Pamela Dittmer Mckuen – Page 13

Budget money for routine inspections and repairs for mechanical systems and the building exterior.

Ways for community associations to save on next year’s budget

May 20, 2019 at 7:56 a.m.

Community association boards and finance committees soon will be sitting down to create their 2016 budgets. It's a weighty job. Assessment dollars, which come from the owners' pocketbooks, are the...

A simple way to avoid special assessments is to practice realistic budgeting all along.

What boards can do to avoid special assessments

May 20, 2019 at 7:54 a.m.

Possibly the most dreaded correspondence an owner in a community association can receive is notice of an upcoming special assessment. That's an amount of money to be paid on top...

Tips for buying or selling a condo when you have a pet

May 20, 2019 at 7:52 a.m.

Buying or selling a condominium when you have a pet can be tough. Association rules and restrictions vary, and animal behavior often is unpredictable. Scott Kelly, a Chicago-based Redfin real...

Many condo boards are building up their reserves to cover major repairs.

Condo associations steadily building reserve accounts

May 20, 2019 at 7:50 a.m.

Condominium assessments are escalating, but that's not necessarily bad news. A good chunk of that money is headed for reserve funding. These and other trends are shown in the recently...

JeffJack Apartments’ convenient location attracts young professionals

May 10, 2019 at 4:03 p.m.

Contemporary styling with a touch of urban grittiness is drawing young professionals to JeffJack Apartments. Named after its location at Jefferson Street and Jackson Boulevard, the 190-unit rental community is...

Buyers' first impressions of a condominium building and grounds are as important as their first impressions of a unit.

Association practices and policies that hamper condo sales

May 20, 2019 at 7:49 a.m.

The summer has been running hot for Chicago's condominium market. In June, the average time from listing to contract was 61 days, according to Lisle-based Midwest Real Estate Data. "The...

The majority of condo declarations, even those that allow longer-term leasing, prohibit transient occupancy.

Condo associations grappling with short-term rentals

May 20, 2019 at 7:48 a.m.

After Kevin Marvinac enrolled in graduate school and his girlfriend joined a nonprofit organization, money was tight. So they listed the second bedroom in their North Side condominium as a...

A common rule that often leaves community association board members befuddled is a weight limit on dogs.

Writing rules your community association can live with

May 20, 2019 at 7:46 a.m.

A community association's board makes the rules, but some rules work better than others. Those that are ambiguously worded, improperly adopted or inconsistently enforced stand a good chance of being...

A board may talk about an important issue in closed session, but votes must be taken in front of the owners.

After the Palm ruling, how community association boards can comply

May 20, 2019 at 7:42 a.m.

A year ago, a controversial court decision challenged the ways community association boards do business. Today many are figuring out how to live with it. In the case of Palm...

Luxury meets convenience at Arkadia apartments on Near West Side

May 10, 2019 at 4:03 p.m.

Arkadia is a region of Greece, known through the ages for its natural beauty and pastoral lifestyle. Such was the vision for Arkadia Tower, a luxury apartment building standing on...

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