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  • 5 steps to create a lifestyle program using community amenities

    Now more than ever, communities are searching for ways to increase resident engagement and create a social atmosphere. One way managers capitalize on their available community amenities is through lifestyle programming.
  • Why Millennials Matter to the Future of Your Association

    Millennials are the fastest growing group of home buyers in the US. Learn why you need to get this important demographic involved in your association today.
  • 8 tips for creating and enforcing HOA rules

    Good rules make good community members. The most important factors in association policy making, whether for a condo, co-op, townhome or master-planned community, are clarity and sensibility. The board must be clear – and united – on the policy being created and then must communicate that policy to all residents. Whether the policy is about overnight guest parking, designated smoking areas, amenity usage or approved flooring, the basic steps to creating good policy and enforcing it successfully are the same. It’s important that everyone involved, including board members, residents and the management team, understand who is responsible for the various roles that are part of policy creation, enforcement and compliance.
  • How to Host an Annual Meeting Your Homeowners Will WANT to Attend

    Annual meetings don't have to be boring! Learn how your community association board can entice your homeowners into attending with easy tips.
  • How to plan HOA events: 6 important tips

    Want your events to bring residents closer? Everyone loves a well-planned event, and the residents in your community association are no exception. Follow these tips for creating memorable events in your community association.
  • How to increase HOA and community volunteerism

    Regardless of the size of your community, or where it’s located, there is always one thing that every community association board and committee needs: resident volunteers. Unfortunately, however, volunteers are often a scarce resource.
  • Keeping HOA and Condo Common Areas Clean During the Coronavirus Pandemic

    During these unprecedented times, residents are spending the majority of their time at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect themselves and their loved ones from infection. One of their primary contact points with the outside world is in your HOA or condo common areas, where they can be at risk of contact with lingering coronavirus or even spread existing virus to other areas of the property. Read on for a comprehensive list of places to clean and how to clean them.
  • 5 HOA annual meeting requirements to keep your meeting on track

    Your board should give residents the opportunity to have their voices heard, but you also have a responsibility to keep the meeting moving forward. Use these 5 HOA annual meeting requirements to stay on track.
  • Fall tips for homeowners: Your comprehensive checklist

    Whether your HOA is self-managed or professionally managed, getting started on your fall and winter prep will help keep your operations running smoothly as the seasons and temperatures change – and that will keep your residents happy as well.
  • Making a Difference One Face Mask at a Time

    Learn how associates, residents and board members are making a difference in their communities, one face mask at a time, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Mold: How Should Your Association and Homeowners Handle It?

    No one wants to find mold in their home or any association building. Unfortunately, mold is ubiquitous – it’s in the air and in the water, and when given the chance, it spreads like crazy. Learn steps to prevent mold or to have it assessed and properly treated, preserving your buildings and the health of your residents.
  • Monster Meetings - Stick to the Rules to Control Meetings

    While association meetings usually run smoothly, Board members with differing opinions and agendas can create tension and stress. The good news is that by following standard procedure protocols, Board meetings can be run without a hitch. In this article from chicagocooperator.com, FirstService Residential VP Patricia Bialek of Illinois summarizes "Roberts Rules of Order" and explains how Board presidents can use them to keep meetings under control.
  • Understanding the duties during property management staffing changes

    Sooner or later, most community associations face some kind of management change. If your community has a great manager, you probably want them to stay forever. But how realistic is that?
  • Pros and Cons of Do It Yourself Repairs and Maintenance

    FirstService Residential's Bill Worrall discusses the hidden costs of DIY maintenance and repairs and provides great insight into how boards can determine what can be done in house and what should be subbed out to appropriate contractors.
  • Hiring a reserve study company: 5 things to know

    In our guide to capital improvements , reserve studies and their relationship to capital improvements and preventive maintenance were discussed at length.
  • Seven Tips to Avoid Issues with a Contract for Property Management

    You’ve been there before. You meet with a vendor, they seem like a great choice, and then after a month or so, you find yourself in a dispute.
  • Fighting mold in your condo or HOA: A step-by-step guide

    It’s the scourge of households everywhere: the unsightly, unsanitary, unbecoming sight of mold. But waging war on mold means more than launching a full-scale assault when you see it (though that can be part of the battle plan). Instead, consider a comprehensive strategy – here are some tips to help you get started and steer clear of mold.
  • 5 energy conservation strategies for community associations

    In this article, we delve into the significance of energy conservation within community associations, exploring its benefits and strategies for effective implementation.
  • Benefits of community playgrounds and HOA parks

    HOA community playgrounds and HOA parks can offer a great deal for your residents. They can serve as vibrant hubs, fostering a sense of unity and togetherness among homeowners of all ages. They offer more than just a place to play. They create a shared space for everyone to enjoy.
  • What is a fire hydrant?: What to know about community fire hydrants

    Aside from knowing to not park next to one, how deep is your knowledge of fire hydrants? Unless you’re a firefighter, it’s probably not that extensive. This may not be a problem... until the unthinkable happens and you need to be confident that your fire hydrants are in good working order. But like any equipment in your community, fire hydrants need to be maintained.
  • Six ways to maximize your community committees

    Community members join committees because they want to make a difference. That’s great, but sometimes, as they say, life gets in the way. Let’s not forget that committee members are all volunteers, which means it might take something a little extra to keep them motivated.
  • Can HOA fees increase? The benefits of raising HOA dues

    What exactly are HOA dues, and can an HOA raise dues without notice? In this article, we’ll explain what HOA dues are, HOA fee increase limits, and five benefits of small, regular increases.
  • Socially Distant Celebration During COVID-19

    Learn how community members are making a difference in their communities with socially distant celebrations during COVID-19 spring holidays.
Showing 73 - 96 of 636