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Open and effective communication among the board, management company and vendors is an important part of any community's operating budget and for improving residents' lifestyles.

When your association has to invest in its property, whether for repairs or a new construction project, the financing for that work must be considered as carefully as the work itself

Your vendors are a critical part of your community’s emergency planning for any kind of hurricane or storm. Are you on the same page before, during and after a storm?

The number of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) on the road is quickly growing, which means the need for conveniently located battery charging stations is also on the rise. What does this mean for your association?

The Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt made their debut as the first US mass-market plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) more than five years ago. Nearly half a million have jumped on the PEV bandwagon. What does this mean for community associations?

Choosing a vendor is a decision that should only be made once you're re sure you've done your research. Here's a list of reasons why it makes more sense to go with a top-level vendor...even if it costs a little more.

Nothing lasts forever…and you need to have a plan to replace major items and systems before their useful lifespans end. How do you create that plan? Start with a quality reserve study.

Selling your home? Here are a few tips that will help you add appeal and value to your home.

Reserve studies are vital to the success of your association, which is why partnering with the right reserve study firm is critical. Here are some tips to help you find a reserve study firm.

Every community experiences a transition from the developer to the newly independent Board of Directors. Here is a property management turnover checklist to make yours a success.

A successful capital improvement project requires a lot of planning to ensure that things go as smoothly as possible. Does your community know where to start?

When your association has to invest in its property, whether for repairs or a new construction project, the financing for that work must be considered as carefully as the work itself.

Open and effective communication among the board, management company and vendors is an important part of any community's operating budget and for improving residents' lifestyles.

A successful capital improvement project requires a lot of planning to ensure that things go as smoothly as possible. Does your community know where to start?

Nothing lasts forever and you need to have a plan to replace major items and systems before their lifespans end. How do you create that plan? Start with a quality reserve study.

It’s that time of year again – budget season is upon us. You know the things to consider when creating your budget, but what drives your process? Are you focused on achieving a particular vision for your community? Avoiding conflict in the community? Solely looking to avoid increasing dues?

Budgeting is the time for making tough decisions for how your association spends its money, and sometimes those decisions can, unfortunately, lead to contention. Clear communication about the association budget should be provided to all homeowners throughout the year to help solve problems before they begin and smoothly pave the way for needed changes.

It’s a common problem that many condo and homeowners’ associations (HOAs) face: rules that simply don’t work as they were intended. Sometimes it’s because they are enforced inconsistently or aren’t enforced at all. Other times it’s because they go too far. At their worst, poorly instituted HOA policies can even cause neighborhood discord.

Humans are social creatures with a deep-seated yearning for connection and community. This is particularly evident in a condo association or HOA, where a strong sense of community can be the difference between long-standing residency and high turnover.

One of the most challenging aspects of being on the board of your homeowners association (HOA) can be running board meetings. It’s not always easy to keep everyone tuned into the business at hand. In addition, you have to manage the inevitable disagreements among board members. How do you keep these meetings running smoothly?

Your association should never have to rely on a special assessment for a capital expense that could have been foreseen – or even prevented. Here are five tips to keep your Chicago high-rise condominium association's budget in the black and keep up with maintenance and capital improvements.

Whether you’re on the board of a single-family homeowners association (HOA) or a high-rise condo association, your community depends on volunteers to operate successfully. However, finding residents who are willing to be on your board of directors, join a committee or help at an event can be challenging.

You may be unaware that you are opening up all of your emails to scrutiny. When using a personal or work email address to conduct association business, there is a potential liability involved.

Nothing lasts forever…and when it comes time to replace your high-rise roof, community pool or to add new amenities, your association will need to determine how to pay for it. All of these things – significant repairs and replacements, as well as new construction – are considered capital improvements.