As the temperature drops, the risk of fire increases drastically. There are thousands of fires in the United States each year, and they cause billions of dollar’s worth of damage and result in numerous injuries and deaths

If you’ve ever considered starting a newsletter for your condominium association or homeowner’s association, the new year is a great time to get started. Whether put out monthly or quarterly, a well-written newsletter is an effective means of staying in touch with members of the community

With spring around the corner, now is the time to start thinking about maintenance plans for your condominium. Winter can be rough, and there are usually a number of issues that need to be addressed as soon as possible in the spring. It’s also important to get the property ready for those hot summer days

For many condominium owners and boards, the idea of renting to families with children is a bit scary. Juice spills on brand new carpets, crayon masterpieces on the walls and messes left in common areas may make such families seem like less-than-idea community members. While outright discriminating against families or people with children is against the law, many condominium associations make no effort to attract them

Homeowner associations rely on fees for their day-to-day operations. If even just a few homeowners fall behind on their payments, the impact on the association’s budget can be huge. Fees that are left unpaid may also lead to a ripple effect. Banks are less likely to approve mortgages in associations where fees are frequently unpaid, and when potential buyers are unable to secure funding, the value of the homes in the neighborhood

Condominium and homeowners associations commonly fall victim to fraud, theft and embezzlement. Factors like large sums of money, lax security standards and having volunteers in charge of financial management combine to make such associations an easy target for criminal activity

Having an HOA board that sees the value of their work and wants to make the neighborhood a better place can mean the difference between living in a neighborhood everyone loves and living in a place where people are frustrated. However, recruiting people to be on the board can be hard, because everyone is busy. Here’s how to get great board members to come along for the ride

If yours is like many HOAs in Colorado, it’s important to you that new members understand how the HOA works and what they need to do to be contributing and participating members. While it may be obvious to you how your HOA works, that won’t be clear to everyone

Some people love living in neighborhoods that have a homeowners association. They see the benefits of belonging to a group like this and they have made the choice to sacrifice when necessary to participate

When an HOA hires a manager or a management company, it’s usually because there are tasks that, while essential for the HOA’s survival, cannot or can no longer be performed by the board members themselves

Working with a property management company provides numerous benefits to homeowner’s associations. The property manager is responsible for handling many of the day-to-day issues that arise in community associations and for managing the business needs and financials of the association

Entrusting the management of your homeowner or condominium association is a big decision. Finding the right company means life will be significantly easier for your board members as well as the members of your community. Making the wrong choice, however, could lead to serious problems. What qualities should you look for in a property management company?