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Vetting Vendors: A Path to Success
Replacing a trusted vendor or finding a new one can be a challenge. How can you have peace of mind that the vendors you’re considering are right for you? Follow the tips below to help screen potential vendors and get the best fit for your association. -
How a preventive maintenance plan can prepare your condo for all seasons
Cold weather will soon be upon us, so now is the time to make sure your condominium maintenance program is on track. As brutal as Ontario's winters can be, you certainly don't want to discover a leak in your roof during a heavy snowfall or have a boiler stop working during a record cold spell. -
Why Preparation for This Hurricane Season is Important for Your Community
Is your community prepared to weather a storm? June 1st marks the beginning of the 2016 hurricane season running through November 30th. The National Weather Service reports that, of an average of 12 tropical storms that form over the Atlantic Ocean each year, six become hurricanes. In the Central Pacific, an average of three tropical storms form, with two escalating to full-blown hurricane status. Figures like these make hurricanes a very real threat for many communities and homeowners. In fact, 2016 promises to be anything but your average year. Let’s take a look at why you may want to approach this year in a way that’s as unique as the weather conditions themselves. -
Automating Compliance & Inspections for Multifamily Buildings in NYC
Robust automation software can help boards and building owners in New York City satisfy local law compliance deadlines and inspection cycles. -
Is HOA Agreement a Unicorn? 3 Boards Share What It Takes
While maintenance, events, committees, and budget are all crucial aspects of managing a homeowners’ association, there's one even bigger challenge that board members face: HOA agreement and alignment. Read on to discover the secret to successful alignment among diverse individuals with distinct values. -
Can Your HOA Handle a Crisis? 8-Step Emergency Preparedness Plan
Is your HOA ready for a crisis, or does your emergency plan need improvement? Download a complimentary guide, HOA Emergency Preparedness Guide: 8 Questions to Ask . -
5 Surprising Reasons to Raise Your HOA Assessments
If your main concern is to avoid increasing assessments, you may want to reconsider. As a board member, one of your primary fiduciary responsibilities is to protect property values, and assessments are an investment that helps do just that. -
Your HOA Board and Coronavirus: 5 Questions to Discuss
How should your HOA board handle a pandemic like COVID-19? Start by tackling these 5 questions -
Can Your HOA Handle a Crisis? 8-Step Emergency Preparedness Plan
Is your HOA ready for a crisis, or does your emergency plan need improvement? Download a complimentary guide, HOA Emergency Preparedness. -
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Reserve Funds, Assessment, or Loan: 3 Ways to Pay for a Capital Improvement Fee
Great capital improvements lead to better property values. Read on to see the three ways to pay for them and the pros and cons for each. -
Seven High-Rise Insurance Tips for Associations and Unit Owners
Many people who live in cities like Phoenix and Scottsdale appreciate the rewards that come with living in a high-rise building. Some of the unique advantages include great amenities, security and even concierge services. High-rise buildings are also unique when it comes to insurance coverage. Besides the individual policies that unit owners need to have, the building and common areas must be covered as well. -
3 Strategies to Keep HOA Assessments Stable and Add Value
There are often valid reasons to raise assessments, but in some cases, you may want to take a different route. Here are three cost-saving strategies. -
HOA Communication Tools: What Your Board Should Know and Do
Have you considered the importance of effective board communication in your recipe for success? Follow these HOA communication tools and tips for a path to effective communication. -
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An Ounce of Prevention
Like changing the oil in your car, regular maintenance on a building helps keeps everything working properly and safely. For stratas, some tasks are not optional, they are mandatory. -
Building Security Tips for the Holiday Season
Security risks increase exponentially during the holiday seasons for high-rise buildings. Many residents travel for the holidays, move to warmer weather during the winter months, or have an influx of guests and family members in and out. These factors make it easy for intruders to make it into the building, especially if there are no procedures in place to track the many people and deliveries in and out of the building. -
Calm in a Crisis - Emergency Preparedness Plan
A strata management company never wants to find itself in the midst of an emergency, but it can happen anytime and anywhere. Whether you face an outbreak of illness, earthquake, or a flood, the impact of any devastating event can be minimized if your council has prepared for it. No doubt, your council meetings are already chock full of agenda items, but it’s important to make emergency preparedness planning a priority. -
The Importance of Homeowners Insurance
Up to 60 percent of strata home owners in the Greater Vancouver Regional District lack insurance. A good policy will protect your biggest asset and help you keep your head above water. -
Customer Care: 7 Ways Your Management Company Should “Answer the Call"
If your community is managed by a strata management company, you probably have an after-hours number you can call for urgent issues. But what if you simply want to take care of day-to-day strata business? “People don’t operate in normal business hours anymore,” says Rolando Hernandez, national customer care director at FirstService Residential. “Residents and council members need to be able to take care of strata business how and when it’s convenient for them.” -
Effective Communication During Social Distancing
We will all need a measure of patience as we navigate changes related to the pandemic. Communications may move at a pace that’s different than we’re used to. As always, the best policy is to assume positive intentions from others, listen carefully and respond professionally. -
Four ways to set decoration policies for your strata 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. -
Getting Your Strata’s Spring Cleaning Started
As strata managers begin their inspection, they note the necessary repairs for winter damage as they make their rounds through the community. -
How to Communicate: What Your Strata Council Should Know and Do
You want your strata to be successful. All council members do. You know that means watching the finances carefully and maintaining the property. But do you think about effective strata council communication as an ingredient in your recipe for success? It is!