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Whether you’re a new or current board member, you can avoid major issues and make your term more fruitful, rewarding and, above all, effective by following these 9 tips for board members.

Learn how associates, residents and board members are making a difference in their communities with interactive online activities, during COVID-19.

Thriving HOA committees have typically attributed “success by committee" as a factor for their growth. But what are actual HOA committee roles and responsibilities?

Here’s one of the great ironies of the property management industry: though it’s incredibly big, it’s still a big mystery to most people. Let’s let the numbers do the talking. In the United States, 24% of homes are part of associations, with a total value of $4.65 trillion and $65 billion collected in assessments. In Canada, the industry generates about $6 billion in annual revenue with a healthy annual growth rate of 3.4%.

The right support, the right personality and the right set of expectations from your community are critical for your community association management team to deliver exceptional results. Does yours have what it takes?

Elections are a big part of what make our community associations work. It’s what empowers members, galvanizes our community, and brings residents together for a common purpose.

Being part of a Homeowners Association is rewarding – yet it can also be challenging at times. Board members are often tasked with difficult duties ranging from proper financial stewardship to navigating community conflicts, and much more.

New York City's elderly resident population is growing rapidly, and is projected to increase by an additional 35% over the next 15 years. FirstService Residential Managing Director Marni J. Berk, general manager of the Lincoln Towers complex, is one of the property management experts feautured in a recent New York Times article that describes the challenges of accomodating aging building residents.

For a growing number of community associations across the United States and Canada, statute changes are making electronic voting a possibility for boards. If your state or province permits online voting – or will soon – does that mean that your board should make this option available to homeowners in your community?

As a profession, community association management is relatively young; it goes back about 50 years. But in that short time, it has made great strides—and so have the communities who have benefited from professional, skilled management teams. But what does the future hold for this profession, and how will it influence how community members live? The trade organization Community Associations Institute (CAI) put their publication, Common Ground , to work to find some answers to this question. They brought together industry experts to weigh in on the matter. FirstService Residential has also been at the forefront of looking to the future in this growing industry.

What does the future hold for your community association? If you’re a board member, you might already have a pretty good idea – most likely because you’ve developed a plan for it. But what about issues outside of your control? How will they influence the strategies you develop to ensure your community is a great place to live for years to come? Let’s see where the coming decades will take us.

Gene Gomberg, Chairman of FirstService Residential, was honored as an Ultimate CEO/Chairman by the South Florida Business Journal.

Our New York office is profiled in the November/December issue of the Mann Management Report.

How many homes in your community are vacant? Whether it’s one or one hundred, it’s too many. Empty homes can lead to compliance issues and decrease the curb appeal of your community. They can also negatively impact the feeling of connectedness for the members of your association. That’s why it’s so important to keep every home occupied.

For most people, looking neat, attractive and well groomed ranks high on their list of priorities. They have the same expectations for where they live – in fact, according to a recent industry survey, over 70% of homebuyers consider curb appeal an important factor when choosing a community.

It’s always great to have a reliable partner by your side. Whether it’s a family member, someone at work, or even a fellow member of a sports team on which you play, knowing that someone has your back can instill you with confidence and comfort.

It’s no secret that active adult communities are changing. With shifting demographics and lifestyles, gone are the days of sequestered neighborhoods in the far-flung suburbs dominated by golf culture.

As a board member, you’ve confronted (and hopefully, overcome) a lot of challenges. You’ve learned your role. You’ve tackled projects. You’ve teamed up with residents.

When you think about the ideal community manager, typically a unique combination of personality traits springs to mind. They are professional and courteous with residents, yet firm with vendors. They know their way around a spreadsheet, but also have basic working knowledge of major systems like plumbing or heating and cooling. They know how to help the homeowner association (HOA) board stay focused on the big picture, but are also adept at taking you through the details of even the most complicated budget plan.

Mention the phrase “active adult communities” and a few images probably spring to mind. But whatever you’re thinking (and we’re guessing it involves golf carts), the reality is actually a lot more diverse.

People decorate for everything these days – from Valentine’s Day to the patriotic celebrations of summer and on to the fall festivities and winter wonderlands. Many people derive a sense of community and comfort from seeing familiar decorations at the same time each year.

When a property transitions from developer control, it typically means that the developer, who initially owned and managed the property, is transferring ownership or control of the property to another entity, such as a homeowners association (HOA), property management company, or individual property owners. The specific process and outcomes of this transition can vary depending on the type of property, its purpose, and the governing documents in place.

Given the unprecedented practice of "social distancing," now may be the best time to find the right video conferencing platform for your association.

The growing population of baby boomers in the U.S. is driving an increase in the popularity of age restricted communities. Learn how existing "55 and better" communities are adapting their facilities and programming to retain a competitive edge in this evolving marketplace.