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As homeowners associations (HOAs) in south Texas recently discovered first hand, it doesn’t always matter what kind of preparation your community makes before a powerful hurricane strikes. The effects can still be devastating – even after the storm loses strength. Learn more about the steps your HOA board should take to expedite the recovery process and how your management company can make a difference in helping to rebuild your community.

It's easy to get enthusiastic about holiday decorating. How do you keep your residents from going overboard without being a scrooge? Read on for simple tips to keep holidays in your community merry!

What can you do to reduce landscaping costs and use your dollars more effectively? Fortunately, a lot! Discover seven simple ideas to help preserve the green around your grounds and in your budget.

Whether you live in a single-family, condo, high-rise or operate a commercial building, we all should know how to prepare for the impact of severe weather.

The fact is, money matters—and frugally stretching every dollar has become a popular trend. So it should come as no surprise that condo owners are now leveraging their homes as short-term rentals to make a little extra money. However resourceful this may be, renting out your home on a short-term basis has the potential to negatively impact property values, the quality of life for residents in your building and the overall morale of your community. Let’s talk about proactive, practical solutions to combat this rising trend before it becomes a real problem.

Get 12 Do's & Don'ts of social media management.

Online rental businesses like Airbnb and VRBO have been actively supporting the shared economy and petitioning for standardized regulation of short-term rentals in Texas and across the US. Learn how this trend can impact your community.

Find out how your condo association could benefit from the online presence you deserve!

Do you use social media to manage online presence for your association? See our top 8 ways to maintain a positive reputation across multiple platforms.

Rental restrictions, like many other association policies, have their ups and downs and can be a hot topic of conversation for homeowners association (HOA) boards. While governing documents sometimes address this issue, more often the intricacies of individual communities and the specific character of residents can make this a more subjective matter. If your community is considering implementing or updating its community rental policy, here are a few things you should consider.

No matter what kind of vendor your HOA needs – a caterer for your onsite party, a roofer to repair post-hurricane damage or a painter to spiff up your lobby – your board should never take a casual approach to the hiring process.

There's just something about living among a community with lights stretched around each tree that inspires a childlike enthusiasm for what lies ahead.

After partnering with thousands of board members like you, we've identified 5 tips to help you be successful this year.

Online access to user-friendly host platforms like Airbnb & HomeAway have contributed to skyrocketing numbers of short-term rentals. While a vast majority of rental stays are uneventful, the sheer number of travelers who use these services mean that accidental or even fatal injuries can occur. Take action to make sure that your homeowners' association is educated on insurance risks and coverage for the unexpected.

How much do you know about community association insurance? Although your bylaws and declarations include requirements to provide community association insurance coverage, most board members don’t know as much about it as they should.

Before planning next year's budget, carefully examine how HOA and COA budget transparency shows residents how their money will make a visible difference.

You may be unaware that you are opening up all of your emails to scrutiny. When using a personal or work email address to conduct association business, there is a potential liability involved.

You may be unaware that you are opening up all of your emails to scrutiny. When using a personal or work email address to conduct association business, there is a potential liability involved.

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?

Creating your condominium corporation’s annual budget is one of the most important responsibilities your board has. It takes a lot of hard work and may require spending decisions that won’t be popular with unit owners. Consequently, owners may voice strong objections or even question the board’s ability to manage the corporation’s money.

Frozen pipes are an unwanted, but common, occurrence during Alberta's cold winters. The damage caused can be significant to condominium units and shared property. Our cold weather warning offers condominium residents tips to prevent frozen pipes and the water damage that results.

Creating a newsletter for your condominium residents that will give them valuable and relevant information is harder to do than it may seem upon first glance. Here are the basic things to consider, brought to you by your property management professionals at FirstService Residential.

When people live in close quarters, it is inevitable that they will hear sounds from neighbouring condos from time to time. Noise between units can be minimized in many ways. One of the most effective tools for a condominium board to implement is a flooring policy that guides owners when they want to replace their floor coverings. Choosing the right products makes a big difference when it comes to the transfer of noise between condominium units.

Everyone brings their own assumptions and methods of completing tasks to each group to which they belong. Condominium board members are no different. While the diversity of the group can be its greatest strength, it also can create difficulties between the individual members. It is important to structure condo board meetings in a way that creates a professional and positive working relationship. Here are some tips to help boards achieve this.