Search

Many condo and co-op board members make the same four mistakes. Find out what they are and what you should do instead

Do you know what questions to ask a prospective property management company? Check out our list to make sure you have all the right information before making a choice.

How can you ensure that shareholders/unit owners comply with the established rules without your board becoming the "building bad guys"?

A new law will require residential and commercial buildings to prove their energy efficiency

Buildings are New York City's biggest polluters, which is why the Climate Mobilization Act will require most co-op and condo boards to reduce their buildings’ carbon emissions sharply in coming years.

The Climate Mobilization Act, requires buildings 25,000 square feet and larger to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by certain target percentages in 2024, 2030, and beyond.

NYC's latest Local Law #147/2017 requires all owners of class A multiple dwellings, including all coops and condos, to adopt a “smoking policy” no later than August 28, 2018. The purpose of implementing such a policy is to outline the requirements of this law so board members may consider how their coop or condo will comply.

View our third episode of Ask the Expert, featuring Andrew Stoutenburg, Regional Executive Director of Reserve Advisors, as he talks about the importance of reserve studies in financial planning.

We know budget season is stressful and we want to help! Avoid common mistakes & d ownload our budget survey results to discover key areas to consider when planning next year's budget.

In Texas, where temperatures can reach triple digits and humidity isn’t far behind, a refreshing dip in a pool can be a welcome relief. That’s why so many HOAs offer swimming pools as an amenity. Here are 10 guidelines to help you manage your association pool.

Everything is bigger in Texas & sometimes even hurricanes. And during hurricane season, being a board member for a residential community in the Houston area can bring some big challenges, too. To help get you and your community ready and reduce the effects if a hurricane does strike, we've put together six important tips.

Summer time – the perfect season to hit the road, relax, spend time with family and friends, or embark on a new adventure. While you hope your residents have fun on their summer vacations, you also want to make sure that their homes stay safe and they fulfill their responsibilities to the association while away. Whether you live in a condominium, master-planned or single-family community, you want to make sure that your residents prepare their homes in a way that helps protect themselves and the community.

Summertime: It’s the perfect season to hit the road, relax, spend time with family and friends or embark on a new adventure. Although you hope that residents in your community have fun on their summer vacations, you also want to make sure that their homes stay safe and that they continue to fulfill their responsibilities to the association. Whether yours is a condominium, master-planned or single-family community, follow these tips to help your residents prepare their homes in a way that protects it and the community while they are away.

John Friedrichsen, Senior Vice President & CFO of FirstService Residential parent company FirstService Corporation, is quoted in USA Today about how HOAs benefit from the value-added services provided by leading professional management companies.

Capital reserve fund vs. improvements: Budget for both and know when and how to allocate them in your Texas HOA for a continuously improved community.

Learn about special assessments as a way to fund unexpected capital improvements

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.

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.

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.

Proper condominium management depends upon the annual budget for both short- and long-term financial planning. It’s important to follow some guidelines to ensure the success of the community and protect the investment of the owners.