Making a Change

It’s no secret that Illinois sees its fair share of severe weather and on a more regular basis. Severe thunderstorms, high winds and tornadoes touching down are something everyone should be prepared for.

Sooner or later, every homeowners association (HOA) or condominium association has to invest in capital improvement projects. But what's the best way for your association to pay for them?

Establish HOA rules and regulations by navigating governing documents and resolutions to create beneficial rules for your community and residents.

Being on your association board is not an easy job. No matter what your level of experience, mistakes can happen. Although some of these can probably be corrected easily, why not avoid them altogether by learning from other board members' experiences? Check out these recommendations for handling 5 common board member mistakes.

The ancillary services offered by FirstService Residential can offer big savings to associations.

If your community is managed by a property management company, you probably have an after-hours number you can call for urgent issues. But what if you simply want to take care of day-to-day association business? “People don’t operate in normal business hours anymore,” says Rolando Hernandez, national customer care director at FirstService Residential. “Residents and board members need to be able to take care of community business how and when it’s convenient for them.”
 

Communicate the details of the association's snow removal contract so residents know what to expect.

Managing package deliveries has become a necessity for condo corporations and as the holidays arrive it's more important than ever to be organized for the onslaught deliveries. Check out our tips for managing packages during this busy time of year.

For board members, special assessments are typically unwelcome necessities. They are primarily needed when the association’s reserves are not sufficient to pay for large capital projects such as replacing roofs or mechanical equipment.

As a board member, one of your top responsibilities is to maintain and improve your community’s physical property. But it can be tricky to budget for new amenities like a dog park or gate houses, or shared, common-area assets that will need to be replaced or upgraded years down the line such as roofing or building facades.