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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.

Location, location…amenities? As we told you in a previous article, the desirability of a community’s lifestyle amenities is becoming highly influential in driving the purchasing decision for many homebuyers. To rise to the challenge – and set themselves apart from the competition – many developers, builders and community associations are adding the next generation of amenities to their lifestyle communities, high-rises, condo buildings and other residential properties. And it’s working. By adding and/or updating their amenities to reflect evolving tastes, communities are effectively meeting the aspirations and demands – and enhancing the lifestyles – of potential and existing homeowners.

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.

2014 was a year of change for a lot of associations. And in many ways, 2015 promises to be no different – especially when it comes to the types of amenities that will be offered by communities.

Enhance your community by putting more play in your community - learn more about how to put a park or playground in your neighborhood.

Enhancing the marketability of your high-rise property requires starting at the top – the rooftop, that is. By leveraging this space to offer creative and imaginative amenities, you’ll not only increase property values, but you’ll also provide a gathering place for residents to relax and connect. Great rooftop spaces also have a way of infusing more resort style living into your high-rise.

Amenities continue to rank among one of the most important considerations for prospective buyers at both active adult and multi-generational lifestyle communities across the country. Amenities are highly influential in motivating a homebuyer’s decision about where they ultimately choose to live and also contribute to the overall level of satisfaction among current homeowners. Communities that fall short in meeting buyer expectations or that fail to plan amenities around consumer interests can be negatively impacted in terms of sales, referrals, profitability and reputation of their brand. Homeowner associations, tasked with planning for new amenities and implementation of supporting programming, will have influence on these important variables.

In the past, when planning for emergencies, a global pandemic was likely not on your list. While most board members did not anticipate a pandemic as something that needed a plan before COVID-19, it's now clear that communities need to develop a plan to address this and any future pandemics. Read on to learn how to build a community emergency preparedness plan with a possible resurgence of coronavirus and other potential pandemics in mind.

Managing your pool properly is important! Learn more about maintenance, safety issues and compliance matters that go into correctly operating a community pool.

A good spring-cleaning can do wonders for your community association. Here are some tips to get your started.

Insurance is one of the most important line items on your association's budget, but it is oftentimes the most expensive. Do you know how to select the right agent?

Ah, Florida nights. Perfect temperatures. And...a disgusting mass of undulating insects climbing up the side of your building? Learn how to get rid of millipedes.

Even in the sunny warmth of Florida, water in a swimming pool isn't usually warm enough. Solution? A pool heater. There are several options, each with pros and cons, according to Chris Normandeau, director of FS Energy.

It's hurricane season again. As soon as June 1st rolls around, we are assaulted with hurricane preparedness pamphlets and emergency information at every turn.

Does it sometimes sound like your upstairs neighbors are bowling in their living room? Noises from above can be disruptive, but they might not be entirely your neighbor's fault.

Estoppel certificates are a critical part of any real estate transaction and can be confusing. What's included, how are they created, what does it all mean? Learn more here.

In February, the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency when cases of the Zika virus began to spread, impacting Florida.

As a Floridian, you're pretty familiar with flood insurance, but you may not be aware of the recent changes in the law. Learn more here!

The holidays are a time of joy, cheer, softly twinkling lights and tasteful wreaths, but holiday decorations mean different things to different people. Learn four ways to manage this!

Ah, summertime in Florida. Backyard barbecues. Long days at the beach. And endless mosquito bites.

Today’s active adult communities are growing in popularity in Florida and across the country, spurred in great part by the maturing U.S. population. As interest in activity-rich, amenity-driven lifestyles increases for the 55-plus group, existing age-restricted communities are working hard to adapt their facilities and programming in order to compete in the changing Florida active adult community marketplace. At the same time, developers and builders are searching for the best strategies to make new ventures stand out from the crowd.

One of the perks of high-rise living is the long list of amenities. They could very well be the deciding factor for many home buyers. Today, the most popular amenities include yoga studios and children's playrooms.

High-rises come with their own challenges, and chief among them is fire safety. Here are four Fire Safety Tips from the experts at National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

The Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt made their debut as the first US mass-market plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) more than five years ago. Nearly half a million have jumped on the PEV bandwagon. What does this mean for community associations?