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How can you ensure that your association’s parking rules are fair and easy to understand and follow? Here are 6 essential questions to ask before you create or enforce parking policies.

Learn how to amend your association bylaws, including the practical logistics required to do so.

The dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke are well known, and tobacco use is now the leading cause of disease and preventable death in the United States. But smoking doesn’t just impact our personal health – it also affects the buildings we live in, potentially increasing the risks of fire and property damage, raising insurance costs, increasing legal liability and more. In addition, property management companies, condominium associations and property owners often field complaints from homeowners about how smoking doesn’t just affect their health and safety, but also their lifestyle – issues like secondhand smoke drifting into their units, increased litter and fire hazards from discarded cigarette butts, smelly and unsightly ashtrays ruining the aesthetics of common areas, and more.

Let’s face it: Just because you are a member of your homeowners association (HOA) board of directors, doesn’t mean you know everything about running an HOA. The truth is, most board members are not experts; they are simply volunteers who want to do all that they can to ensure that their community continues to be a great place to live.

If you are a high-rise Board member, resident or property owner looking for the peace of mind that insurance provides, make sure you have the correct coverage. Follow our guidelines!

In this guide, we’ll break down how Minnesota squatters’ rights work, what steps you can take to protect your property, and how a Minnesota property management company like FirstService Residential can help you safeguard your investment.

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!

The greatest strength of your board is the diverse perspectives of its members, but this can also present the biggest challenges. Creating the right dynamics will help your association board conduct business smoothly and efficiently.

You've gone from a fully functioning homeowners association (HOA) board to a leadership group with a gaping vacancy. This hampers productivity, causes confusion, and at its worst, may create worry amongst your association members. But not to fret. HOA Board turnover happens. And if managed correctly, you can fill the opening and get back to business in short order. Below are some tips to help you through the process of filling an HOA Board vacancy.

Some owners are reluctant to volunteer to be a condominium board member because they’ve never done it before. That’s why we developed these six essential tips for new board members to help them get up-to-speed quickly. If you consider these points as you get down to condo business, you will be successful in your new role ─ one in which you really can make a difference.

Becoming a board member is a great way to engage with your neighbors and create positive changes in your community. But sometimes, new volunteers have little to no experience and must learn the community's rules, the board’s responsibilities and the demands of their roles as they go

Homeowners' associations (HOAs) play a crucial role in maintaining and enhancing the quality of life within a community. One of the pivotal positions within an HOA is that of a board member. Serving on an HOA board comes with responsibilities, challenges, and opportunities to make a positive impact in the community.

As an elected board member, you have certain duties and obligations to the homeowners in your community. One of the most important of these is your commitment to protecting the financial health of the homeowners association (HOA). After all, the entire community depends on you to manage its money and keep its operations running smoothly.

Your residents are calling on about water leaks after a snowfall. Could an ice dam on the roof be the culprit?

In this article, we delve into the world of community association management fees, addressing common questions such as how much property management companies charge, the average property management fee, the tax implications of HOA fees as well as the value of hiring a professional management company.

Have open board positions? Discover five key components to finding & training new board member candidates.

We’ve highlighted four common board blunders and included some practical tips for avoiding them. It’s important to identify these potential blunders early to save yourself and your board time and frustration.

How do you prevent conflict, avoid costly litigation and maintain a great resident experience in your community? Start by adopting these best practices for dispute resolution.

While maintenance, events, committees, and budget are all crucial aspects of managing a homeowners’ association, there's one even bigger challenge that board members face: HOA agreement and alignment. Read on to discover the secret to successful alignment among diverse individuals with distinct values.

A big part of what sets your community apart is the amenities it offers. This goes beyond a pool, a fitness area or a place for a rooftop party – your amenities help create a lifestyle, and that’s the most important thing to residents and association members.

Whether you are addressing overnight guest parking, or approved flooring, the basic process for creating good policies and enforcing them successfully are the same. Consider these eight steps when establishing an HOA policy.

These days, you can do almost anything online—buy groceries, look for a job or even find love. But what about voting on issues that affect your community?

Solving for these 5 common myths can help you improve your decision-making process and align as a board. Read on to learn more.

Great policies can help your association run smoothly, enhance the resident experience and improve your reputation. Here are five questions to ask before creating a new HOA policy.