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No one wants to find mold in their home or any association building. Unfortunately, mold is ubiquitous – it’s in the air and in the water, and when given the chance, it spreads like crazy. Learn steps to prevent mold or to have it assessed and properly treated, preserving your buildings and the health of your residents.

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.

If you’re a recent (or about-to-be) college grad looking for your perfect career fit, here’s a helpful checklist to help you narrow down your choices:

FirstService Residential's Bill Worrall discusses the hidden costs of DIY maintenance and repairs and provides great insight into how boards can determine what can be done in house and what should be subbed out to appropriate contractors.

In our guide to capital improvements , reserve studies and their relationship to capital improvements and preventive maintenance were discussed at length.

It’s the scourge of households everywhere: the unsightly, unsanitary, unbecoming sight of mold. But waging war on mold means more than launching a full-scale assault when you see it (though that can be part of the battle plan). Instead, consider a comprehensive strategy – here are some tips to help you get started and steer clear of mold.

Aside from knowing to not park next to one, how deep is your knowledge of fire hydrants? Unless you’re a firefighter, it’s probably not that extensive. This may not be a problem... until the unthinkable happens and you need to be confident that your fire hydrants are in good working order. But like any equipment in your community, fire hydrants need to be maintained.

What did you want to be when you grew up? Like many children, you may have dreamed of becoming a doctor, teacher, firefighter, pilot, basketball player, ballerina or policeman. Maybe you wanted to be a movie actor, astronaut, rock star or even the president. But we’re guessing there are a few professions that probably didn’t make your short list… property manager or community association manager (CAM).

Neighborhood Watch programs can provide significant benefits to communities – after all, they boost community awareness, communication and involvement, while reducing opportunities for neighborhood crimes to occur. But if you’re interested in getting started, there are many important factors to consider. Here’s an overview.

Unless you live in an area where it hardly ever rains (in which case you have a whole other set of problems), drainage will be an issue in your community. Proper drainage is, of course, the answer, but getting there means you have to meet stringent requirements throughout different areas of your community.

It’s that time of year again – there’s a noticeable nip in the air, trees are losing their leaves and stores are starting to display their holiday swag. That can only mean one thing – winter is right around the corner. If your HOA is located in an area affected by wintry weather, we probably don’t need to remind you about last year’s Arctic-level freeze. Some of the coldest-ever temperatures were recorded in many parts of the country – and if you heed the predictions in the Old Farmer’s Almanac , you know that this year promises to be even more frigid. Is your community prepared to handle the upcoming chill? Here are some tips to help your homeowners association winterize your community, no matter what surprises the season may bring.

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.

Community association management is an industry filled with diversity. You'll find people from all walks of life who have chosen it as a career path, and all for their own personal reasons. What is the one commonality? It's easy to love what they do!

Nothing bites into your budget like maintenance issues. Whether it’s the grounds keeping and upkeep that you pay for on a regular basis or those surprise projects (natural disasters, anyone?) that sneak up on you, maintenance can account for an average of 25% or more of your overall expenditures.

Whether you are a recent graduate contemplating your career path or a seasoned professional seeking a change, delving into the realm of property management can offer a fulfilling and potentially rewarding journey.

Your community or condominium association is there to protect the interests of all of its members. However, there may be situations when one or more residents don’t believe that the association is on their side. Hopefully, everyone involved can come to a reasonable solution, but if you can’t, it’s possible that your association – and even your board members – could become the target of a lawsuit.

So winter’s coming...and you’ve got a watchful eye on driveways, roofs and other essential areas. But don’t forget about one of the most freeze-sensitive parts of your buildings and systems: pipes.

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?

How well your board communicates has a tremendous impact on your community association. Every board can benefit from these 5 principles.

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.

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!

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.

Social media can be a phenomenal marketing and communications tool for your community association! But you need a strategy!