Search

New to a condo or homeowners association, or need a refresher? We put together some vocabulary you will want to be familiar with.

You may not be able to control rising utility rates, but your condo or homeowners association (HOA) can take measures to make your energy budget go a lot further. Just follow the four strategies described in this article. They’ve already worked for many Illinois properties managed by FirstService Residential.

Pat Bialek, VP Property Management, was named Community Association Manager of the Year at the Excellence Awards and Winter Gala hosted by the Community Associations Institute (CAI), Illinois Chapter. As the first-ever winner of this prestigious award, Pat was recognized for her exemplary knowledge, ethics, professionalism and skills in financial, administrative and facilities management.

It’s that wonderful time of year! Many of us are shopping online to get that perfect gift for our loved ones. And, for those doing last-minute shopping, we don’t want to have to worry that something will go wrong with our deliveries.

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?

As a homeowner, you want to live in a place that accentuates your style – from a beautiful entrance monument or exquisitely decorated building lobby, complete with freshly pruned trees and lush landscaping – but unless your association board has strategically planned out your community’s budget, you can forget all of that. The budgeting process is a valuable opportunity to explore the current financial condition of your association and ensure its financial stability for the future.

The spring season is a time for renewal and a fresh look, so being able to properly landscape around the building is of utmost importance.

Having an integrated plan is the key to proactively addressing your property's maintenance needs. Here are six things you need to do for an effective preventive maintenance plan.

Reserve components are association maintained major property components with a determinate useful life. The analysis of the reserve components results in accurate and supportable annual reserve fund contributions.

Some self-managed 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. However, as you'll learn in this article, a professional property management company is one thing many communities can't afford to be without.

The Board Secretary is responsible for meeting the Association’s legal and financial obligations and maintaining the Association’s records. Depending on the Association’s requirements, some of the following tasks may need to be distributed to other Board Members or it might be necessary to appoint an assistant to the Secretary.

Maintenance issues are something every Twin Cities community association deals with, whether it’s damage caused by a harsh Minnesota weather or regular upkeep, on average, maintenance can account for 25% or more of your association’s overall expenditures.

The holiday season is upon us, and nothing puts you in a festive like pulling your holiday decorations out of storage. Many people derive a sense of community and comfort from seeing familiar decorations at the same time each year.

You want your community association to be successful. All board members do. You know that means watching the finances carefully and maintaining the property. But do you think about effective board communication as an ingredient in your recipe for success? It is!

To help you avoid the most common board blunders, we’ve identified four mistakes and some practical ways to avoid them. By preventing blunders, you can help steer your board in the right direction, which can ultimately help improve your overall community.

You probably know what a good community manager looks like. They work well with people and are familiar with the ins and outs of HOAs. But a great community manager is the foundation to a thriving community.

Most homeowners associations (HOAs) in Nevada are managed by a community management company. So hiring a new management company is a pretty common occurrence in our state.

A well-informed and engaged HOA can help elevate your resident experience and improve property values. Learn what five HOA topics you should know to boost your association’s reputation now and in the future.

Find out what steps residents can take to prevent a cyber attack by reading part one of our three-part series on cyber security.

Technology has come a long way over the past decade. Mobile devices now let you pay credit card bills, order takeout, make doctor’s appointments and store personal information in “the cloud” with the touch of a button or a tap on your phone. Nevada homeowners associations are utilizing the latest digital technologies in a big way.

Be honest: As a board member for your homeowners association (HOA), how much do you think about cyber security? More and more, hackers are targeting small businesses – and remember, your HOA is a small business. In part two of this three-part series, we offer tips that your board should take to keep your community safe from hackers.

You’ve probably seen stories about drones in the news. Or, you might be the owner of a drone yourself. Either way, you know that these unmanned, remote-piloted flight vehicles have come under scrutiny because of safety and privacy concerns. Is there a way your HOA can manage the use of drones in your community?

Be honest: How good are your association’s HOA communication tools? Can residents and board members readily contact each other and your management company? Does your method of exchanging information ensure safety, privacy, and compliance with Nevada HOA laws?

Your board took the time to create a solid budget your association can stick to. Now how do you regularly measure your success at doing so? Regularly generated financial statements are the best tool for keeping an eye on the fiscal fitness of your association.