Being a part of Homeowners’ Association (HOA) in Chicago usually means that your condo or house/townhome happens to be within a development or a subdivision governed by a HOA.
HOA is a property owners’ organization that creates and enforces rules within a development, subdivision, or a condo complex. Most of the time, having rules translates into homes being properly maintained, potential disputes handled in a civil and efficient manner...

So far in 2015 Chicago winter has showered us with early snow, then some summer-like weather for Thanksgiving and now there’s a promise of more mild weather. If you’re a Chicagoan like us, you know it’s just a matter of time until we see more snow on our streets and in our backyards.

Whatever you’re celebrating in winter (Christmas, Hanukkah, winter solstice…) it usually involves fun activities like decorating, cooking or traveling. Unfortunately, behind the sparkle and dazzle, safety hazards lurk. This is not to say you shouldn’t have fun or avoid leaving your house… simply take some precautions in order to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

Did we mention that here at ATJ’s Home Improvement we’re a little bit of fortune tellers? For instance, we know that you’re about to spend a lot more time indoors… for the next 4 months or so. Aren’t we right? All jokes aside, if you live in Chicago, January through March are generally the months when most people tend to stay inside for significantly longer periods of time.

Chicago just had its first major snow storm of 2016 and all of the sudden people who were running around in shorts last week are now shoveling snow in their thick winter jackets. Oh, Chicago, how do you manage to get us by surprise… year after year, after year?

The season’s first snowfall dropped as much as 17 inches across Chicago’s northern suburbs, and the total of 11.2 inches at O’Hare International Airport made it the largest November snowfall in 120 years.