Articles

We are all concerned about safety. High Rise management companies and Board members, who have a responsibility to protect the common property, must pay particular attention to security at their properties. A secure condominium means a happier and safer community, and that is what is most important to owners and residents.

With great amenities, good security, and even concierge services, there are many advantages that are specific high-rise living. That’s why it’s becoming ever more popular. There are specific requirements and challenges when it comes to insuring a high-rise as well. High-rises have multiple residences, each with their own policies, plus shared common spaces, which also require coverage.

A community association’s reserve fund helps the board of directors properly anticipate and budget for the future. The reserve fund provides an association the power to maintain necessary and expensive parts of your infrastructure, including roofing and paving projects. Here are seven steps to find and partner with the best reserve study firm for your association.

The lazy days of summer are coming to an end more quickly than we’d like – some schools in DC start as early as the end of August! Besides being a change in schedule for the kids, it’s also a change in your whole world: rushing out the door, running carpools for after school activities, racing back home for forgotten permission slips, backpacks and lunches. Some organization and planning can go a long way toward minimizing back to school insanity – and make this time of year easier on everyone.
 
Check out these suggestions from California Closets, the leader in custom home storage solutions and an authority in design, for arranging your household to be more school-friendly, and your first day back will earn an A! 

If you’ve put the hard work it takes into making a sound budget, then you’re familiar with the sense of frustration you feel when a surprise maintenance issue derails it. Even if you don’t get blindsided by a big, unexpected expense, maintenance issues have a way of taking a bite out of your budget. Let’s take a look at the most common approaches to maintenance.

Summer is a great time to hit the road! Kids are out of school and the weather is beautiful – it’s the perfect chance to go to beaches, camp, enjoy a cruise and more. There are tons of options to choose from and lots of details to plan for a great summer vacation for everyone whether you are planning a road trip to Williamsburg, Ocean City or Virginia Beach… or hopping on a plane for far-away exotic adventures!
 
If you work with a community association management company, you can reach out to your community association manager for specific vacation preparation tips. No matter where you live, here are some simple tips to help ensure your home is safe and well maintained while you are off enjoying the summer sun.

FirstService Residential is proud to announce L.E.A.D.S. 2016 will take place on Thursday, September 22^nd at the Convention Hall in Asbury Park, New Jersey.  This biennial educational, networking event is focused and shaped on the attributes of Learn, Evolve, Achieve, Deliver, and Succeed.

Service dogs help individuals with disabilities enjoy a greater quality of life. And it’s up to all of us – including condo associations – to ensure they have equal access to the amenities and services all of us should enjoy. But it’s clear that the presence of a service animal often gives rise to important questions – not only when it comes to access, but when you consider fairness to other residents and their guests. The following guidelines are meant to shed some light on service animals and the rights of individuals with disabilities when it comes to your Washington D.C. high-rise community.

Electric cars are no longer a vision of the future. As we discussed in our previous article, there has been an increase in purchases of PEVs (plug-in electric vehicles) within the last five years. This means we must cater to the new demand of conveniently-located battery charging stations that are readily accessible.  With the escalation of the demand for electric cars and its purchases, it is a hot topic that many homeowners associations (HOAs), community associations and condo boards across the country, including the DC Metro area, need to address.

If you live or work in our nation’s capital, you know that traffic is a way of life.  And while you’re spending so much time on the road, you may have noticed an increasing number of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) – after all, almost 500,000 PEVs have been sold throughout the country over the past five years, and Washington, D.C. is one of the biggest markets.

So what types of electric cars are DC drivers buying?  PEVS include two major categories of vehicles, both powered all or in part by batteries.  They include BEVs, or battery-electric vehicles, and PHEVs, or plug-in hybrid vehicles.  Read more to find out what the difference is.