Three Ways to Assemble Your Board Package
DIY
Pros
- + No out-of-pocket cost
- + Full control over the process
Cons
- - 20-40 hours of tedious formatting and assembly
- - Easy to miss building-specific requirements
- - No quality check — errors can delay approval
- - Coordinating reference letters on your own
Real Estate Attorney
Pros
- + Professional handles assembly
- + Legal expertise on disclosures
- + Familiar with board expectations
Cons
- - Expensive — $1-3K on top of closing costs
- - You still gather and deliver all documents
- - Turnaround is 1-2 weeks, sometimes longer
- - Back-and-forth over email and phone
Boardpack
Pros
- + 90% cheaper than an attorney
- + AI reads and organizes your documents automatically
- + Building-specific requirements for 4,700+ co-ops
- + Professional PDF output in minutes
- + AI-drafted reference letters and personal statement
Cons
- - You still need to upload your source documents
- - New service (launched 2026)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| DIY | Attorney | Boardpack | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $0 | $1,000 - $3,000 | $299 |
| Your Time | 20 - 40 hours | 5 - 10 hours | Under 1 hour |
| Turnaround | 1 - 3 weeks | 1 - 2 weeks | Same day |
| Building Requirements | Manual research | Attorney knows some | 4,700+ co-ops in database |
| Reference Letters | You write them | Attorney may draft | AI-drafted for you |
| Personal Statement | You write it | Attorney may draft | AI-written, tailored to building |
The Hidden Cost: Your Time
The DIY route is technically free, but most buyers underestimate how much time it takes. Between gathering documents from multiple sources, formatting everything to the board's specifications, writing your personal statement, coordinating reference letters, and assembling the final PDF — you're looking at 20-40 hours of work spread over 2-3 weeks.
If you value your time at even $50/hour, that “free” DIY approach costs you $1,000 - $2,000 in lost time. And if you make a mistake that causes the board to request a resubmission, add another week and 10+ hours.
The real math
At $50/hour, 30 hours of DIY work = $1,500 in time cost. An attorney charges $1-3K and still requires 5-10 hours of your time ($250-500). Boardpack costs $299 and takes under an hour of your time ($50). Total effective cost: DIY ~$1,500, Attorney ~$2,250, Boardpack ~$349.
Save time and money on your board package
Boardpack assembles your complete co-op board package for $299 — 90% less than an attorney, and it takes minutes instead of weeks. Upload your documents, our AI does the rest.
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