[Sandpiper]

Changes here at home? I have lived in the same condo for 34 years this coming summer. Not perfect, but mostly good. OK for all these years. We've always had an inside condo board. That is changing. Former / outgoing board prez resigned. Can no longer serve due to his job. (I have no idea what it is. It will take up more of his time.). So we are going to have an outside condo board / management. Is it likely to mean big changes or things as usual? Our annual increase in monthly maintenance has always been app. $5-ish. Pretty good. I don't know what to expect about anything. Many years ago I heard inside condo board is better than outside. So now what? 

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

It's hard to get people to be on the board.  A friend of mine was president of her condo's board for a couple years, and I know she was glad to be done!  An outside board solves that problem but on the other hand they aren't vested in solutions.  Hopefully someone will weigh in.

Betsy

 

[Sandpiper]

I live in a single 60 unit building. It's app. 50 years old. We have always had an internal operating board. Because board prez resigned, we will have a management company "run" the building -- take care of finances. I guess life should not change a whole lot except for my annual increase of monthly maintenance fee going up more than the usual app. $5.

 

[CaptnAndy]

Over the years I have been on 4 different HOA boards, primarily to look after my own interests, and to serve my community. Being on an HOA board can be a thankless job (95% of the stomach acid comes from >5% of the owners. One thing I suggest in your case, is for the existing board to hire a management company to take care of the day to day operations, under the direction of the board. That type of operation will insulate the board from most of the necessary time commitments, and most of the owner issues. It should help a lot in getting and keeping board members.

I suggest you run for the board and try to convince an owner with construction experience to also run. It will be worth your while.

 

[Sandpiper]

Over the years I have been on 4 different HOA boards, primarily to look after my own interests, and to serve my community. Being on an HOA board can be a thankless job (95% of the stomach acid comes from >5% of the owners. One thing I suggest in your case, is for the existing board to hire a management company to take care of the day to day operations, under the direction of the board. That type of operation will insulate the board from most of the necessary time commitments, and most of the owner issues. It should help a lot in getting and keeping board members.

I suggest you run for the board and try to convince an owner with construction experience to also run. It will be worth your while.

At least in Illinois, it is law that there must be a condo board. I thought maybe the management company would just take care of finances and services in the building. No. Everything including complaints re neighbors. That's a headache no one wants, especially a board member.

I know of six dogs in these 60 units. I have one. I know of two dog haters. One of them, Avis, lives on my floor (eight floors). The other Sue lives above her. Another dog is in the unit across from Sue. I've never seen or heard that dog. I don't know what the problem is. Sue and Avis do battle with that unit owner, an older mother and daughter. I wouldn't know them if I saw them. I've heard they're very nice. (They have to be. They have a singing canary on their balcony in the summer.) There may be a real problem concerning that dog. Avis and Sue do have reputations as complainers.

A while ago we got "proposed" monthly maintenance fees for next year. I have a feeling a management company will be hired and we will get new higher increases before January 1.

 

[anguabell]

Since our condo board hired a management company over a year ago, our quarterly fee went up by $200 and we are now facing another increase. Our building is also about 50 years old and with many repairs and renovations needed to comply with new building codes, this is hardly a surprise. I must admit, most problems with maintenance etc. are how fixed quite quickly and efficiently, so that's that.