We advise residents to consider that there will undoubtedly be – at the least – minor headaches due to street closings, motorcades, increased traffic, etc. It is the objective of Lieberman Management Services Property Managers to provide up-to-date information to residents and boards leading up to the Summit, during the events and until normal operation is resumed throughout the city. If there are emergency updates to provide, Property Managers will share these directly with residents. Emergency bulletins will be posted here on the website. Your manager and the team will also be available throughout the process to address all of your specific needs.

We hope you find the following information and tips helpful in navigating the weekend of May 20-21.

The Summit officially begins on Sunday, May 20, at noon and ends on Monday, May 21, at 2 p.m. However, pre- and post-summit events will likely lead to traffic delays and increased activity from Friday, May 18, through Tuesday, May 22. NATO is designated as National Special Security Events (“NSSE”) event. Security for NSSE events is led by the United States Secret Service and will be supported by federal and local government agencies. The NATO meetings will host the President of the United States, 40 to 70 Foreign Heads of States, 2,500 to 5,000 delegates, 2,000+ members of the press and at least 10,000 protestors. Many Summit attendees will be staying at downtown hotels. Rolling street closures will occur as dignitaries move from venue to venue – expect to see these closures in areas around McCormick Place, O’Hare and Midway airports, Navy Pier and the Museum campus. Protest groups are expected to appear in Grant Park, the Petrillo Music Shell, near hotels where attendees are staying as well as Daley Plaza, Federal Plaza and the Federal Reserve Bank. On Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, the U.S. Coast Guard will shut down all boat traffic on much of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan from May 16-24. Boats will not be permitted to dock at Burnham Harbor adjacent to McCormick Place.

Consider These Tips

• Be on alert. Report any suspicious activity to your Manager and in an emergency, call 911. General information should be reported to 311.
• Schedule errands before the summit begins or limit travel around the downtown area as much as possible.
• No move-ins or move-outs will be scheduled during these events.
• Buildings with public garages may be affected by congestion. Boards may decide not to allow transient or guest parking that weekend as well.
• Crimes of opportunity are common during events like this. Keep personal belongings close to you at all times and do not carry valuables or cash if possible. Consider not wearing expensive clothes or jewelry or carry purses or shopping bags.
• Carry a current ID card with you at all times.
• Avoid large groups of people that make you feel unsafe.
• Consider deferring contractors from visiting the building during May 19-21.
• Be sure housekeepers, babysitters, dog walkers and other visitors are credentialed so they can access the building with minimal delay.
• With regard to insurance, any damage to downtown residential buildings as an outcome of the NATO Summit will likely be vandalism and therefore be protected under Board policies.
• Keep updated on alerts and news – visit www.chicagonato.org for updates or turn on the local news. Register on www.notifychicago.org for traffic and emergency updates that can be e-mailed or sent via text message to you.

Helpful Links

• A list of events leading up to and surrounding the Summit, in or near Chicago.
• Find the most up-to-date protest permits that the city has issued along with designated marching routes.Find the latest reported security perimeters.
• Information for South Side residents about the McCormick Place security perimeter.

Other Useful Links & Information

• www.cityofchicago.org
• www.securechicago.com
• NATO Weekend Survival Guide
• www.preparedchicago.org (for businesses)
• http://www.hillardheintze.com/nato_summit.php (for businesses)

If you have any questions, comments or concerns or would like more information about your property’s security plan, please feel free to contact your property manager.

Thanks for your attention!

• If you haven’t done so recently, run a credit check on yourself to determine if your information has been compromised. The website www.annualcreditreport.com (877.322.8228) allows you to request one free credit report per year.

• Opt out of receiving pre-approved credit card offers by visiting www.optoutprescreen.com or calling 888.567.8688. (You will need to give your social security number and print out and mail a form.)

• Reduce the amount of unsolicited advertising mail you receive in your mailbox by filling out a form at www.dmachoice.org.

• Stop convenience checks from being mailed to you by calling the numbers on the back of your credit cards and simply asking them to stop sending convenience checks.

• Whenever you can, choose online banking and bill payment rather than paper/by-mail bill payment. (Eighty percent of identity theft is a result of stolen paper documents, according to the Elgin Police Department.)

More information can be found here: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/.

With that in mind, Elliott & Associates, a firm specializing in real estate tax reduction for condo developments and properties (and one of the many firms that appeals real estate taxes for LMS properties), went to work for some of our Associations. Filing appeals with the Cook County Assessor and Cook County Board of Review during a year-long appeal process, the end result was a $9.4 million savings for 38 Associations in the Chicago suburbs for the years 2010-2012.

A few Chicago properties also hired the firm to negotiate their tax assessments and reductions for their residents. While those appeals are still pending, they estimate $4.8 million in tax savings for 11 Chicago Associations for the years 2009-2011.

