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Management
Condo Fraud
Details of the alleged $20+ million condominium fraud affecting properties in Greater Toronto—both mortgage fraud and construction fraud—alleged to have been perpetrated by the president of Channel Property Management, continue to emerge in the media.
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Dysfunctional Boards: déjà vu—all over again
As a law student many years ago, I decided that I didn’t want to practice family law. My reasoning went like this: I would be involved with unhappiness, occasioned by the raw and unpalatable emotions of clients. Family law, I told myself, was permeated by the anger, incivility, non-cooperation, and dysfunction of unhappy clients.
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Plan for the worst and you’ll come out the best
An overflowing toilet is undoubtedly a messy situation. Depending on the severity, it can also be a costly one too. Handling this type of situation doesn’t take a tremendous amount of skill - one can shut off the water to the toilet, clean up the water and check for any possible long term damage. For the most part, an incident like this will only affect a contained area.
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Is your building prepared for a disaster?
We’ve all heard that the best defense is a good offense. Being prepared with a game plan for when disasters strike, like fires, floods, earthquakes or hurricanes, is a prudent move for all condo managers.
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HICCUP your way past competitors on facebook
Every company is trying to use Facebook in an attempt to move their business forward and stay connected to their customers in this fast paced world. Why are some companies more successful at this than others? Content is the key to staying in touch with your customers and keeping them informed. The content, however, must be a rich mix of information, education, humor and fun. Use the HICCUP approach to make your Facebook page more successful.
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When to utilize a professional contractor for condo remodeling projects
When it comes to remodeling condominium exteriors, property managers face crucial decisions. From managing costs to following building codes, decision makers in the condominium industry must execute renovations that will stay within budget, have a lasting impact and appeal to residents.
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Security considerations for boards
Security considerations for boardsSafety and security is something that most of us only think about when we hear about an incident and it is usually at that point that we may wonder about how secure we are in our own homes.
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Correcting Bad Behaviour
Why do owners ignore warning letters about noise complaints, unacceptable pets or unsightly improvements? Condo owners do not always fully appreciate the cost consequences they face when formal proceedings are commenced to address non-compliance. Often, the costs are in the thousands of dollars – and many owners are shocked to discover this at the mediation. If the matter is not settled by mediation, the costs can escalate to tens of thousands of dollars.
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There’s no R in condominium
Buyers are willing to pay more to use recycled materials, use healthier cleaning products and use more efficient lighting. But when it comes to recycling, why aren’t condo owners keen to be green?
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Handle with care
The offerings are familiar to anyone who has been shopping around for a new condo: a salt-water pool, on-site spa, fine dining room, casual diner, bowling alley, art studio and the list goes on. There are one or two bedroom suites with or without dens and garden flats with familiar layouts and trendy designs. But this isn’t a condominium, it’s a retirement residence. As the baby boomers age, it is becoming more difficult to tell them apart.
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Toronto waste levies in condos
Many condominiums have chosen to opt out of city waste pick-ups in Toronto and have saved themselves a great deal of money. With condo boards and property managers scrambling this year to present a budget that will not increase maintenance fees drastically, going to a private hauler could be a savings solution. HST begins in July and is not going away, but instead of spending twenty to thirty thousand dollars a year on waste, those costs could be cut by up to 50 per cent.
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Community building
Liz Root, the project director for the Regent Park revitalization in Toronto, talks details with CondoBusiness.
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