What the new Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac condo rules mean for buyers and boards

Picture this: your homeowners association has a big job that needs to be done, so you’ve got to find a qualified contractor to do it. How do you manage your vendor selection process to make sure you find the best one to fill your needs? 

Ready for more happiness? Last week, we described how when residents understand their rights and responsibilities, it goes a long way to creating a happy community.  Well, in our never-ending quest to build and enhance community happiness, we’re back with Part 2 for homeowners association leaders.  Here’s the scoop – when Board members (and property managers, if the community is professionally managed) have a thorough understanding of their rights and responsibilities, it helps to create an inviting community that is effectively managed, well-maintained and pretty darn happy.  

By leveraging this space to offer creative and imaginative amenities, you’ll not only increase property values, but you’ll also provide a gathering place for residents to relax and connect. Great rooftop spaces also have a way of infusing more resort style living into your high-rise.

Can cutting-edge property management software increase personalized customer service?  It’s not a trick question, at least when it comes to the property management industry.  

You’re just starting out and excited to buy your first home, or perhaps your kids have left the nest and you’re finally able to downsize. In this active housing market, you’ve got lots options and things are definitely looking up – so maybe you should, too. We’re talking about vertical living, a.k.a. a high-rise condominium. Could high-rise condo living be right for you?  

Somehow, in the blink of an eye, your sweet and cuddly baby has turned into an active and independent toddler – curious about everything and always on the move. She’s outgrown her crib and baby furniture, and now that she can speak up, she’s quite vocal about her desire to change the nursery into a big kid’s room – and has some definite ideas about how to get there.  We know you may not agree with her tastes – or how much they might cost to implement – so here are six budget-friendly, easy-to-do tips to transform your nursery into a toddler’s room the whole family will love.

Live long and prosper… More than just a catchphrase for the crew of the Starship Enterprise, the desire to live longer and better is a goal many of us hope to achieve.  And many of us already are – in fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the average life expectancy continues to rise each year, and is now just shy of 80 years. Want even more proof we’re living longer and more active lives than ever before?  Check out the growing popularity of active adult communities, which offer a host of fitness, recreational, social and educational programs exclusively to residents 55 or better.

If you could, would you want to live forever?  Jeanne Calment of France, who was 122 ½ years old when she died in 1997, holds the world record for longest confirmed lifespan – long enough that as a child, she actually met Vincent Van Gogh and watched the construction of the Eiffel Tower.  

The Baby Boomers have been a transformational generation, to say the least. Born between 1946 and 1964, Boomers are known as the healthiest and most educated of any American generation in history.

Being part of a Homeowners Association is rewarding – yet it can also be challenging at times. Board members are often tasked with difficult duties ranging from proper financial stewardship to navigating community conflicts, and much more. 

What type of neighbors do you prefer – people just like you, or a mix of ages, stages and life experiences?  If you like diversity, you’re not alone – age-inclusive communities, aka multigenerational communities, are found in many locations and varieties throughout the U.S. and Canada.  But here’s the challenge:  since multigenerational communities attract residents of all ages – and multigenerational lifestyle communities offer desirable amenities and programs – how do their associations choose the right mix of activities and programming to meet homeowners’ needs and interests and enhance their lifestyles, both now and in the years to come?