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Team members in a board succession meeting
Four Tips for Establishing Board Member Succession in Your Community
Aug 28, 2014Thriving business organizations plan for succession. It’s built into their corporate strategy – team members with potential are identified early on, and then groomed for the leadership positions they’ll someday hold. -
Sparkling pool surrounded by manicured foliage
Residential pool inspection checklist
Aug 26, 2014A health inspector is coming to assess your community pool. Are you prepared? If not, a pool inspection can be a major source of anxiety for your board members and residents. But don’t throw in the towel – there are steps you can take to make sure your inspection goes...well, swimmingly. -
Lightbulb with green grass and dirt with plant growing out of it representing green energy
FirstService Residential Sustainability Expo
Aug 25, 2014Reducing energy usage and costs, while increasing "green" living is vitally important not just for multi-family properties and residents, but also for the environment. In New York, FirstService Residential recently hosted its Third Annual Sustainability Expo and Symposium to help building staff and property managers increase their commitment and actions towards increasing efficiency and sustainability. Want to know more? Check out this recent spread in the Mann Management Report.
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How to implement HOA flooring rules and flooring protocol
How to implement HOA flooring rules and flooring protocol
Aug 25, 2014Could the upstairs neighbors possibly be any louder? It sounds like a war is going on up there with all the furniture moving. And when they walk around, it sounds like they’re stomping around in cement shoes. Enough is enough! -
Workers around a desk sharing ideas
Monster Meetings - Stick to the Rules to Control Meetings
Aug 21, 2014While association meetings usually run smoothly, Board members with differing opinions and agendas can create tension and stress. The good news is that by following standard procedure protocols, Board meetings can be run without a hitch. In this article from chicagocooperator.com, FirstService Residential VP Patricia Bialek of Illinois summarizes "Roberts Rules of Order" and explains how Board presidents can use them to keep meetings under control. -
Palms trees blowing around against a dark sky in hurrican-force winds
Simple Landscaping Tips To Help You Prepare for Storm Season
Aug 20, 2014For most of us, storm season means prepping our residences to mitigate potential damage caused by high winds and heavy rains. But there’s a part of our homes and neighborhoods we often overlook – sometimes with disastrous results. That often-forgotten place is right outside your front door: it’s your landscaping. -
Waste Management Solutions
Managing Waste for a Greener Community
Aug 19, 2014With a growing focus on proper environmental stewardship, many associations are working toward implementing green initiatives. But getting there can be daunting. With so many programs and opportunities available for all of us to reduce, re-use and recycle, it’s hard to know where to begin. -
House with a For Sale sign in front of it
Selling Your Home: Preparation Tips to Add Appeal and Value
Aug 15, 2014Selling your home? Congratulations! Now the real work begins. Taking steps to make your home look its best and appeal to homebuyers can be challenging, especially if you don’t know the best ways to prepare it for sale. Here are some pointers to help you spruce up your home, both inside and out, to show it to its best advantage – and change that “For Sale” sign to “Sold.” -
Three people on stationary bikes in a spin class
Choosing the Right Community Association Management Company to Manage Community Amenities
Aug 08, 2014Having a swimming pool, a fitness area, or even a place to hold rooftop parties for residents are perks that can make any community stand out. But how does a community association board handle and operate those features? -
Contractor installing lights at a community
17 Ways to Get the Best From Your Contractor
Aug 01, 2014When you hire a contractor, it could either be the best decision you ever made, or the worst. The stakes are high; a good contractor will execute your vision on time and on budget, whereas a not-so-good one will be the source of bad workmanship, unexpected delays, inconvenience and a whole lot of headaches. -
Community members sitting around a small table watching another member draw on a white board
Six Ways to Maximize Committees
Jul 30, 2014Community members join committees because they want to make a difference. That’s great, but sometimes, as they say, life gets in the way. Let’s not forget that committee members are all volunteers, which means it might take something a little extra to keep them motivated. -
Four Ways to Increase Value by Decreasing Energy Use
Four Ways to Increase Value by Decreasing Energy Use
Jul 29, 2014Of all the expenses you encounter as a homeowner, community or condo association, energy ranks toward the top of the list. Many of us see this as a given. We need lights. We need heating and cooling. We need to warm our water and prepare our food. And while the necessity of energy use will never change, how much we pay for it, and how much we need, can.