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Understanding Your Condo Fees: Where Does Your Money Go?
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In today’s edition:
Understanding Your Condo Fees: Where Does Your Money Go?
What to Do About Strong Cooking Smells in Your Condo
Boost Your Condo's Value with the Power of Scent
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Understanding Your Condo Fees: Where Does Your Money Go?
The Scene
Many condo owners diligently pay their monthly fees without fully grasping how these funds are allocated. Gaining clarity on this breakdown not only enhances your financial literacy but also unveils opportunities for potential savings.
Key Challenges
Complex Fee Structures: Condo fees encompass various components, making it challenging to discern where each dollar is spent.
Lack of Resident Engagement: Many owners are unaware of their rights or the processes to review and influence financial decisions within their condo corporation.
📊 Know What You’re Paying For: Your fees might cover shared utilities (heating, water, electricity), common area repairs, landscaping, security, and a portion goes into the reserve fund for future major repairs. Ask your board for a fee breakdown specific to your building.
🏢 Show Up, Speak Up:Attend board meetings—even virtually. This is where decisions about increases, spending, and special assessments are made. The more owners who show up, the more boards are held accountable.
🧾 Request a Budget Summary Before Increases: If your fees go up significantly, request a clear justification from the board. Are they covering inflation? Catching up on deferred maintenance? You have a right to know before you pay.
📉 Benchmark Your Building: Compare your fees with similar condos in the area. If yours are much higher, ask why. You may uncover inefficiencies or over-inflated vendor contracts worth revisiting.
📞 Let’s Talk Savings!
Encourage your Board of Directors to connect with Condoroo for strategies to help stabilize and lower monthly fees, improve operations and boost your building’s efficiency.
👉 Our services may be free for your buildings, based on qualification.
Why It Matters
Knowing where your condo fees go isn’t just about curiosity—it’s about control. When you understand the breakdown, ask the right questions, and engage in the process, you're helping create a more efficient, better-managed, and potentially more affordable community for everyone.
When Dinner Turns into Drama: What to Do About Strong Cooking Smells in Your Condo
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The Scene
You’re winding down after a long day, only to be hit by the overpowering scent of someone else’s dinner—again. Curry, fish, deep-fried everything… you name it, your hallway knows it. While food brings people together, in condos, it can also become a serious point of tension.
The Bigger Issue
In high-rise living, strong cooking odors that seep into hallways or other units are more than a nuisance—they can spark neighbor disputes, health concerns, and even impact property value. But before you bang on a neighbor’s door with a can of Febreze, there are better (and more peaceful) ways to handle it.
🌬️ Check Your Own Ventilation First – Weirdly enough, smells from your neighbor’s place might be traveling through your own vents. Have your unit’s kitchen exhaust fan and bathroom fans checked for proper airflow.
🏢 Bring It Up With the Board, Not the Neighbor – Let your condo board or property manager know about the issue. They can send out a general reminder about proper cooking ventilation without pointing fingers, which keeps the peace.
🤝 Suggest a Building-Wide Air Quality Tune-Up – This could include duct cleaning, stronger hallway ventilation, or encouraging stove hood upgrades—paid from the maintenance budget. Everyone benefits, and it avoids neighbor-to-neighbor drama.
📝 Document It (Without Gossiping) – If the smell is affecting your health or daily life, start keeping a light log. This is helpful if the board asks for specifics or if further action is needed.
💌 Skip the Passive-Aggressive Notes – A kind, anonymous message may seem like a safe route, but it usually backfires. Stick with neutral, board-led solutions.
Why It Matters
Strong smells are one of the most common condo complaints—but they don’t have to lead to awkward hallway encounters or full-blown neighbor wars. A bit of diplomacy, some airflow upgrades, and open communication with your board can keep the peace—and your living space smelling the way you want it to.
Boost Your Condo's Value with the Power of Scent
Getty Images
After talking about how to gracefully manage unwanted smells from neighboring units (👃😅), let’s flip the narrative. What if you could turn scent into one of your condo’s most powerful selling features?
Truth is, scent impacts how people feel the moment they walk in. It creates emotional connections, boosts perceived cleanliness, and even increases the value of your space—no pricey renovations required.
Here’s how to make your condo smell like a million bucks (even if it’s not).
🌿 Create a Luxe First Impression with a Reed Diffuser
Start strong with the Nest New York Bamboo Reed Diffuser. It’s fresh, upscale, and perfect for entryways or hallways where you want your space to immediately feel elevated.🔌 Get Smart with Your Scents
The Pura Smart Fragrance Diffuser lets you schedule scents, control intensity, and switch aromas with an app. Total control = total mood.🕯 One Candle Per Room Rule
Candles are visual and olfactory magic. Go elegant with Diptyque Baies or cozy with Bath & Body Works Mahogany Teakwood—either way, it’s a vibe.💨 Diffuse Like a Designer
The Vitruvi Stone Diffuser isn’t just a scent device—it’s a statement piece. Pair with a few drops of lavender, eucalyptus, or citrus oils to create a calm, clean atmosphere in any room.
🚽 Elevate the Bathroom Experience
Toss the harsh sprays. Keep it chic with Aesop’s Post-Poo Drops or go playful with Poo~Pourri Citrus Scent. Trust us—everyone notices.
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