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So your diligent search for that home of your dreams has finally led you to one that fits all your criteria. However, it is in an association, and you have known people who belonged to condo or homeowners associations (HOAs) that were poorly run or financially mismanaged.

You’re moving! That means an exciting new beginning. It also means a lot of work. But no need to stress out – following a simple checklist can prevent those moving migraines. One thing you’ll want to keep in mind: starting as soon as possible is the best policy. Good planning early on will save you some real heartache later. And though we’ve created a timeline that starts at two months out, your home closing may happen in as little as 45 days – just be sure to start the first items on the checklist as soon as you possibly can.

While it’s always best that all parties in an HOA, community association, condo association or other deed-restricted community agree and cooperate, it’s a fact of life that conflicts or disputes may arise. In many cases, the parties can settle their differences amicably and directly through frank and open discussion or negotiation. In other instances you may need mediation or arbitration to find a resolution.

Vacation season has arrived, and with it, the need to pack, plan and in many cases, make arrangements for our four-legged family members. Many hotels and other accommodations are not pet-friendly, so pet owners must decide where, and with whom, to leave Muffy or Max when heading out of town. From kennels to in-home pet sitters, there are various options to fit your lifestyle and budget.

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?

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?

Selling a home in a competitive market can be challenging, and your home still must pass inspection – a critical step to help prospective buyers make an informed decision about your home’s current condition, as well as any repairs and maintenance it may need.

When you purchase a home or unit within a deed-restricted community or building, your new residence comes complete with an added bonus – membership in your association. Whether your association is an HOA, community association or condo association, it’s comprised of fellow homeowners and stakeholders who, like you, want to protect the community’s property values, enhance its quality of life and make it a desirable place to live, both now and in the future.But an association can’t achieve these goals without homeowner involvement – after all, how can you have a say in what happens in your community if you don’t participate?

In today’s busy, noisy, fast-paced world, many of us have become multitaskers by necessity, caught up in trying to juggle the demands and responsibilities of family, health, career, lifestyle, community and more. But what if you could turn down the stress and volume of everyday life and enhance your life just by coming home?

If you’re part of the Millennial generation (typically defined as someone born between 1977 and 1992), the renting vs. buying landscape is drastically different for you than it was for your parents and their peers. That’s leading many Millennials to ask themselves the age-old question: should I rent a home or should I buy?

You just got home from a long day at work, and the trash bins are still there, full, in front of your house. They’re starting to reek, and any calls to your local government at this hour to find out why they weren’t picked up are going right to voicemail. You feel like no one is on your side, and it won’t be long until the raccoons are here to feast.

Winter’s coming, and with colder temperatures comes something that isn’t cool at all: disorganized closets and cluttered winter gear.

What happens when glass from a skyscraper crashes down onto crowded Fifth Avenue? It shatters your expectations of how a condo board, a developer and an insurance company can work together to come up with a compromise solution without litigation. Turns out it’s not impossible. Hey, who knew?

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.

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

For many people, New Year’s Eve is the biggest party of the year. But before you pop that champagne cork or put on your best party hat, think about your four-legged friends – and how your gala plans may affect them. Fireworks and other noisy celebrations make many pets scared and anxious, and sadly, many shelters report an increase in lost dogs and cats this time of year.

Live long and prosper… More than just a catchphrase for the crew of the Starship Enterprise, the desire to live longer and better is a goal many of us hope to achieve. And many of us already are – in fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the average life expectancy continues to rise each year, and is now just shy of 80 years. Want even more proof we’re living longer and more active lives than ever before? Check out the growing popularity of active adult communities, which offer a host of fitness, recreational, social and educational programs exclusively to residents 55 or better.

If you could, would you want to live forever? Jeanne Calment of France, who was 122 ½ years old when she died in 1997, holds the world record for longest confirmed lifespan – long enough that as a child, she actually met Vincent Van Gogh and watched the construction of the Eiffel Tower.

What type of neighbors do you prefer – people just like you, or a mix of ages, stages and life experiences? If you like diversity, you’re not alone – age-inclusive communities, aka multigenerational communities, are found in many locations and varieties throughout the U.S. and Canada. But here’s the challenge: since multigenerational communities attract residents of all ages – and multigenerational lifestyle communities offer desirable amenities and programs – how do their associations choose the right mix of activities and programming to meet homeowners’ needs and interests and enhance their lifestyles, both now and in the years to come?

Millennials are the fastest growing group of home buyers in the US. Learn why you need to get this important demographic involved in your association today.

Now more than ever, communities are searching for ways to increase resident engagement and create a social atmosphere. One way managers capitalize on their available community amenities is through lifestyle programming.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of stuff we accumulate. And it’s hard sometimes to figure out how to part with things, what to do with them and where they should go. The experts at California Closets, the leader in custom home storage solutions, have you covered. Follow these tips to declutter your home and even do some good in the process.

Annual meetings don't have to be boring! Learn how your community association board can entice your homeowners into attending with easy tips.