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No longer the products of science fiction fantasy, electric cars are now a reality of everyday life. While the reduced emissions of personal electric vehicles, or PEVs, are good news for the environment, their charging requirements may create challenges for condo associations trying to navigate their infrastructure requirements, legal implications, management concerns and even aesthetic considerations.

Millennials (also called “Generation Y”) are making a big impact on communities. Comprising the youngest adult population in America (think people born between about 1980 and 1995), these individuals now constitute 31% of all new home and condo sales, according to the National Association of Realtor’s Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends study 2014. Here’s a breakdown that puts it all into perspective:

Maybe you’re self-managing your community. And maybe things are going just fine. But maybe they could be better...and just maybe, that could happen through full-service property management.

The relationship between a community and its property management company is like most relationships in your life: its success hinges on communication.

The great thing about community association boards is the variety of people who volunteer their time to serve the association. They bring with them different perspectives, divergent attitudes, and refreshing points of view.

When your homeowners association took control of your community from the developer, a lot of paperwork came with that. Some of the paperwork undoubtedly included a number of warranties. Since then, you have probably collected warranties for a range of products and services your association has purchased. But be honest: How familiar are you with them?

It takes a lot to build a great community: you need committed residents, a dedicated board of directors, and a clear understanding of everybody’s roles and responsibilities. A strong community board will offer a complete vision for the community.

You’ve heard the terms “reasonable accommodation” and “reasonable modification” before. But do you know the specific definitions of the terms and how they apply to your association?

What does the future hold? Unfortunately, not the jet packs and flying cars we all thought we’d have, but there are important changes in practice and perspective in store for community association governance. To get at the heart of these upcoming changes and trends, Common Ground , an official publication of Community Associations Institute (CAI), brought 50 experts, members and stakeholders together to paint a picture of the future. The results from this panel have been published in the March/April 2016 edition of this publication. We’ve summarized the high points for you in this article, and we’ve added some insight from FirstService Residential, too.

Owning a home within a homeowner's association (HOA) comes with the advantage of having a supportive association that takes care of maintaining common areas and promoting a sense of order within the community.

Look up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane… no, it’s a drone! And it could cause a potential conflict in your homeowner’s association (HOA). While some HOAs and property management companies use the drones as a tool to conduct property inspections, these unmanned, remote-piloted flying vehicles raise important questions on safety and privacy, especially for those devices equipped with cameras and imaging technology. So what’s the role of your community association management company when it comes to drones? Let’s take a look.

The best property management companies agree that meticulously groomed landscaping is vital to enhance your property’s curb appeal. Industry research shows that investing in green spaces is among the top five property improvements that increase ROI return on investment for homeowners, communities and homeowner associations. It is clear that selecting the proper landscaping company is of the utmost importance, but how do you determine which company is right for your community?

Congratulations! You’ve been elected to the Board of your community association. You and your fellow members have some exciting ideas about ways to improve your community. And part of that is keeping your residents informed. It should be easy for you to write and distribute a newsletter, right?

Many multifamily properties and high-rises want to implement “green” living practices and create eco-friendly communities, but not everyone knows where nor how to get started. Here are some effective and easy tips to help you be proactive and successful in achieving your sustainability goals. Read on for a list of programs and services that can be put in place in your community at little to no cost.

The dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke are well known, and tobacco use is now the leading cause of disease and preventable death in the United States. But smoking doesn’t just impact our personal health – it also affects the buildings we live in, potentially increasing the risks of fire and property damage, raising insurance costs, increasing legal liability and more. In addition, property management companies, condominium associations and property owners often field complaints from homeowners about how smoking doesn’t just affect their health and safety, but also their lifestyle – issues like secondhand smoke drifting into their units, increased litter and fire hazards from discarded cigarette butts, smelly and unsightly ashtrays ruining the aesthetics of common areas, and more.

Is your homeowners association considering starting a recycling program for your community? If so, bravo! Take a look at some of the benefits: conserving energy, saving water, preserving resources, reducing air pollution and saving landfill space. And did you know that in addition to helping the environment, recycling can also provide economic benefits as well? To get you started, here are some tips and considerations to help your association plan and implement a successful recycling program for your community.

Enhancing the marketability of your high-rise property requires starting at the top – the rooftop, that is. By leveraging this space to offer creative and imaginative amenities, you’ll not only increase property values, but you’ll also provide a gathering place for residents to relax and connect. Great rooftop spaces also have a way of infusing more resort style living into your high-rise.

How can I get the best service for my property? That’s a question community associations wrestle with regularly. Some self-managed community associations believe they can’t afford to hire a professional property management company to manage and maintain their community’s operations, assets, finances, common areas and other day-to-day activities.

In this article, we will explore the key aspects of transitioning to a new property management company and discuss the best ways that the chosen company can support your community throughout the process.

Amenities continue to rank among one of the most important considerations for prospective buyers at both active adult and multi-generational lifestyle communities across the country. Amenities are highly influential in motivating a homebuyer’s decision about where they ultimately choose to live and also contribute to the overall level of satisfaction among current homeowners. Communities that fall short in meeting buyer expectations or that fail to plan amenities around consumer interests can be negatively impacted in terms of sales, referrals, profitability and reputation of their brand. Homeowner associations, tasked with planning for new amenities and implementation of supporting programming, will have influence on these important variables.

Improving your building’s energy efficiency is good for your budget and for your property values. Getting a professional energy audit is a crucial step on the road toward energy efficiency. It can tell you which upgrades make the most sense for your property and show you potential energy and cost savings.

To be an effective board member you need the right training. Learn how to get the training you need to successfully govern your community association.

No matter where your high-rise building is located, rising energy costs can have a drastic impact on your community association’s budget. Implementing methods to conserve energy can help your association reduce energy costs and optimize your high-rise’s annual budget.

Whether you're on the board of a high-rise or community association. you want to hire a property management company that will provide the best service for their community. What does that really mean?