Here’s where you’ll find recent articles about FirstService Residential, as well as our impact on the areas we serve.
High-rise living is trending! Security, great amenities, convenient locations and concierge services are just a few reasons that people are more in love with vertical living than ever before. Of course, all of that comes with its challenges too, and one of those is insurance. If you are a high-rise property owner, resident or board member looking for the peace of mind that insurance is designed to provide, the best thing you can do is make sure you have the proper coverage.
The foundation of any good relationship is communication. And that also holds true for HOAs and community management companies, regardless of whether we’re talking about a townhome community, high-rise or a master-planned community. Here’s a list of things any good management company should be doing to ensure good communication with its community.
Technology has made life easier in many ways, and that includes the day-to-day management of your community association. With all of that technology comes some risks. Hackers make careers out of trying to access data for fun and profit. But there are things that you, the board, can do to help keep your community data safe.
Board members, among all the other things they do, must ensure that residents are properly informed about happenings in the community, upcoming events, policy changes and more. Community residents rely on that information and it needs to be clear and consistent. Consider these guidelines as a roadmap to great communication that will keep everyone on the same path.
Having a swimming pool, a fitness area, or a clubhouse for residents are perks that can make any community stand out. A good management company has people with many years of experience operating and maintaining these types of features, and they can offer many helpful ways for you to get the most for your community. Here are some ways your community can benefit from the experience of a community association management company, and make your job as a board member a little easier.
You’ve done all the homework. Crunched the numbers. Your reserve study is complete, your vendor agreements have been checked and your budget is done! Now what? There’s an entire process to creating the budget, followed by implementing it, and clear communication to homeowners, through every step of the process, is the best way to avoid problems.
Good rules make good community members. The most important factors in association policy making are clarity and sensibility. The board must be clear – and clearly united – on the policy being crafted and then must communicate that policy to all residents. Whether the policy is about designated smoking areas, amenity usage, overnight guest parking or approved high-rise flooring, the guiding principles for creating good policy and successfully enforcing it are the same.
How many homes in your building are empty? Even a few is too many. Empty units can lower your curb appeal and lead to security issues; no one wants to live in a dark building. Empty units also reduce the feeling of community and engagement among your residents, so it is important to keep every unit occupied.How do you keep units consistently full? Whether your building stands in historic Rittenhouse Square or sought-after Society Hill, the solution is to put time and effort into marketing your building to attract new buyers. Not sure how to start? See below for some ideas to make marketing your building a piece of cake.
Creating an annual budget for your association can be a source of stress, but it can also offer a great opportunity to protect the financial well-being of both your association and your homeowners. Proper community association management hinges on this financial tool for both short-term and long-term planning, so it’s important to follow some guidelines.
Summer is winding down quickly – school starts in Pennsylvania at the beginning of September! As a parent, you know what back to school means. Sure, it’s a change in schedule, but it’s also a change in your whole world: rushing out the door, speeding through homework, running back home for forgotten permission slips, gym clothes and lunch money. A little organization and planning can go a long way toward minimizing back to school insanity – and make this time of year more fun for everyone.
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