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No time to arrange a party? Let a concierge do it
Many apartment and condo buildings provide free concierge services like restaurant and ticket reservations, mail pickup, trip planning and...
Radio host Steve Harvey renting Trump penthouse
With a multifaceted career as a Chicago-based, nationally syndicated morning radio host, best-selling author and now host of a national...
San Francisco considers allowing nation's tiniest micro-apartments
SAN FRANCISCO — The tiny apartments are touted as "affordable by design."
Lifting rental restriction could put association at risk
Q: We are a small condominium complex with a rental limitation. In an effort to protect our investments, owners amended the declaration to...
New FHA rules loosen association requirements
Greater numbers of condominiums now qualify for mortgage financing insured by the Federal Housing Administration. That's because this...
Board has an uncommon view of common areas
Q: I live in a freestanding house that is part of a homeowners association. We have a neighbor who parks a 32-foot motor home in four...
Lease rate too high? Check back later
As apartment living has soared in popularity in recent years, the competition for highly desirable units in good buildings and neighborhoods...
Condo policies can help or hurt property values
It takes more than a neat, attractive condominium or town house to make a sale at a fair price. Buyers have heard the horror stories of...
Is board close-minded about open meetings?
Q: I am a member of a large multi-unit condominium association. To what extent is our association governed by the open meetings act? Can...
Finding the right apartment for you
In today's tough economic climate, more Americans are delaying or forgoing homeownership in favor of renting. Everyone from young...
Apartment boom sweeps Chicago area
Hear that noise? It's the growing rumble of an apartment construction boom — and the sound of opportunity knocking for renters seeking...
A checklist for apartment hunters
When searching for a new apartment, most people have a short wish list — good location, two bedrooms, a functional kitchen, access...
Clever design solutions for small spaces
The exhilaration of decorating your first apartment can get tempered by the harsh rental realities of youth. Tiny spaces. Tiny budgets....
Don't let rogue movers take you for a ride
Moving can test even the most organized person. It seems that no matter how much you plan for the big day, Murphy's Law kicks in. The moving...
High rent society: Chicago's luxury rentals
Why get a mortgage when you can get a sweet apartment instead?
Dog-friendly apartments shouldn't be so tough to find
Dogs are a great reason for starting a conversation -- even in a big city like Chicago. My wife and I were walking our two dogs when and...
Board would benefit from reserve study on roof
Q: Our condominium association had $60,000 in reserves for new roofs with a remaining life expectancy of 15 years. Last year, we had major...
Condo owner want to eliminate party fees
Q: I thought condo fees were for the maintenance and repair of homes and grounds, and for lawn care. Our association fees also pay for...
Can board expedite foreclosure sale?
Q: We have a unit that has been in foreclosure for about 24 months. The owner moved out a year and a half ago. No one has paid assessments...
Tips for trimming next year's association budget
Community association boards and finance committees will soon be building budgets for 2013. It won't be a simple task. Many associations...
Pet weight limit puts dog owner on the spot
Q: Last summer I was shopping for a condominium and the MLS listing stated a weight limit for dogs in a particular building. Before making...
Evaluating a rental applicant based on ex-landlord's opinion
Q: I have a policy of always talking to an applicant's current landlord. But an applicant whom I'll call Sue has asked me not to call her...
Ruling could change course of collection proceedings
Delinquent condominium owners historically have been told to pay up, no matter how well the board took care of the property. But an Illinois...
Liability for water-heater damage falls on owner
Q: The water heater on the third floor of my unit malfunctioned, causing gallons of water to flood the lower floors and my unit. There was...