New York's Cooperative and Condominium Community

Habitat Magazine Insider Guide

HABITAT

KEW GARDENS HILLS

Philip Eng still remembers when the lights went out.

It was a Saturday afternoon in the summer of 2005. Eng had been living at the 318-unit Regent’s Park Gardens condominium in Queens for just three months, and at first he thought there had been a short circuit in his building. But then he found that the power was off in the development’s 13 other buildings as well. It stayed off for half a day.

Eventually Eng found out why: the condo’s Con Ed bills had not been paid for months. Further investigation revealed that the condo was basically broke.

Recent news affecting co-op / condo buyers, sellers, boards and residents. This week, it's all about balance: When co-op maintenance or condo common charges are too high, the middle class leaves. Too low, and you may not be able buy a boiler. We've another analysis of the new tax-abatement law, eco-friendly floors in Brooklyn, superstorm Sandy debris in Staten Island, and a newly landmarked co-op in Queens. And for boards there's got The Dakota lawsuit — as told by Vanity Fair! Welcome to the big time!

... a co-op board appears to renege on staff promises that new buyers can install a washer, a frustrated mom sues to evict her 58-year-old son from a Sutton Place co-op, and read what some deluded sellers are asking for their apartments.

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Learn all the basics of NYC co-op and condo management, with straight talk from heavy hitters in the field of co-op or condo apartments

Professionals in some of the key fields of co-op and condo board governance and building management answer common questions in their areas of expertise

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