The Condo Owner S Answer Book

The Condo Owner's Answer Book covers all of the common issues with condos and condominium ownership presented in easy-to-follow question and answer format.

Chances are when you joined your condominium board you had no idea what was involved. You might have started out as a disgruntled or enthusiastic owner but soon got overwhelmed with lengthy meetings and endless back-and-forth emails and phone calls. It doesn't have to be that way. Becoming a condominium board director can be a rewarding experience. If you are ready to become a happy and stress-free board member while making a satisfying and meaningful contribution to your condominium, then this book is for you. Discover how to: Run your condo board like a business Understand your role as a board member Have short, successful meetings Manage and track work requests with ease Keep your owners informed and happy Create procedures and policies that work Create a strong and supportive community that helps each other Once you understand the fundamentals of running your board and put effective processes and tools in place, you will no longer have to spend countless hours trying to keep up with the complaints and tasks that seem never ending.

Whether you are a novice or budding expert, there is much to consider and know when investing: stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate, retirement planning, and tax strategies, just for starters. It can all be difficult and confusing. The Handy Investing Answer Book explains, in plain English, the basics of investing. It offers simple investment strategies; investigates common pitfalls; examines concepts of compounding, portfolios and diversification; traces the history of investing; and offers much more to help everyone make wise decisions. The Handy Investing Answer Book explores a variety of investments and their differences, avoiding poor returns and unnecessary risk, understanding financial markets—and how to prevent banks, mutual fund managers and financial advisers getting rich at your expense. Appreciation, dividends, interest, and inflation all effect the value of investments, and this valuable resource looks at handling them to build a successful portfolio for every stage in your financial life. It goes beyond an and introduction to the subject to breakdown complex concepts and definitions into more than 1,400 easy-to-understand answers, such as: Why is dollar cost averaging a beneficial strategy for investing? What is a home equity loan? What are some of the steps to establishing the right goals for investing? What is diversification? What types of risks could we see if we own individual stocks? When did mutual funds start? What is laddering? A glossary of commonly used terms explains key concepts and financial jargon, and helpful financial tables and charts assist with strategies.

Combining the most current data with a userfriendly format, this timely reference features more than 1,000 answers to questions on personal finance, its history, and managing one's financial life. Providing financial lessons in a fun, approachable way, the book avoids financial jargon and offers facts for everyday life that help readers save money. Questions range from simple to complex—How do I balance my check book? Why do people like to use online banks, and how popular is their use? What is a 401K plan? With financial information suitable for a wide range of ages, this is an ideal source for anyone looking to get a better understanding of personal finances.

Covering the five key areas of financial planning, this guide emphasizes its technical, tax, and regulatory aspects. The areas of discussion include investments, employee benefits and retirement plan assets, insurance, income tax and estate planning, and regulatory issues.

"A timely, admirable book. Barnabic recognizes the paradox inherent in the idea of shared private property. He provides would-be buyers with a checklist of things to look for when assessing the financial stability and long-term viability of a particular condominium corporation." -BENJAMIN GIANNI, Associate Professor, Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism, Carleton University "I particularly like the description of the 100-unit complex example. Barnabic's expertise is invaluable to those considering condominium ownership and to those who may find themselves on the board of a condominium association." -KIMBERLY WINSON-GEIDEMAN, Ph.D., prolific author on real estate and Professor of Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, and Law at the University of North Texas The Condo Bible for Canadians is a buyer beware and owner beware book that reveals the legal and practical realities of condo ownership, compares owning a condo with owning a house/renting an apartment, and advises consumers on the dangers of the condo real estate market, given ... The debilitating market crashes of the late 1990s and 2006 The effects of today's record low interest rates, in which: Developers are enticing consumers into condo ownership by allowing low or even no down payments Real estate prices are soaring out of the reach of those with average incomes The market is being flooded with condo units, creating an oversupply that could prove disastrous Barnabic writes that very few consumers are aware that: One defaulting unit owner can affect the well being of all unit owners A high percentage of units being rented out may be a sign that the complex may be converted into an apartment building A condo association's default on a common loan can cause the demise of the whole condo complex and its individual units The Condo Bible for Canadians also includes: The Ten Commandments of Condo Buying Recommendations and remedies for government and financial institutions, condo associations, and condo boards to make condo ownership safer Dan S. Barnabic is a noted consumer advocate and a keen observer of condo proliferation. He worked in real estate as an agent, broker, property manager, and condominium developer. His over three decades in the real estate industry began in the 1970s and intensified after he witnessed the major real estate crashes of the late 1980s and 2006.