N.E. Condo Expo offers new ideas, education and expertise - May 7th

For condominium communities throughout New England and beyond, talk of today's real estate market goes beyond the individual doorstep. Community associations understand that maintaining the value of the homes they encompass requires constant attention. That translates to having a cadre of professionals at the ready, from accountants and managers to landscapers and painters. And no matter how the market swings, association boards have a fiduciary responsibility to see that the property is maintained and running smoothly. New England associations will get a helping hand with finding those experienced professionals when New England Condominium magazine hosts its premier N.E. Condo Expo. The event, scheduled for May 7th, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Seaport World Trade Center, will bring together more than 100 companies providing services ranging from paving to website maintenance. Along with the assembled industry professionals, The New England Condo Expo offers building and association administrators the rare opportunity to enrich their core knowledge of the industry with a roster of stimulating educational seminars. For the show's inaugural year, several hour-long presentations are available. New England Condominium magazine is published monthly by Yale Robbins, Inc. and can be found on the web at www.condomagazines.com. Association board members and homeowners will find a wealth of information at the Expo. Admission is free, but pre-registration is suggested and can be made by visiting www.ne-expo.com. The day's first seminar, presented by Dedham-based Goodman, Shapiro & Lombardi, LLC, a law firm with offices in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, will focus on resolving conflict between both boards of trustees and residents as well as between warring neighbors. The seminar will cover how arbitration and mediation between arguing parties can avoid the cost and acrimony of litigation, and will offer boards and managers tips on how to work together to defuse conflict in their communities. The second offering, presented by financial services company Rockland Trust, which serves Southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod, focuses on finding financing in today's volatile market. Speakers will discuss the impact of the mortgage crisis and subsequent ongoing recession, and will offer condo administrators tips on how to protect their communities' assets during this down period. They'll also discuss alternative methods of raising capital for maintenance and improvements, and discuss what new loan products are coming online that might offer some help to struggling associations. Next up, New England Condominium and Yale Robbins, Inc. will present a discussion of the new "green" developments and innovations that have so many in the industry so excited these days. Speakers will discuss retrofitting options for existing buildings and how developers are incorporating more environmentally-friendly methods and materials into the residential landscape. Multiple raffles and random prize drawings will take place throughout the day, and free advice booths will be staffed by legal, management, building and financial professionals.