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HOA Vendors: Vendor management tips for great results
Here are some tips to manage your HOA vendors more effectively & and get the results you're looking for. -
Why association boards chose FirstService Residential
Finding a property management company to partner with your board isn’t easy. Find out how we can help you. -
HOA resale certificates: What is a resale certificate?
We all know that there's a lot of paperwork in the home buying process. If the home you want to buy is in a managed community of any kind, a resale package, including your resale certificate and governing documents, is part of that paperwork. Resale certificates and packages offer transparency about the community and whether or not the sellers are current in their financial obligations to the association. -
Can an HOA deny an emotional support or service animal?
Service dogs can help individuals with a variety of disabilities enjoy a greater quality of life and assist in performing daily tasks. What happens when your association’s policies and the need for a service animal conflict? The short answer is, if a service animal is needed and used as outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the community cannot prohibit it. -
6 tips for getting to know your neighbors during the holidays
For many of us, the holiday season can feel like a continuous run on a treadmill of work/shop/repeat – with a few parties and social engagements sprinkled in just to spice things up – and complicate your schedule. -
Promoting Fire Safety in Your Community Association
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. -
15 Things You’ll Want to Do Before Selecting an Insurance Agent
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? -
5 Ways You Can Improve Board Communication
How well your board communicates has a tremendous impact on your community association. Every board can benefit from these 5 principles. -
8 Skills You'll Master as a Board President
You've been elected as the President of the Board for your community association. You're signing up for a very important job! Here are some necessary skills! -
9 Guidelines for a Successful Community Association
Volunteering on the board of a community association is not for the faint of heart and can be a full-time job! Communities come in different shapes and sizes, but serving on a board of directors is similar across the board. -
All You Need to Know About Property Management Social Media
Social media can be a phenomenal marketing and communications tool for your community association! But you need a strategy! -
3 Cost Containment Strategies to Minimize Assessment Hikes
Your fiduciary responsibility is the most important commitment to fellow homeowners. Learn cost containment strategies that can save your association money. -
What to Know About an HOA Emergency Board Meeting During Trying Times
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. -
Can You Go After HOA Owners for Their Guests’ Damages?
Every community can expect to experience negligent or careless guests who will either cause a ruckus, or worse, damage association property. When that happens, deciding who should be held responsible for their actions can create a delicate – and potentially volatile – situation. Oftentimes, Boards may go after the owner, but they shouldn’t forge full-steam ahead without some sort of ammunition. -
Do You Have a Community Communication Plan?
Clear, effective communication from the board to the residents makes a difference! Poor communication can negatively impact your community's reputation, operating budget and property values. -
Communication in an Emergency is Key to Hurricane Preparation and Rebuilding
The strongest hurricane preparedness plan won’t be effective if you haven’t communicated it. Make sure that everyone knows what to do by following these important recommendations. -
Wondering What to Ask a Property Management Company in Florida? Here's 8 Questions
Know what questions to ask a prospective property management company in Florida? Check out our list to ensure you have all the right information before making a choice. -
Estoppel Certificates: 7 Myths and the Real Facts
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. -
Five Simple Tips for Marketing Your Association
Nothing says a healthy community like full homes/units and bustling activity in common areas. Painting a pretty picture of a dynamic community to potential buyers takes minimal effort on the part of the board. -
Six things you should know about flood insurance in 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! -
Four Ways to Get Mosquitoes to Buzz Off
Ah, summertime in Florida. Backyard barbecues. Long days at the beach. And endless mosquito bites. -
Vendor Communication Best Practices: The Do’s and Don’ts
Open and effective communication among the board, management company and vendors is an important part of any community's operating budget and for improving residents' lifestyles. -
3 Ways to Pay for an Association Capital Improvement Project
When your association has to invest in its property, whether for repairs or a new construction project, the financing for that work must be considered as carefully as the work itself -
How to Establish HOA Board Member Succession in Your Florida Community
Having a great board of directors to lead the way for a community association is vital to its future well-being. How can future board members be prepared to take the reins?