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Rules are Rules: How to Enforce Neighborhood Covenants
Managing association covenant enforcement can be difficult in any community. Restrictions for every community can be different, and it can be a challenge to keep the rules fair, reasonable and equally applied to all homeowners. Read on for some basic guidelines that will make navigating through these issues a little easier. -
EV Charging Event Top Takeaways
Missed the event? Discover our top takeaways for adding or optimizing EV Charging for your high-rise building. -
Discover How You Can Implement HOA Pool Rules, Texas
In Texas, where temperatures can reach triple digits and humidity isn’t far behind, a refreshing dip in a pool can be a welcome relief. That’s why so many HOAs offer swimming pools as an amenity. Here are 10 guidelines to help you manage your association pool. -
How Can My Texas Condo Association Manage Holiday Package Overload?
Shopping is the hallmark of the holiday season, but the influx of packages can make any condominium association struggle to stay organized. Discover ways to handle holiday packages with ease by asking four simple questions. -
Holiday Party Planning. All the Sparkle Without the Stress.
You want to celebrate the season with family and friends, but with the holiday merely weeks away, landing a role opposite of George Clooney sounds easier than planning a holiday bash. Does it not? Well fear not! These primo party planning tips will have you singing carols over eggnog in next to no time (and for little money), all compliments of our professional party planner. -
Holiday Decorations Dos and Don’ts: HOA Rules For Holiday Decorations
How to establish decorating policies without being a grinch. Keep spirits bright this season for the whole community! -
Municipal Duties Move to ‘Burbs as HOAs Must Step In
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. -
Planning an Award-Winning National Night Out Event
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. -
HOA Lighting Rules: How Your HOA Can Prevent a Holiday Light Trespass Issue
Holiday lights can brighten the community, but they also have a down side. Learn tips to minimize issues in your HOA with sensible policies. -
Set Holiday Décor Standards Without Being a Scrooge
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! -
5 Ways to Create Sensible Condo Policies
Every condominium corporation needs rules and policies. But if your condo board doesn’t carefully think them through or doesn’t implement them properly, they can backfire. Rules that go too far or enforcement that is inconsistent or lax can lead to animosity among residents and can chip away at your condo’s sense of community. How can your board implement rules and policies that won’t cause these types of problems? -
Condominium Management Basics – 10 Helpful Hints
As a board member of a condominium corporation you have an important role that should not be taken lightly. Remember, in addition to the responsibility you have to the members of your community from a business point of view, these people are also your neighbours and friends. -
Tips for Creating a Community Newsletter
Creating a newsletter for your condominium residents that will give them valuable and relevant information is harder to do than it may seem upon first glance. Here are the basic things to consider, brought to you by your property management professionals at FirstService Residential. -
Creating a Condo Flooring Policy to Address Noise Issues
When people live in close quarters, it is inevitable that they will hear sounds from neighbouring condos from time to time. Noise between units can be minimized in many ways. One of the most effective tools for a condominium board to implement is a flooring policy that guides owners when they want to replace their floor coverings. Choosing the right products makes a big difference when it comes to the transfer of noise between condominium units. -
Creating Positive Interactions Between Condo Board Members
Everyone brings their own assumptions and methods of completing tasks to each group to which they belong. Condominium board members are no different. While the diversity of the group can be its greatest strength, it also can create difficulties between the individual members. It is important to structure condo board meetings in a way that creates a professional and positive working relationship. Here are some tips to help boards achieve this. -
Cyber Security Part Two: Board Member Tips for Keeping Your Condo Association Safe
In part one of this two-part series, we discussed the importance of cyber security to your condo association and the steps that residents can take to protect themselves and their association. In this article, we look at your board’s responsibility in preventing cyber attacks. -
Defining Condo Corporation Leaders’ Rights and Responsibilities to Create Better Communities
When your condominium board members (and your property management team, if you are working with a professional management company) have a thorough understanding of their rights and responsibilities, it helps to create a more inviting community. Your community is more likely to be effectively managed and well-maintained, which leads to happier residents. -
Drowning in Paperwork? Six Guidelines for Getting it Organized
We all know that “organizing paperwork” is not at the top of most people’s list of things-to-do. Most likely we also know that it suddenly achieves high importance when we have to ask ourselves “now where did I see/put that?” When speaking of the documents of a condominium corporation, it is imperative that these be accessible and up-to-date when they are needed. These six guidelines will help you get it organized. -
Eleven Tips to Improve the Security of your Home
Don’t make it easy for criminals to get into your home. These 11 common sense tips will help homeowners improve the security of their property and make it safer for their families. -
Four ways to set decoration policies for your condominium corporation without being a grinch
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. -
How to Communicate so Condo Residents Listen
Are residents in your condominium corporation always aware of upcoming events, construction projects and board meetings? Do they understand their responsibilities and the policies they need to comply with? -
Keeping Your Condo Board Committees on Track
Community committees allow residents to become involved in the activities of their condominium. They can also help reduce the work load for the volunteer board. In order to function properly though, committees do need structure and board guidance. These eight tips will help to ensure your committees make positive contributions to the community and are aligned with board goals. -
Nine Things to Know About Conflicts of Interest
The term “conflict of interest” is often used when discussing board member activities, but it is one that is not always understood. Having a clear definition of what is and what is not a conflict of interest is critical to a board as it carries out its duties on behalf of the rest of the owners.