Most Common Areas of Concern As a member of the board or the property manager, what element of the condominium complex poses the greatest risk to the unit owners and liability to the association? Slips and falls during the icy season? Decks collapsing from rot? Electrical fires? Well, if you picked “decks,” you are almost….
Homeowner Associations News
Paving: Proper Maintenance is Essential
When was the last time you thought about your parking lot? The honest answer most likely is, not in recent memory. We know it’s not a question of out of sight–out of mind, parking lots are highly visible. However, they aren’t very interesting. As a result, paved areas don’t always get the maintenance attention they….
Top Ten Building Problems
During our 30+ years in business, we have inspected thousands of buildings for structural and mechanical issues. We are often asked by both prospective buyers and property managers to name the most common problems found in buildings. Interesting enough, new buildings can have more hidden problems than older properties whose defects have manifested themselves over….
Welcome Home: Out of State Condo Owners & COVID-19 Complexity
This summer more than ever the return of out of state condo owners will be an increased challenge for the many condominium communities in those areas most popular to tourists. New England has a significant population of condominiums along its rocky coast and mountainous regions serving as primary or secondary homes for bi-latitude unit owners…..
Why Proper Air Ventilation is More Important Than Ever
If you’re planning a re-roofing project, we recommend in-depth consideration of the building ventilation under the roof. Inadequate attic venting can cause ice dams, energy loss, and moisture damage to the roof structure. Too often roof re-surface projects repeat the mistakes of the past. A proper roof project includes a review of the capacity of….
HOA Reserve Study: How Are Engineers Different from Other Firms?
The time has come for your homeowners’ association (HOA) to complete a reserve study. Where do you begin? An online search presents a wide range of companies that perform reserve studies for homeowner associations. Why should an HOA in need of a reserve study hire an engineer versus a reserve specialist, accountant, or other type of….
For the Life of Your Association
Transitions in Condominiums: Two Primary Elements
In the world of condominiums, many transition milestones are well understood, many are not. Most know condos go through a transition management period from the developer to unit owner. However, there is much more. Condo transition has two primary elements: Transition of Control and Transition of Responsibility. Transition of Control Transition of Control refers to the new Board….
How to Sell the Results of a Reserve Study (Without Revolt!)
A Reserve Study is a budget-planning tool used by Homeowners Associations that identifies the current status of the Reserve Fund and establishes a stable and equitable funding plan to offset anticipated common-area expenditures. They contain an evaluation of property condition and serve as an indispensable tool in projecting costs and managing Reserve accounts. A quality Reserve….