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Have you ever wondered what makes some homeowners association (HOA) communities such appealing places to live? It could be their location or maybe their amenities. Most likely, it’s also due to a thriving lifestyle program that connects residents and helps to foster lasting relationships within the community. “Even for the smallest of communities, there is tremendous value in developing lifestyle programming,” notes Terry Bascher, vice president of onsite management for FirstService Residential Texas. “Lifestyle programs bring people together while strengthening bonds that increase camaraderie.”

In Texas, where temperatures can reach triple digits and humidity isn’t far behind, a refreshing dip in a pool can be a welcome relief. That’s why so many HOAs offer swimming pools as an amenity. Here are 10 guidelines to help you manage your association pool.

Keeping your association’s finances healthy can easily be compared to maintaining your own physical fitness; don’t overindulge and make smart choices. The only thing you’ll have to exercise is good judgment. Here are four tips to get you started on the right foot.

Today, high-rise living is attracting a broad range of residents, from millennials to empty nesters, all seeking convenience and luxury in an urban setting. Although they have a common drive to discover this newer metropolitan lifestyle, these very different households have a variety of needs and wants. This means that there is not a one-size-fits-all solution for defining what desirable amenities look like. In fact, properties must continuously adapt and update their offerings to stay competitive in their community.

The number one reason associations fail to meet quorum is the lack of participation by their homeowners. Knowing this, we’ve put together a list of practical ideas to help increase homeowner participation and alleviate the worry about whether or not you will have enough attendance to hold your meeting.

Whether your association is faced with presenting positive or potentially controversial announcements, you can probably expect a few homeowners to raise their questions and concerns during your annual meeting, making it difficult to keep your meeting on track. To help, here are a few things you can do to limit distractions or interruptions and keep the meeting rolling full steam ahead.

As we say in Texas, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait; it will change soon enough.” Yes, the weather can be fickle in our state, and we Texans do enjoy discussing its variable nature. For members of a homeowners association (HOA) near the Gulf Coast, the conversation this time of year probably turns to the likelihood of a major storm, hurricane or “gully-washer.” And if you are on your HOA’s board of directors, you may also be posing the question, “Is our community prepared to weather a big storm?”

Everything is bigger in Texas & sometimes even hurricanes. And during hurricane season, being a board member for a residential community in the Houston area can bring some big challenges, too. To help get you and your community ready and reduce the effects if a hurricane does strike, we've put together six important tips.

Having a solid communication strategy is the only way your emergency preparedness plan can be effective. Find out how your HOA can create one.

Summertime: It’s the perfect season to hit the road, relax, spend time with family and friends or embark on a new adventure. Although you hope that residents in your community have fun on their summer vacations, you also want to make sure that their homes stay safe and that they continue to fulfill their responsibilities to the association. Whether yours is a condominium, master-planned or single-family community, follow these tips to help your residents prepare their homes in a way that protects it and the community while they are away.

No matter what the reason, bringing residents and owners together for an event in your Texas community can be a lot of fun. To help make the planning as fun as the function itself, we’ve put together a list of simple tips. Whether you live in a high-rise condo, or a master-planned community, applying these strategies will make your event a memorable occasion for all the right reasons.

Short-term rentals continue to be a battleground for associations as well as city and state governments. Recently passed Texas state legislation concerning short-term rentals may now impact your community. If your HOA governing documents do not address rentals or minimum lease terms, then now is a good time to work with your community association management company and legal counsel to make amendments.

Handling day-to-day maintenance and making necessary improvements are critical responsibilities for any homeowners association (HOA). And when your serve on your association’s board of directors, they can quickly become overwhelming if you don’t have a good system in place to manage them. So how do you make sure that your maintenance staff is able to handle that long list of tasks that need to get done so that your community runs smoothly and retains its appeal?

The half-year mark has come and gone and we’re now staring budget preparation season in the face. With just a little preparation you can charge forward to tackle this budget with confidence. As North America’s leading association management company we are no strangers to annual budgets. In our experience the first step to successful budget planning is a little preparation. Here are a few quick tips to get you started on the right foot.

As homeowners associations (HOAs) in south Texas recently discovered first hand, it doesn’t always matter what kind of preparation your community makes before a powerful hurricane strikes. The effects can still be devastating – even after the storm loses strength. Learn more about the steps your HOA board should take to expedite the recovery process and how your management company can make a difference in helping to rebuild your community.

What can you do to reduce landscaping costs and use your dollars more effectively? Fortunately, a lot! Discover seven simple ideas to help preserve the green around your grounds and in your budget.

The fact is, money matters—and frugally stretching every dollar has become a popular trend. So it should come as no surprise that condo owners are now leveraging their homes as short-term rentals to make a little extra money. However resourceful this may be, renting out your home on a short-term basis has the potential to negatively impact property values, the quality of life for residents in your building and the overall morale of your community. Let’s talk about proactive, practical solutions to combat this rising trend before it becomes a real problem.

Online rental businesses like Airbnb and VRBO have been actively supporting the shared economy and petitioning for standardized regulation of short-term rentals in Texas and across the US. Learn how this trend can impact your community.

Rental restrictions, like many other association policies, have their ups and downs and can be a hot topic of conversation for homeowners association (HOA) boards. While governing documents sometimes address this issue, more often the intricacies of individual communities and the specific character of residents can make this a more subjective matter. If your community is considering implementing or updating its community rental policy, here are a few things you should consider.

No matter what kind of vendor your HOA needs – a caterer for your onsite party, a roofer to repair post-hurricane damage or a painter to spiff up your lobby – your board should never take a casual approach to the hiring process.

After partnering with thousands of board members like you, we've identified 5 tips to help you be successful this year.

Online access to user-friendly host platforms like Airbnb & HomeAway have contributed to skyrocketing numbers of short-term rentals. While a vast majority of rental stays are uneventful, the sheer number of travelers who use these services mean that accidental or even fatal injuries can occur. Take action to make sure that your homeowners' association is educated on insurance risks and coverage for the unexpected.

How much do you know about community association insurance? Although your bylaws and declarations include requirements to provide community association insurance coverage, most board members don’t know as much about it as they should.

You may be unaware that you are opening up all of your emails to scrutiny. When using a personal or work email address to conduct association business, there is a potential liability involved.