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It’s often said that you should never judge a book by its cover. However, the front-line curb appeal of a community can make a difference in the value of every property in a neighborhood. This is one reason current and potential homeowners consider landscaping and common-area maintenance so important.

John Friedrichsen, Senior Vice President & CFO of FirstService Residential parent company FirstService Corporation, is quoted in USA Today about how HOAs benefit from the value-added services provided by leading professional management companies.

National Night Out is an annual event that promotes partnerships between communities, residents and local law enforcement. Celebrations can range from individual block parties to a large community festival. Either way, it’s a great opportunity to create connections between neighbors and focus on working together to make your community a safer, better place to live. This national celebration has become an annual tradition in many communities far and wide and we want to help you put together the best National Night Out event your association has seen yet.

Holiday lights can brighten the community, but they also have a down side. Learn tips to minimize issues in your HOA with sensible policies.

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?

It's easy to get enthusiastic about holiday decorating. How do you keep your residents from going overboard without being a scrooge? Read on for simple tips to keep holidays in your community merry!

You and your fellow board members want what’s best for your condo corporation. You’re serious about your fiduciary duty and about protecting the corporation’s interests. Misunderstanding some important facts about insurance can actually put your community may be at risk.

At one time or another, every condominium corporation has to spend money on replacing equipment or making major repairs. Whether that means replacing a roof, installing a new ventilation system or any other big-ticket project, they are a necessity. But how should your condo corporation pay for them?

Self-managing your condominium property may seem like it saves money, but does it really? Why the cheapest property management option may not be the best.

Lights, candles and wreaths, oh my! The most decorated season of the year is arriving, with celebrations from many cultures and faiths coinciding in the next few months. For condo communities, the desire to deck the halls can clash with the rules of the corporation. Follow these tips to maintain a festive community without décor running amok.

When it comes to cyberattacks, you may be under the assumption that your condo corporation is flying under the radar. But you’d be dead wrong. In fact, as a small business, your corporation may be at greater risk of being targeted than ever before.

It seems innocent, but a surprising number of balcony and backyard fires are unintentionally started by disposal of smoking material in a potted plant or planter box. In a condominium environment this can have, and has had, disastrous consequences. And it's not just a summertime problem.

We can all agree there are many important elements to a housing structure, but your roof is probably the most important. Changing temperatures, snow accumulation, large amounts of rain, ice dams and high winds can all cause major damage to condominiums, townhomes and single-family homes. These harsh weather conditions can create all sorts of problems, from minor leaks to major cave-ins that can cost a condominium corporation thousands to repair.

When renting your condominium, both owner and tenant have responsibilities under the Condominium Property Act of Alberta (CPA). These are in addition to rights and responsibilities for landlords and tenants covered in the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA).

Proper condominium management depends upon the annual budget for both short- and long-term financial planning. It’s important to follow some guidelines to ensure the success of the community and protect the investment of the owners.

Learn about cyber liability insurance policy, how to protect your HOA or COA from data breaches, and more ways to stay safe online.

Learn more about which Florida HOA laws passed in 2020, and how these new bills will affect your community.

Get the latest Florida phase 3 property management guidelines to ensure your association is compliant.

Now is the time for building engineers to winterize their buildings to protect them from harsh Illinois winters.

FirstService Residential and FirstService Financial work in tandem to help our clients successfully finance capital improvement projects and save money without compromising quality of service.

FirstService Residential managed properties have access to the tax certiorari experts at Goldberg Weprin Finkel Goldstein LLP, the premier firm in this specialized field.

Catch our latest online discussion with our lifestyle gurus, who'll discuss this year's lifestyle trends, best practices and hosting virtual events.

There are valid reasons to raise assessments, but in some cases, you may be able to go a different route. Here are four strategies to save your HOA money and keep assessments stable.