North Carolina capital improvements: What to know

Summertime and the living is easy…  The weather is beautiful, kids are out of school until the end of August – it’s the perfect chance to go to beaches, camp sites, on cruises and more. There are tons of options to choose from and lots of details to plan for a great summer vacation for everyone. Get out of town and relax around Lake Norman, hike in the Smoky Mountains or hit the beaches of the Outer Banks…. or fly somewhere exotic to really get away from it all.

While fun in the sun might be on your mind, it’s just as important, as a homeowner, to think about the safety and security of the property you’ll be leaving behind. Whether you live in a high-rise condo or in a master-planned community, in Charlotte or Asheville, it’s important to know how to prepare your home for your trip.  No matter where you live, here are some simple tips to help ensure your home is safe and well maintained while you are off enjoying the summer sun.

If you’re in the market for a community association management company, then chances are there are a lot of questions you’re ready to ask. You want to be sure the company you contract with is experienced, knowledgeable, and equipped to handle the specific needs of your association. Granted, there’s no single set of questions you can ask a firm that will ensure they can meet your particular requirements. But there are a few qualities that you can look for in general. Let’s take a look at them here.

Michael Mendillo, president of FirstService Residential's Mid-Atlantic region, returned to William Patterson University, his alma mater, to inspire students with real-life lessons about leadership and success.  

As with the rest of the country, boards in the Carolinas have a fiduciary duty to make certain reserve funds are invested responsibly. But with this historically low rate environment, it can be a challenge for boards to maximize returns.

You don’t want to get caught in a deep freeze – and the same goes for pipes!  Do you know how to keep the pipes in your building or system from freezing when temperatures plummet? 

How can I get the best service for my property? That’s a question community associations wrestle with regularly. Some self-managed community associations believe they can’t afford to hire a professional property management company to manage and maintain their community’s operations, assets, finances, common areas and other day-to-day activities. However, as you’ll learn in this article, a professional property management company is one thing many communities can’t afford to be without.

While exclusive communities like the Hamptons or Malibu will always be attractive locations for affluent vacation home buyers, several new trends are emerging in the growing second home market. 

Exceptional customer service doesn’t happen by accident. It takes hard work, challenging the status quo and continually seeking new and better ways to serve clients and deliver true value. This requires motivated Associates driven to learn – and share.
 

Dennis C. Abbott, President of FirstService Residential Carolinas, is serving as President of Community Associations Institute (CAI) national during its historic 40^th anniversary year. Dennis has been an industry leader both locally in North and South Carolina, as well as on the national stage.