- Home
- Landscaping
Landscaping
Eco-Friendly Landscaping
In the face of rising water costs, maintenance costs, and a continued depressed
housing market, many community associations are finding long-term savings
through new landscape strategies that also help our environment. Eco-friendly
landscaping practices are not just the domain of the hardcore nature lover
anymore. They can mean significant returns on your investment.
Read More
Greening Your Lawn
Chicago is a city known far and wide for its harsh weather—and like its residents, Chicago's lawns are built to withstand the icy winter
blasts off Lake Michigan. That doesn't mean that your condo or HOA's lawn
doesn't need a little tender loving care every now and again, however. A lush,
green swath of lawn is an asset to its community—it increases curb appeal, beautifies the property, and ultimately increases
resale values.
Read More
Chemical Concerns
Since the 1950s, American lawns have been “hooked” on petroleum-based and synthetic chemicals. A plethora of post-war pesticides,
herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers were eagerly embraced by both homeowners
and landscape professionals dazzled by the dramatic results; an almost
instantaneous, lush, green lawn. There was a downside, however. Grasses become
dependent on an endless feed of chemicals for their sustenance, and the
underlying soil became sterile and inhospitable. Take away the chemicals, and
the lawn quickly withered and went brown, unable to sustain itself.
Read More
More Than Just a Pretty Face
These days, money is tight for just about everybody, including the boards and
managers trying to run the day-to-day business of their condo community or
homeowners association. Everyone is looking to get maximum return on all
expenditures—and that includes landscaping and lawn care.
Read More
Treating Trees
When it comes to weather, Chicago's climate conditions are as changing as an
adolescent's emotions. One day it's 55 and sunny, the next day you are
shoveling snow off your sidewalk. This turbulent weather combined with poor
landscaping and a lack of knowledge about proper maintenance can really take a
toll on your landscape, particularly your trees.
Read More
The Big 10
Part of the job of a condo board is to keep your association’s grounds or lawn looking healthy and attractive. After all, curb appeal can do
wonders when it comes to appraisals and even the morale of your community
members. But most condo boards—whether their urban or suburban—are populated with volunteers, few of whom are likely to be professional
landscapers or horticulturalists.
Read More
Feeling Flowerful
Spring is here, which means the sky is blue, the grass is green, and the flowers
will be blooming—that is, if you plant them. From knowing which plants do best in which location
to keeping up with everyday care and maintenance, keeping your condo or co-op
property looking nice can be hard work, but worth every minute and dime spent
in the end. And with some extra knowledge from the inside, not only can
properties uphold a high level of aesthetics, the endeavor can be
cost-effective, even in this day in age.
Read More
All About Tree Care
“I think that I shall never see / a poem so lovely as a tree.” – Joyce Kilmer, “Trees”
Read More
Naperville, Illinois
Coming in second is often derided as being, well, second-best, but when your
town is voted the No. 2 best place to live in the entire nation by Money
magazine—as Naperville was in 2006—second place is something to be extremely proud of. Indeed, the city has made
the publication's Top Five list three times in the last five years.
Read More
Selecting a New Management Company
Finding a new management company for your co-op community can be a daunting task—every building has its own personality, needs, and expectations, and the
management field is crowded with prospective providers. In the search for the
right company at the right price, a smart board uses all the tools at its
disposal—and one of the most useful is the Request For Proposal (RFP). An RFP is a
document that can help facilitate the selection of a property management
company, allowing comparable competitive responses from bidders. Going through
the process of compiling the RFP can also help clarify and focus the needs of
the building and its shareholders more clearly and completely. Read More
