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Handling day-to-day maintenance and making necessary improvements are critical responsibilities for any homeowners association (HOA). And when your serve on your association’s board of directors, they can quickly become overwhelming if you don’t have a good system in place to manage them. So how do you make sure that your maintenance staff is able to handle that long list of tasks that need to get done so that your community runs smoothly and retains its appeal?

Your reserve study is important to your financial health, but how do you get one? How do you choose the right reserve study firm to conduct it? Learn more.

At one time or another, every condominium corporation has to spend money on replacing equipment or making major repairs. Whether that means replacing a roof, installing a new ventilation system or any other big-ticket project, they are a necessity. But how should your condo corporation pay for them?

It’s that time of year again – budget season is upon us. You know the things to consider when creating your budget, but what drives your process? Are you focused on achieving a particular vision for your community? Avoiding conflict in the community? Solely looking to avoid increasing dues/contributions?

Keeping your condominium corporation’s finances healthy is much like keeping yourself physically fit. The key is to make smart choices and avoid over-indulgence.

It seems innocent, but a surprising number of balcony and backyard fires are unintentionally started by disposal of smoking material in a potted plant or planter box. In a condominium environment this can have, and has had, disastrous consequences. And it's not just a summertime problem.

Reserve Fund Studies are based on the assumption that components will reach their maximum useful life. However, if a preventative maintenance plan doesn’t accompany your reserve study, it’s highly unlikely some components will ever reach their maximum useful life.

We can all agree there are many important elements to a housing structure, but your roof is probably the most important. Changing temperatures, snow accumulation, large amounts of rain, ice dams and high winds can all cause major damage to condominiums, townhomes and single-family homes. These harsh weather conditions can create all sorts of problems, from minor leaks to major cave-ins that can cost a condominium corporation thousands to repair.

Safeguarding a condominium corporation’s operating and reserve funds is one of the main fiduciary duties of all board members, not just the treasurer. This means that boards must protect the financial interests of the corporation and its members by making sure all funds are properly managed, invested and protected.

Adequate funding and planning preserves your community for future residents.

Managing package deliveries has become a necessity for condo associations 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.

FirstService Residential and FirstService Financial work in tandem to help our clients successfully finance capital improvement projects and save money without compromising quality of service.

Is your building prepared for Local Law 152 gas piping inspections? FirstService Residential recommends getting ahead of schedule to avoid unforeseen deficiencies and costly fines.

There are valid reasons to raise assessments, but in some cases, you may be able to go a different route. Here are four strategies to save your HOA money and keep assessments stable.

Great capital improvements improve property values. Read on to see the three ways to pay for them and the pros and cons.

Robust automation software can help boards and building owners in New York City satisfy local law compliance deadlines and inspection cycles.

Does your homeowners association have adequate staff for the services that you provide? Learn how to staff your community effectively.

Local Law 97 impacts roughly 50,000 buildings across the city, a majority of which are multifamily residential properties.

FirstService Residential recommends that all boards and building owners consider the installation of EV charging stations and incentives available through NYSERDA and ConEd.

With an effective reserve-fund strategy, boards can properly plan for unplanned equipment replacements and repairs to building systems and facilities.

Want to keep your HOA or high-rise in tip-top shape for current and future residents? Learn how to plan and pay for maintenance and capital improvements.

As of November 2021, the New York City Council has extended Local Law 152 gas pipeline inspection deadlines for boards and building owners through June 30, 2022.

New York City boards and owners are experiencing great difficulty renewing general liability and umbrella insurance policies. FirstService Residential can help.