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As consumers, we’re familiar with saving money by purchasing products like food and household goods in bulk. But, can this same savings model be applied to the purchases and operational costs of a homeowner association (HOA), condominium or community association?

As a community association board member, the countless hours you volunteer go toward assisting with a very important objective – creating a safe and vibrant community. In many cases, this means assessing your association’s insurance policies to guarantee that your community is fully covered, appropriately insured and receiving the best value for the cost.

Dan Wurtzel, president of property management at our New York office, was tapped as a thought leader in an article about seasoned board members in the Cooperator. Dan discusses how uncertainty about building knowledge and the position’s requirements can be detrimental to productivity, as well as some of the services the company provides to help both new and experienced board members become more effective in their roles.

Youhave just been appointed to your homeowner and community association board. Now it’s time to brush up on your vocabulary with terms that are going to be a part of your new life as a board member.

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.

Swimming pools are one of the most common, and most desirable, amenities in communities. Making sure to have proper community pool insurance coverage.

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.

During these unprecedented times, residents are spending the majority of their time at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect themselves and their loved ones from infection. One of their primary contact points with the outside world is in your HOA or condo common areas, where they can be at risk of contact with lingering coronavirus or even spread existing virus to other areas of the property. Read on for a comprehensive list of places to clean and how to clean them.

Holidays can be a lot of fun when you live in a planned community, condo or co-op. But when you are on your association’s board of directors, they can also be a lot of work. You have to make sure all the prep work is done, decorations are up, vacations are covered and parties are planned. Can a group of volunteers—as dedicated as you may be—possibly get it all done? And do you dare wish to do it with minimal stress, too?

Whether your HOA is self-managed or professionally managed, getting started on your fall and winter prep will help keep your operations running smoothly as the seasons and temperatures change – and that will keep your residents happy as well.

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.

Whether your community is self-managed or professionally managed, maintenance is a big part of the day-to-day responsibilities. It’s a responsibility that can quickly become overwhelming, especially when you walk in on a Monday morning to a list of what went wrong over the weekend.

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.

No one wants to find mold in their home or any association building. Unfortunately, mold is ubiquitous – it’s in the air and in the water, and when given the chance, it spreads like crazy. Learn steps to prevent mold or to have it assessed and properly treated, preserving your buildings and the health of your residents.

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.

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.

As a homeowner who lives in an association, you put a lot of trust in the people designated to manage your association’s money. So it can come as quite a shock if you discover that one of those people has been stealing from your association’s funds. Fraud can leave you and your neighbors feeling betrayed and vulnerable.

Fraud can strike just about any association – even one that is professionally managed – regardless of how small or large your community may be. However, a good property management company will have checks and balances and other security measures in place to help reduce the risk.

Homeowner and condo association board members know that their collective actions yield lots of great results. Just take a look at the minutes from your last couple of meetings and you’ll see all the evidence you need.

FirstService Residential's Bill Worrall discusses the hidden costs of DIY maintenance and repairs and provides great insight into how boards can determine what can be done in house and what should be subbed out to appropriate contractors.

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.

Every association board is primarily responsible for preserving, protecting, and maintaining the association's assets. That requires careful financial management, which is where your board treasurer comes in.

In our guide to capital improvements , reserve studies and their relationship to capital improvements and preventive maintenance were discussed at length.