“We are happy to report that Lieberman worked with our real estate tax attorneys to substantially reduce tax assessments for many Lieberman-managed Associations,” said Joanne Elliott of Elliott & Associates.

Many more of our Associations and properties use reputable tax firms to appeal their real estate taxes as well. Please be sure to consult with your property manager for recommendations. It is our hope that millions more dollars will be saved for our Associations and homeowners!

The pantry called it their “11-11-11” campaign, launching it on Nov. 11, 2011. Between that date and Jan. 15, 2012, the pantry collected enough food and funds to provide more than 679,000 meals to hungry people in the community – well exceeding its goal of 500,000 and setting a personal record.

The four LMS Associations that donated food were State Parkway Condominium Association, 3150 N Sheridan, 720 Gordon State Terrace and 3800 N Lakeshore. The Lakeview Pantry provided bins and flyers to put in the lobbies and foyers of the buildings. The Property Manager would then call the pantry when they had full bags of food for pick-up.

“My homeowners were very receptive to it,” said Donna Weber, LMS Property Manager at State Parkway Condominium Association. “It’s so simple and yet it provides so much for people who have so little.”

Lieberman is proud of our Associations and homeowners for contributing to this wonderful cause. We look forward to promoting this campaign again next holiday season and hope that more Associations in the Lakeview neighborhood consider contributing to this great cause!

The first event took place at the Standard Club in downtown Chicago, and catered to our downtown Board members. The second event was held at the European Crystal Banquet and Conference Center in Arlington Heights for our suburban clients. Approximately 134 total people attended both nights.

The theme of these events was “The Top 10 Traits of Effective Boards,” by community management consultant Julie Adamen. Her presentation included valuable information about how Boards can maintain integrity and credibility, hold effective and organized Board meetings and practice better time management. She advised Boards to set policy and leave the details to the management company. Her energy and humor were well received. For more information on Adamen, click here.

We’ve already received some great feedback from attendees. Here are a few comments we’ve heard so far:

“The CEO I met tonight and your staff were all so congenial towards me … It’s always good to be taught and reminded of what we should know to do this job,” said Greg Gaffron, a Board member at Towne Place West in Schaumburg.

“Thanks for inviting me to the recent client event. I found Julie Adamen’s presentation to be very informative. Please keep us in mind for any future opportunities to network with other associations,” said Carl Mathisen of the Grand Haven Homeowners Association in Romeoville.

“On behalf of The Regency Advisory Board, we would like to thank you for sponsoring the client event ‘Top Traits of Effective Boards,’” said Larry Garifo of The Regency at The Woods in South Barrington. “We found Julie Adamen to be an entertaining and informative speaker. We even captured a bit of her time after her presentation to gather additional thoughts from her regarding a specific community issue. Her response was very helpful … her expertise and experience really came through. It’s events like this that help us partner with Lieberman Management Services to make us a more effective and efficient Board.”

We would like to keep hosting events like this in the future, so please let us know what topics and information you would like to see presented.

While breakfast was served, CEO Carla Young Kennedy gave an overview of 2011 and preview
of 2012. She celebrated the company’s many achievements in 2011, including retaining 97
percent of contracts with 100 associations. Kennedy said the company should be proud of itself
for accomplishing these feats, particularly in Chicagoland’s grim housing climate, and said the company will continue to push itself to achieve even more in 2012.

Julie Adamen, community management consultant and founder of Adamen, Inc., then gave entertaining and informative presentations on stress management and customer service.

Over lunch, the Lieberman executive team handed out awards to 19 staff members who were celebrating 5, 10 or 15 years of employment with LMS. The company is enormously grateful to these award recipients for their dedication and service.

The 2011 Service Awards were then given out to 14 noteworthy employees. Any employee of the company can submit a nomination or be nominated for a Service Award, and in 2011, the executive team received more than 60 nominations. These awards are granted based on how well the employee exemplifies LMS’s core values: quality, integrity, innovation, respect, life balance and profitability, as well as our HEART motto: Human Relations, Execution, Accountability, Retention and Time.

The company is so proud of these and all of its impressive and inspiring employees for going above and beyond the “call of duty” each day and providing outstanding customer service to our clients – something that we think can be directly correlated to our impressive retention rate in 2011.

All of the homeowners that have come to the new office have been shocked by the change and think it looks fantastic!

