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Incentives Aim to Green Up New York, Reduce Operating Costs for Building Owners
A recent study found that 75% of greenhouse gasses in New York City are generated by buildings, primarily multifamily residential buildings. As part of a city-wide effort to incentivize buildings to develop programs to curb emissions, FirstService Residential held its Third Annual Green Expo & Symposium on May 15 in New York. The event featured a panel of industry experts, including FirstService Residential President Dan Wurtzel, who described the benefits of participating in city programs, as well as the opportunities to save money, help the environment and enhance property values. -
HOA Pools: The basics of swimming pool insurance
Swimming pools are one of the most common, and most desirable, amenities in communities. Making sure to have proper community pool insurance coverage. -
HOA best practices for improving board effectiveness
Whether you are a board member who wants to ensure your board is doing everything it can to succeed or a resident who wants to get involved in the governing of your community, we have identified the best practices that can help you get the answers you need. -
Capital improvements vs repairs and maintenance: What’s the difference?
Maintaining your buildings’ assets is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. The common areas require a broad range of routine maintenance and repairs to keep them looking good and operating smoothly. -
Managing Active Adult Communities in the Boomer Era
Today's Baby Boomers are prompting some active adult communities to re-examine how to remain relevant, appealing and responsive to residents' needs, according to Michael Mendillo, president of FirstService Residential's Mid-Atlantic division, and Robert Misurel, director of Planning & Development for the company's Lifestyle Division. -
Tips for community waste management in your association
With a growing focus on proper environmental stewardship, many associations are working toward implementing green initiatives. But getting there can be daunting. With so many programs and opportunities available for all of us to reduce, re-use and recycle, it’s hard to know where to begin. -
9 tips about board of directors conflicts of interest
It’s a term that gets tossed around quite a lot. But “conflict of interest” is a real and genuine threat to your association and its proper stewardship. Understanding what the term means – as well as how to recognize and avoid conflicts of interest– can go a long way toward ensuring the strength and stability of your community and eliminating many concerns. -
FirstService Residential Executive Discusses Offbeat Second Home Investment Locations and Trends
While exclusive communities like the Hamptons or Malibu will always be attractive locations for affluent vacation home buyers, several new trends are emerging in the growing second home market. -
Property Management Jobs: The Best-Kept Hospitality Career Secret
If you’re a recent (or about-to-be) college grad looking for your perfect career fit, here’s a helpful checklist to help you narrow down your choices: -
Put an Energy Saving Program Together for a Multifamily Property
Many HOAs and community associations would like to save energy and energy spending, but they think that putting an energy management plan into place for their multifamily property is difficult to accomplish. FS Energy's Chris Normandeau explains some basic, easy-to-do steps that can make a real impact on an association's energy usage and budget. -
Hiring a reserve study company: 5 things to know
In our guide to capital improvements , reserve studies and their relationship to capital improvements and preventive maintenance were discussed at length. -
Seven tips to finding a reserve study company
Your reserve fund is what helps your association anticipate its future– and budget for it, too. This fund gives you the power to maintain the quality of your community by allowing for projects that are both necessary and expensive (like a future roofing or paving project, for instance). -
Seven Tips to Avoid Issues with a Contract for Property Management
You’ve been there before. You meet with a vendor, they seem like a great choice, and then after a month or so, you find yourself in a dispute. -
5 energy conservation strategies for community associations
In this article, we delve into the significance of energy conservation within community associations, exploring its benefits and strategies for effective implementation. -
Energy efficiency tips for winter
So what can condo boards or community associations do to mitigate or even reduce costs this winter? Let’s start with what you can do in the summer and fall, before winter actually begins. This includes cleaning, tuning and performing any necessary repairs to heating systems, furnaces and boilers to make sure they won’t be working longer, harder or less efficiently than they should. Other pre-winter tasks include cleaning gutters to remove leaves and debris to ensure water can flow freely. Otherwise, water can become trapped and freeze, which can not only damage your property’s gutters, but also cause ice dams and possible roof leaks. -
Summer safety tips for your HOA community
As a resident or HOA board member, summer safety tips are key to prepare for summer vacation. Discover tips for home security, utility savings, & more during the summer season! -
Six steps to implement condo EV charging stations
If your high-rise condo is ready to start looking into electric vehicle charging stations, these steps can provide a holistic overview of the process and what you can expect. -
Six Ways Active Adult Communities Are Completely Different Now
The Baby Boomers have been a transformational generation, to say the least. Born between 1946 and 1964, Boomers are known as the healthiest and most educated of any American generation in history. -
Can HOA fees increase? The benefits of raising HOA dues
What exactly are HOA dues, and can an HOA raise dues without notice? In this article, we’ll explain what HOA dues are, HOA fee increase limits, and five benefits of small, regular increases. -
What is a community association manager? How to become a CAM
What did you want to be when you grew up? Like many children, you may have dreamed of becoming a doctor, teacher, firefighter, pilot, basketball player, ballerina or policeman. Maybe you wanted to be a movie actor, astronaut, rock star or even the president. But we’re guessing there are a few professions that probably didn’t make your short list… property manager or community association manager (CAM). -
The Six Secrets to Building Your HOA Volunteer Pool
Whether you’re on the board of a single-family homeowners association (HOA) or a high-rise condo association, your community depends on volunteers to operate successfully. However, finding residents who are willing to be on your board of directors, join a committee or help at an event can be challenging. -
Surprising ways to stretch your HOA's dollars
If you’re on the board of a condo, co-op, high-rise or HOA, you know that managing your community’s budget is a major priority. You’ve likely explored many ways to save money and get the best deals, while still maintaining a high level of service. -
Three Things to Remember About Life with Your Aging Parent
As our parents age, we are fortunate to enjoy an ever-evolving relationship with them. With time comes perspective, and with that perspective comes a new way for adults to relate with their parents.