Condo Media - January 2021 - 37

Good condo living does not start with the developer,
but with engaged people living in the community.
Further, a community's greatest asset is its volunteers,
regardless of whether they're serving on the board
or a specialized committee.
Minutes of Meeting, State Condo Act,
and all the protocols for voting and
running a community. They do not
teach this in school. Serving on the
board could be like a mini-MBA.

to change, so it takes special skills to
shape the issues of needed change into
a reasonable and attractive solution for
the many. Rule changing is one of the
major benefits to being on the board.

IMAGE IMPROVEMENT.
We have learned that
perception is more powerful
than truth. Condo communities having
experienced serious problems such as
fire, water damage, or mismanagement
can quickly develop a bad reputation in
both the local area but also the real
estate community, affecting sales appeal
and subsequently market value. Often
boards believe because they fixed the
problems the rumors and reputation of
the condo community has been
cleansed. This is rarely the case.
Perhaps you have the real estate
marketing prospective needed on the
board to make proactive actions to
reverse the negative local perception.

HAVING FUN. Though being
on the board can often be
frustrating and make someone
feel unappreciated, a well-run board will
shake off these negative feelings and
introduce measures to make someone's
tenure on the board and their fellow unit
owners' community experiences a lively

QUALITY OF LIFE.
Many who buy a condo unit
do so to avoid typical home
ownership problems. When unexpected
problems do arise such as excessive
internal/ external noise or a board not
responding to complaints, sometimes it
takes a special person on the board to
put issues into a human perspective
to avoid hurt feelings and create a
neighborly atmosphere.

and rewarding time. This could include
community social events, inclusive and
efficient meetings, timely communication, and a willingness to encourage
new ideas.
Good condo living does not start with
the developer, but with engaged people
living in the community. Further, a
community's greatest asset is its volunteers, regardless of whether they're
serving on the board or a specialized
committee. A community's wellbeing
is more than the sum of its parts; its
spirit and fellowship are the synergy of
its unit owners, property management,
and affiliated service providers working
toward common and well-understood
goals. Good condo communities are not
born, but made.
n JACK CARR, P.E., RS, LEED-AP, IS A
SENIOR CONSULTING ENGINEER FOR
CRITERIUM-ENGINEERS IN FREEPORT,
MAINE. HE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF
THE CONDO MEDIA BOARD.

Practicing Condominium Association,
Real Estate, Litigation, Employment
& Bankruptcy Law

CHANGE THE RULES.
As condos get older, it is often
realized the original rules
do not work as well as they did. Unit
owners often join the board to change
those outdated rules. Many are resistant

Attorneys left to right: David Chenelle, Rob Anctil, Scott Eriksen, Charlie Perkins, Jr., Rhonda Duddy, Kim Alley.

Solving your problems today and
strengthening your association for
tomorrow.

We bring the knowledge that we have obtained
from decades of experience of representing more
than 750 associations to each client's concern.
6 Lyberty Way, Suite 201 | Westford, MA 01886 | Tel (978) 496-2000 | info@perkinslawpc.com

January 2021 CONDOMEDIA

http://www.perkinslawpc.com

Condo Media - January 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Condo Media - January 2021