Before	During
After	After Interior

1. Price it right from the start: Holding out for a better offer is unfortunately not the best strategy right now. According to the National Association of Realtors, almost half of owners accepted less than 90% of their asking price for sales that took four months or more.
2. The little things matter: All of the little things such as caulking, painting, planting flowers, adding potted plants, cleaning windows, edging sidewalks, trimming bushes, and other small maintenance items can go a long way. It won’t empty your wallet and could tip the scales in your favor.
3. Don’t ignore any buyers and be willing to negotiate: The whole “stick to your guns” thing doesn’t work as well as it used to. You might have to give a little in order to sell your house. Also make sure your agent doesn’t ignore the lowballers. Don’t succumb to their demands but they could also be one of your only prospective buyers.
4. Take your home to the Web: There are a plethora of listing sites at your disposal, as well as social sites such as Facebook and YouTube. The Web is one of the easiest places for a buyer to find a listing and you need to be where the buyer is looking.
5. Be wary of scams: Con-artists and fraudsters will try to kick you when you’re down. The deals they offer may seem legitimate, especially if you are desperate to sell. Always use caution, do your research and if you’re unsure, hire an attorney or adviser.
6. Financing is tough: Qualifying for loans is no small feat nowadays. You have to understand that buyers are probably under as much financial pressure as you, so try and meet them halfway. Reject low offers courteously and with encouragement saying that the offer is very close.
7. Be there for showings: In the past, agents advised homeowners to leave during showings to prevent you from disclosing unwanted information. That has changed and it can actually be a benefit for you to be there for showings. Just control the emotions and be ready for some questions about the community.
8. Buy quality: The first thought of a quality home is usually around the structure; brick or concrete and steel homes are usual more durable and quieter. However, you should also buy based on your surroundings. Purchasing near a good hospital, university or growing business district is usually a good idea for sustained quality.
9. Shop around: You wouldn’t buy the first car on the lot that started and you shouldn’t buy the first home you see that is “livable.” There is a lot of affordable inventory out there, especially in short-sale and foreclosure situations.
10. Get an appraiser: You can go online and get a general idea of what your house might be going for. However, this calculation might be considerably different than a valuation from an appraiser. So don’t feel bad if a firsthand professional appraisal values your home at 25% less than what an online source did.
11. Add to your buying checklist: Generally you will start your home buyer checklist with financial details, contracts, protections and disclosures. You should also hire a title company, hire your own inspector (don’t use the seller’s), have that inspector check for unpermitted work, get an energy efficiency audit and be sure the property lines are accurate.
12. Construct a quality of life checklist: Buying a home isn’t just about the home, it’s about the community. Check the National Sex Offender Public website, spend some time in the neighborhood and check for any unwanted activity (loud neighbors, gangs, etc.) and determine what kind of buildings can be built on vacant lots adjacent to the neighborhood. In short, do your homework of the neighborhood.

For more tips from Lieberman Management Services, click here. If you’re interested in LMS managing your property, you can submit an RFP or contact us for more information.

The Homeowner’s Association Board and the residents at 3440 Lake Shore Drive were experiencing water infiltration in several locations in the basement. The Board hired WJE to perform an investigation of the storefront glass system and terrace of their building in order to remedy the situation. It was found that the concrete underneath the terrace was delaminated and the storefront (lobby glass) was breaking in high winds, causing condensation to form.

This project would not be an easy one to undertake, but it was necessary in order to prevent damage to the building.

WJE was kept on board to prepare the project manual, which included terrace concrete repairs and storefront glass replacements. The Board also discussed renovations to the exterior and interior of the terrace and interior of the lobby. They retained Reed Krueger Interior Design to prepare sketches for the renovations with the timeline phased over a number of years. After the drawings were completed by Krueger, the Board decided to fulfill the following renovations:

• Concrete repairs of the terrace
• Installation of granite on the terrace and facing of the terrace
• Expansion of the entrance stairway
• New canopy roof design, cladding, lighting, and address signage
• New double-paned store front lobby glass and inner lobby glass replacement
• New revolving doors and two exterior doors that lead from the lobby to the terrace on each side
• Canopy lattice and upscale handrail design

The project is currently underway and you can check out some photos below. If your property is in need of renovation or management you can contact us here, or submit a Request for Proposal.

Pre-Construction

Construction in Progress

During Construction

We’ve come a long way since first opening the doors to our Chicago office in 2004. At that time, LMS was established as an elite property management firm in the suburbs, and we wanted to expand our reach into downtown Chicago. Through hard work and customer-focused services, we have enjoyed tremendous success in both locations. Thus, it was necessary to find a new spot downtown that would accommodate for the existing growth, as well as any additional expansion that will occur in the future.

A larger space wasn’t the only thing that mattered as our extensive search began. We also wanted to find a great location that was able to fit our needs, and one that would be convenient for our employees and clients alike. Cost was an important factor, in order to keep our overhead low so that we can continue to focus on top-notch services for our array of clients throughout the area. Also, the space had to be comfortable for our employees, because their happiness is crucial to the success of our organization.

We’re excited about the new location and now we’re anxious to get moving and focus on better serving our clients in 2012 and beyond. Please note the new address below, and keep in mind that our phone and fax numbers have not changed.

Lieberman Management Services
230 W. Monroe
Suite 1550
Chicago, IL 60606
312.202.9300
312.553.1240