What is the Illinois Condo Property Act? What you should know

The holiday season is upon us, and nothing puts you in a festive spirit like pulling your holiday decorations out of storage. Many people derive a sense of community and comfort from seeing familiar decorations at the same time each year.

Cold weather will soon be upon us, so now is the time for your homeowner association (HOA) to make sure your maintenance program is on track. As brutal as Chicago winters can be, you certainly don't want to discover a leak in your roof during a heavy snowfall or have a boiler stop working during a record cold spell. Don't get caught in the cold!

As Illinois anticipates spending the winter months knee-deep in snow, it's likely that some residents in your community association are anticipating spending their winter in a warmer climate.

Burst heating pipes are an unwanted but common occurrence during colder weather. The damage caused by the endless supply of water can be significant. Learn how to avoid a big headache and prevent pipes from freezing.

Community association policies should be fair and easy for community members to follow. But how do you ensure that's the case? Ahead of introducing a new policy ask these five questions.

Effective community association board meetings are an important part of running a successful community association. There are a number of intricacies to running these meetings and whether you're a new or seasoned board member it's important to keep them in mind along with best practices.

Most of us send dozens of emails a day between professional and personal communication. As a board member it's important to learn best practices to avoid making critical mistakes when sending emails about important community association business.

Being on your association board is not an easy job. No matter what your level of experience, mistakes can happen. Learn the seven common mistakes board members make and what you can do to avoid them.

From rule creation to rule enforcement, the key to effective and reasonable rules is communication every step of the way. When owners understand why the association has certain rules and what the benefit of them are, it leads to happier residents. Not to mention a stronger community.

Have you recently been elected to your HOA board and are feeling overwhelmed by board business? With so many responsibilities it can be difficult to sort out where to start. This list breaks down the crucial tasks your HOA board needs to perform.