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  • Finding a property management company: 5 things to consider

    Your homeowner association (HOA) board has decided to hire a property management company. That’s a big step, and one not to be taken lightly. You might think because your board made this decision your community’s future is in good hands. But has your board done its research?
  • Active Adult Communities: Not Your Grandma’s Retirement Home

    The Baby Boomers, born after World War II, are the largest generation in United States history. The last of them turns 55 in 2019. With their children grown and in their own homes, Boomers are entering an era in which they can do what they please. They are retiring or scaling back on full-time work and it’s their time in the sun. Literally. They may be getting older, but as the first generation of Americans to embrace the fitness craze and eating with longevity and well-being in mind, the Baby Boomers (and Generation X on their heels) are not planning to sit out their golden years in a rocking chair.
  • Tips to Help you Choose the Right Active Adult Community to Meet Your Needs

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 76.4 million baby boomers were born between the years 1946 – 1964 – and in a few years, they’ll all be 55 or older. With their vibrant lifestyles and dedication to health and fitness, today’s active adults are more dynamic and full of life than any generation that preceded them – so dynamic, in fact, that many are choosing to move into communities that better fit their lifestyles. And no matter whether they’re looking to downsize or live large, enjoy retirement or move closer to work, soak up the warmth in a resort-like setting or go cosmopolitan and move to a big city, many people 55 and over are finding what they’re looking for in active adult communities.
  • Active Adult Living: Marketing Amenities for Broad Appeal

    Successful active adult communities offer amenities that are suited to their residents, who may span several generations -- and multiple interests. It can be challenging to determine the active adult amenities, programs and services that fit best, but in his guest blog for Multi-Housing News, FirstService Residential's Michael Mendillo offers several clear and effective guidelines.
  • Aging Gracefully - The Retirement Industry in South Florida

    Every day for the next 15 years, 8,000 additional Americans will reach retirement age -- and millions will move to active adult communities in Florida. FirstService Residential manages 35,000 homes in 55-plus communities in South Florida, as well as thousands of additional units in active adult communities throughout the country. Hear CEO Chuck Fallon describe the challenges and opportunities of managing this unique sector in a radio interview on NPR.
  • Avoiding risks of Airbnb and short-term rentals

    The sharing economy continues to grow, and this, in turn, is fueling the proliferation of home-sharing websites like Airbnb, VRBO and HomeAway. In our previous article on this growing trend, we discussed how the interest in short-term rentals is impacting multi-family buildings throughout the U.S. and Canada. Now we’re back with a game plan to help your condo board or strata council protect its interests.
  • Airbnb & Short-Term Rentals Part 1: How the Sharing Economy Can Impact Your Multi-Family Building

    One of the most recent societal shifts has been a move towards a sharing economy – and if you’ve ever been driven home in an Uber car, or reserved a distinctive blue CitiBike for a few hours to pedal across town, you’ve experienced this practice first-hand. In this article, we discuss how the quick growth of the sharing economy – particularly, home sharing – is impacting buildings in large cities, and we’ll follow up next week with valuable advice on how your Board or Strata council can address this mushrooming trend.
  • Understanding how property management software can help

    Can cutting-edge property management software increase personalized customer service? It’s not a trick question, at least when it comes to the property management industry.
  • How Property Management Experts are Making a Difference in Today's Competitive Housing Market

    FirstService Residential’s Tasso Eracles discusses Toronto’s building boom and the important role property management experts play in helping condominium developers and builders overcome challenges and compete in this dynamic marketplace.
  • Communication in the Community: Do you have a plan?

    Is your community always aware of upcoming events, scheduled construction projects and upcoming board meetings? Do they understand their responsibilities and the policies they need to comply with? Clear, effective communication from the board to the residents makes a difference in the overall well-being of any community. Poor communication, on the other hand, is a real problem that can negatively impact your community’s reputation and even your operating budget and property values.
  • Debunking the Eight Biggest Myths About Partnering with a Property Management Company

    Here’s one of the great ironies of the property management industry: though it’s incredibly big, it’s still a big mystery to most people. Let’s let the numbers do the talking. In the United States, 24% of homes are part of associations, with a total value of $4.65 trillion and $65 billion collected in assessments. In Canada, the industry generates about $6 billion in annual revenue with a healthy annual growth rate of 3.4%.
  • Understanding common community manager responsibilities

    The right support, the right personality and the right set of expectations from your community are critical for your community association management team to deliver exceptional results. Does yours have what it takes?
  • HOA nominating committee guidelines: Understanding HOA elections

    Elections are a big part of what make our community associations work. It’s what empowers members, galvanizes our community, and brings residents together for a common purpose.
  • Eight ways a property management company can help you and your community

    Being part of a Homeowners Association is rewarding – yet it can also be challenging at times. Board members are often tasked with difficult duties ranging from proper financial stewardship to navigating community conflicts, and much more.
  • Elderly New Yorkers, Here for the Duration

    New York City's elderly resident population is growing rapidly, and is projected to increase by an additional 35% over the next 15 years. FirstService Residential Managing Director Marni J. Berk, general manager of the Lincoln Towers complex, is one of the property management experts feautured in a recent New York Times article that describes the challenges of accomodating aging building residents.
  • Three Factors Influencing the Future of Community Association Management

    As a profession, community association management is relatively young; it goes back about 50 years. But in that short time, it has made great strides—and so have the communities who have benefited from professional, skilled management teams. But what does the future hold for this profession, and how will it influence how community members live? The trade organization Community Associations Institute (CAI) put their publication, Common Ground , to work to find some answers to this question. They brought together industry experts to weigh in on the matter. FirstService Residential has also been at the forefront of looking to the future in this growing industry.
  • The future of association living: 4 factors to consider

    What does the future hold for your community association? If you’re a board member, you might already have a pretty good idea – most likely because you’ve developed a plan for it. But what about issues outside of your control? How will they influence the strategies you develop to ensure your community is a great place to live for years to come? Let’s see where the coming decades will take us.
  • FirstService Residential Chairman Gene Gomberg Honored as Ultimate CEO/Chairman

    Gene Gomberg, Chairman of FirstService Residential, was honored as an Ultimate CEO/Chairman by the South Florida Business Journal.
  • FirstService Residential's New York Office Featured in Mann Management Report

    Our New York office is profiled in the November/December issue of the Mann Management Report.
  • Five simple marketing strategies for associations

    How many homes in your community are vacant? Whether it’s one or one hundred, it’s too many. Empty homes can lead to compliance issues and decrease the curb appeal of your community. They can also negatively impact the feeling of connectedness for the members of your association. That’s why it’s so important to keep every home occupied.
  • Five community landscape maintenance tips

    For most people, looking neat, attractive and well groomed ranks high on their list of priorities. They have the same expectations for where they live – in fact, according to a recent industry survey, over 70% of homebuyers consider curb appeal an important factor when choosing a community.
  • Five Reasons to Love Your Community Management Company

    It’s always great to have a reliable partner by your side. Whether it’s a family member, someone at work, or even a fellow member of a sports team on which you play, knowing that someone has your back can instill you with confidence and comfort.
  • Understanding what an active adult community lifestyle looks like

    It’s no secret that active adult communities are changing. With shifting demographics and lifestyles, gone are the days of sequestered neighborhoods in the far-flung suburbs dominated by golf culture.
  • Four tips for great communication in your association

    As a board member, you’ve confronted (and hopefully, overcome) a lot of challenges. You’ve learned your role. You’ve tackled projects. You’ve teamed up with residents.
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