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  • How Should You Enable Board Member Succession?

     Jun 23, 2017
    Thriving business organizations plan for succession. It’s built into their corporate strategy – team members with potential are identified early on, and then groomed for the leadership positions they’ll someday hold. 

  • Why a Team Transition Is The Best Approach For Your Community

     Jun 21, 2017
    How can your association avoid missteps and pitfalls when switching from one community management company to another? A great management company will have a depth of resources for your community, and that includes resources to help with your transition. To make sure that your transition goes well, you need to be able to rely on the skills of professionals in every facet of it. 

  • Six Essential Tips For New HOA Board Members

     Jun 19, 2017
    Congratulations are in order – you’ve just been elected to the board. So now the big question: What’s next? “The great thing about associations that are helmed by owners is that they have a vested interest in doing right by their community,” said Kirk Kowieski, CMCA, AMS, vice president of FirstService Residential. “But that also comes with challenges...many board members find themselves in this kind of position for the first time, so there’s a little bit of a learning curve.” Fortunately, FirstService Residential is here to help. Follow these new board member basics and you’ll soon be governing like a pro.

  • The Best Service from Your Management Team Starts Before You Ask

     Jun 15, 2017
    You want your community association management company to respond when you need them. Shouldn’t a good management company be able to foresee some of your association’s needs and meet them before you ask? That’s the principle at the heart of proactive service, when emergencies are prevented rather than responded to. The best service is proactive, but its very nature – preventing problems before they arise – means that it can be hard to spot. So how do you know that your community association management company is being proactive on your behalf? Read on for some ways you can tell if your management company is behaving proactively.

  • Beyond the Manager: Discover the Value in Your Management Company

     Jun 15, 2017
    We all want to get the most for our money, and your community association is no different. When hiring a management company, it’s easy to focus on the bottom-line price and not understand the differences in real value among the proposals you see. The right community association management company will provide you with so much more than a good manager. 

  • Planning Your High-Rise Maintenance and Capital Improvements

     Jun 08, 2017
    Maybe this has happened to your high-rise association: An unexpected capital expense finds your condominium’s board of directors needing to impose a special assessment. Establishing a plan for your building’s maintenance and capital improvements is not only important for your budget. It can also prevent life-threatening catastrophes. So what does it take to put together a program that protects both the health of your association’s finances and the safety and lifestyle of your residents? Find out in our interview with Phil Pool, vice president at FirstService Residential.

  • The Importance of Preventative Maintenance in Your High-Rise

     Jun 06, 2017
    Protecting your high-rise with a solid preventative maintenance program will also protect the lifestyle you love and your community association’s budget. Preventative maintenance programs have countless benefits, including extending the life of almost every component and system in your building. A well-executed plan can also help your community optimize its operating budget by predicting when repairs or replacements are most likely to be needed and allowing your community to set aside money for them. How can you get started on a preventative maintenance plan? Check out our advice to get your high-rise on the right track when it comes to preventative maintenance.

  • Selling a Home in South Carolina? Do You Know Everything You Must Disclose?

     Apr 25, 2017
    For most people, buying a home is the largest investment they make. We all know there’s a lot of paperwork that comes with buying a home, and although it can seem overwhelming, that paperwork is vital for the protection of the buyer, the seller and the community in which the home is located. If you are buying or selling a home in managed community, a resale package is a critical part of that. What is a resale package and why is it important? How do you get one and when do you need it? We sat down with our Director of Resale to get the answers to these and other important questions.

  • Four Secrets to Great Communication in Your Association

     Feb 06, 2017
    There’s one challenge that plagues all board members, regardless of experience: communication. Part art and part science, communication is the key to building strong relationships and effectively meeting your obligations as a board member for your community association. Here are a few quick tips to ensure communication is flowing in your association.

  • Cyber Security: How Community Residents Can Protect Their Tech

     Feb 06, 2017
    Why should cyber security be so important to community associations? Do you know what important steps residents in your community can take to protect their technology so that sensitive information doesn’t fall into the wrong hands? This article provides guidelines on how to prevent cyber attacks and tips on increasing cyber security.