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It goes without saying that how we communicate has drastically switched from in-person contact to user-friendly digital platforms since the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread.

As you begin to work on next year’s budget, it’s important to look for ways to save your building money to offset those unplanned expenses and potential revenue shortfalls.

It’s important that co-op and condo boards come together to achieve strategic alignment.

As board communications become increasingly reliant on web-based technologies, it’s more important than ever to take proactive steps to safeguard the way you share and save sensitive information.

In an effort to help our clients and their families stay safe during these difficult times, FirstService Residential’s in-house technology experts recently assembled a list of best practices and technology tips for working at home, improving password security, identifying potential scams and selecting personalized internet packages.

Nothing lasts forever…and when it comes time to replace your high-rise roof, community pool or to add new amenities, your association will need to determine how to pay for it. All of these things – significant repairs and replacements, as well as new construction – are considered capital improvements.

It’s budget season! Are you stressed? Concerned about a potential dues increase or a large capital project that’s looming in the future? The word “budget” can be scary, so thinking about creating next year’s budget is daunting for many homeowners boards. We’d like to change that. In fact, we don’t want you to view next year’s budget as a task at all.

With the cold weather in the Ontario air we all would love to find ways to save money as condo owners. There are a lot of helpful tips that we as homeowners can start before winter arrives and continue during the remainder of the winter season.

Safeguarding an Ontario condominium corporation’s operating and reserve funds is one of the main fiduciary duties of all board members, not just the treasurer. This means that boards must protect the financial interests of the corporation and its members by making sure all funds are properly managed, invested and protected.

Nothing lasts forever…and when it comes time to replace your high-rise roof, community pool or to add new amenities, your association will need to determine how to pay for it. All of these things – significant repairs and replacements, as well as new construction – are considered capital improvements.

We understand that boards don’t want to ask residents to pay higher association dues. But costs go up, despite best efforts. Learn the surprising benefits of small, steady increases to your board and homeowners!

If you’re looking for comprehensive information about the different types of association meetings, ask a seasoned board member or your property manager for information and guidance. Meanwhile, we’ve put together answers to some of the most common questions about annual and special meetings.

Watch our final episode of Ask the Expert, to learn about leveraging your buying power with Christian Mora, National Director of Procurement at FirstService Residential.

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.

Managing association covenant enforcement can be difficult in any community. Restrictions for every community can be different, and it can be a challenge to keep the rules fair, reasonable and equally applied to all homeowners. Read on for some basic guidelines that will make navigating through these issues a little easier.

Discover our top takeaways around the three fiscal duties of Care, Priority, & Responsibility for your condominium association.

Discover our top takeaways around the three fiscal duties of Care, Priority, & Responsibility for your condominium association.

Discover our top takeaways around the three fiscal duties of Care, Priority, & Responsibility for your condominium association.

For some communities, the end of the year is a time to pass on the spirit of giving to its staff.

Before you begin outlining the financial steps for your community, keep these 7 HOA budget bloopers in mind.

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.