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Everything is bigger in Texas & sometimes even hurricanes. And during hurricane season, being a board member for a residential community in the Houston area can bring some big challenges, too. To help get you and your community ready and reduce the effects if a hurricane does strike, we've put together six important tips.

Summer time – the perfect season to hit the road, relax, spend time with family and friends, or embark on a new adventure. While you hope your residents have fun on their summer vacations, you also want to make sure that their homes stay safe and they fulfill their responsibilities to the association while away. Whether you live in a condominium, master-planned or single-family community, you want to make sure that your residents prepare their homes in a way that helps protect themselves and the community.

Summertime: It’s the perfect season to hit the road, relax, spend time with family and friends or embark on a new adventure. Although you hope that residents in your community have fun on their summer vacations, you also want to make sure that their homes stay safe and that they continue to fulfill their responsibilities to the association. Whether yours is a condominium, master-planned or single-family community, follow these tips to help your residents prepare their homes in a way that protects it and the community while they are away.

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.

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?

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?

For most people selling a condominium, it is important to stand out from the competition in the real estate market, have a quick sale and obtain the best possible price. But how do you do that? The way your property is presented to potential buyers makes a big difference. Consider these tips to help you achieve real estate sales success.

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.

What are your property manager's responsibilities? Find out if they have what it takes. Upcoming Condominium Management Licenses and more.

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.

Is your preventative maintenance plan in need of a check-up? Read on to learn the 11 questions you should ask to assess your HOA’s maintenance health.

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.

FirstService Residential has helped boards and building owners save millions of dollars in energy costs, in part, through our Energy Aggregation Purchasing Program.

FirstService Residential recommends that all boards and building owners consider the installation of EV charging stations and incentives available through NYSERDA and ConEd.

Are you interested in becoming a Community Association Manager? It requires a passion for helping others, empathy, and dedication to providing quality customer service, among other things. Read our article to learn if it's the right fit for you.

More Americans are switching from gasoline to electric vehicles (EVs). Residential properties are installing charging stations to stay relevant and positively impact property values.

More Americans are switching from gasoline to electric vehicles (EVs). Residential properties are installing charging stations to stay relevant and positively impact property values.

More Americans are switching from gasoline to electric vehicles (EVs). Residential properties are installing charging stations to stay relevant and positively impact property values.

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

Emulating the 5-star hotel industry, many high-rise condominium communities are offering luxury amenities to their residents. Learn more about luxury building amenity trends!

Emulating the 5-star hotel industry trends, many high-rise condominium communities are offering luxury amenities to their residents. Learn more about luxury building amenity trends!