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Service dogs can help individuals with a variety of disabilities enjoy a greater quality of life and assist in performing daily tasks. What happens when your association’s policies and the need for a service animal conflict? The short answer is, if a service animal is needed and used as outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the community cannot prohibit it.

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.

For many of us, the holiday season can feel like a continuous run on a treadmill of work/shop/repeat – with a few parties and social engagements sprinkled in just to spice things up – and complicate your schedule.

If you live in a master-planned community, you are a member of its master association. As the umbrella association for the community as a whole, the master association maintains common areas such as community roads, entrances, and amenities.

Hiring a professional property management company for your homeowners’ association is the best way to increase property values and enhance the lifestyles of residents within your community. However, finding the management company that best fits your association’s needs can be a challenge. Should you be looking to partner with a company that has extensive resources drawing from a national presence? Or should you work with a smaller company?

When a property manager presents you with their business card, you might have observed a series of acronyms following their name. These abbreviations, such as CAM, PCAM, CMCA, and others, represent property manager certifications obtained, indicating their level of education and expertise in the field.

Even in the best of times, transitioning from one property management company to another is a work-intensive and stressful process. Things can go bad quickly if the transition is carried out without the necessary resources and strict attention to detail. To avoid potentially serious financial missteps during a management transition, homeowners associations (HOAs) should consider bringing aboard a management company that provides a team of experts to guide the process.

Your front desk staff is the “face” of your building – the first point of contact for homeowners and guests. As a result, each members plays a crucial role in creating your building’s image, as well as shaping the perceptions and experiences of everyone who enters. Consequently, when a resident or visitor walks through the front door – whether it’s their first time or hundredth – the reception and greeting they receive and the way they are treated can significantly impact their entire experience.

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.

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.

Choosing the right community association management company is one of the most important decisions a board will make. Know what you should expect from a qualified service provider!

A good spring-cleaning can do wonders for your community association. Here are some tips to get your started.

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!

9.4 million Floridians live in communities governed by a condominium or homeowners association, paying nearly $10 billion annually to maintain them. Board elections are important because they determine who will make decisions that affect all residents.

There is no way to avoid surprises when it comes to the maintenance of your community. Preventative maintenance ensures that your systems are keeping future problems at bay; predictive maintenance is also effective.

Whether you reside in a homeowners association, condominium association or cooperative association, the one thing they have in common is that they are all led by a Board of Directors.

Every community can expect to experience negligent or careless guests who will either cause a ruckus, or worse, damage association property. When that happens, deciding who should be held responsible for their actions can create a delicate – and potentially volatile – situation. Oftentimes, Boards may go after the owner, but they shouldn’t forge full-steam ahead without some sort of ammunition.

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

Know what questions to ask a prospective property management company in Florida? Check out our list to ensure you have all the right information before making a choice.

Many community association boards and residents would like to implement energy efficiency measures in their communities. But what about the cost to get started?

Estoppel certificates are a critical part of any real estate transaction and can be confusing. What's included, how are they created, what does it all mean? Learn more here.

As a Board member, you have a pretty good idea of what the future holds for your association, but what about the issues that pop up and are out of your control?

Nothing says a healthy community like full homes/units and bustling activity in common areas. Painting a pretty picture of a dynamic community to potential buyers takes minimal effort on the part of the board.