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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.

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.

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.

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.

Part of your job as a board member is ensuring the safety of residents in your community association. To that end, it’s important to educate homeowners about possible fire risks and the steps they can take to prevent fire hazards in their homes. Chances are that fire safety isn’t top of mind for residents. However, home fires are more common than most people realize.

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.

Part of your job as a board member is ensuring the safety of residents in your community association. To that end, it’s important to educate homeowners about possible fire risks and the steps they can take to prevent fire hazards in their homes. Chances are that fire safety isn’t top of mind for residents. However, home fires are more common than most people realize.

Part of your job as a board member is ensuring the safety of residents in your community association. To that end, it’s important to educate homeowners about possible fire risks and the steps they can take to prevent fire hazards in their homes. Chances are that fire safety isn’t top of mind for residents. However, home fires are more common than most people realize.

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.

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.

Humans are social creatures. Since the dawn of time, we’ve had a deep-seated yearning for connection and community. This is particularly evident in a condo corporation, where a strong sense of community can be the difference between long-standing residency and high turnover.

If you’re like many board members, one of your most challenging jobs is running your condominium corporation’s board meetings. Keeping everyone on task and addressing board member disagreements is not always easy. So what can you do to manage your meetings more effectively?

Determining the annual budget is an important responsibility that condominium board members know is important to the financial success of their community. This article discusses things to consider when making the important budget line-item decisions.

Lights, candles and wreaths, oh my! The most decorated season of the year is arriving, with celebrations from many cultures and faiths coinciding in the next few months. For condo communities, the desire to deck the halls can clash with the rules of the corporation. Follow these tips to maintain a festive community without décor running amok.

Most people who join the board of their condominium corporation aren’t experts. Rather, they are well-intentioned, dedicated volunteer-leaders who want to protect property values and ensure their community continues to be a great place to live. If you’re a new board member – or even a seasoned one – it’s important to get the training you need to govern effectively and address the issues you may face.

For most people selling a condominium, it is important to stand out from the competition in the real estate market, have a quick sale and obtain the best possible price. But how do you do that? The way your property is presented to potential buyers makes a big difference. Consider these tips to help you achieve real estate sales success.

Cold weather will soon be upon us, so now is the time to make sure your condominium maintenance program is on track. As brutal as Alberta winters can be, you certainly don't want to discover a leak in your roof during a heavy snowfall or have a boiler stop working during a record cold spell.

Summer vacation is an exciting time-it’s great to get away! There’s no end to the adventures that await us all. At the end of the journey, though, you want to come home to a home that is safe and well looked after in your absence.

You want your condo community to be successful. All board members do. You know that means watching the finances carefully and maintaining the property. But do you think about effective board communication as an ingredient in your recipe for success? It is!

Rules are essential in a multi-family community. They layout expectations for the residents and promote a spirit of co-operation amongst the group. When the board-set policies are violated, a defined set of steps should occur to encourage compliance. It is important for a condo board to craft their policies thoughtfully, looking at the rules from all angles to determine the balance between the need, property values and homeowner freedom. Here are eight steps to consider when developing policies for your condominium.