-Round

By: Charles Bricker, Jr.

First impressions are one of the most important values for a community. Whether a booming economy or tough economic times, it is important that your community looks its best.

A seasonal walk-a-round through your community is the best way to proactively observe and identify any potential community maintenance issues. While some walks…