F&F Property Management is ready to serve your community
F&F Property Management, a mid-sized company located in Brookline, Massachusetts, has been in business for over 25 years, specializing in all aspects of association management in Brookline, Brighton and Allston. We have always tried to manage properties within a few miles of our office; we have found that proximity facilitates site visits, expedites service calls [...]
Association’s private street replacement conundrum
Most community associations that were established 30 years ago or more have been forced in recent decades to face the costly task of replacing their private streets. While all associations have numerous responsibilities for the replacement of very expensive common area infrastructure, typically including roof replacements, the private street replacement responsibility is perhaps different and [...]
Inexpensive ways to rejuvenate recreational offerings for the retirement community
Recreational programs can make or break an age-restricted community. No longer is it enough to offer the occasional trip to the casino or the weekly bridge club. Today’s retirees want quality of life; they plan to spend their days growing old gracefully with fun and vigorous leisure activities. Active adult communities that combine a variety [...]
Look at all the angles before deciding whether to unlock the gate
Questions from readers The Recreation Committee of the condominium association where I own a unit is considering removing the lock from the gate around the 68,000-gallon swimming pool, after keeping it locked for the last 22 years. As a concerned unit owner, I wanted to check with you to see if you know of any [...]
The communication complication
As I write this, I’m looking at all the devices sitting on my desk: a Blackberry, a Dell Notebook, a hard-wired phone, an iPod and a variety of chargers and USB cables for my current and previous cell phones and other electronic devices. My computer is set to receive e-mail, keep track of the market [...]
Management Monthly: What makes a successful community association manager?
Achieving success as a community association manager ultimately comes through getting one’s feet wet; perseverance, learning the industry and fine tuning clear communication skills are critical. For those new to the field, the key is learning the basics early in the game in order to develop an overall understanding of the management industry. With a [...]
Above and beyond: Creating technology amenities residents can get excited about
When it comes to managing the needs of a condominium’s residents, it can be nearly impossible to find solutions that please every resident all of the time. People take for granted the benefits of the association and consider dues a mandatory assessment. As a result, no one raves to family and friends about the amazing [...]
Pesticides: Know how to use them
In the landscape industry, pesticides are a vital force in the upkeep of plant material. One of the misconceptions of pesticides is that they are only for killing or preventing insects, but they actually perform a wide variety of purposes, such as weed control, mice or other animal deterrents and the killing and preventing of [...]
Managing parking garage issues before they manage you
Since condo association members don’t live in the garage, parking garage issues don’t often get to the top of the to-do list. Jim Stoller, architect/developer and president of The Building Group, a Chicago-based condominium association management firm, warns that this oversight can sometimes lead to costly problems and rancor among members, and it can set [...]
The Association Barrister: An association’s past-due assessments and foreclosure
Community associations depend on collecting assessments from unit owners to ensure they have sufficient income to continue operating. Unit owners in foreclosure often have not paid their assessments to the association. Both condominium and homeowners’ associations face these collection issues. The Florida legislature has limited the liability of mortgagees who hold the right to enforce [...]
An Ounce of Prevention… Managing roofing problems before they become leaks can lead to long-term savings
We’ve all heard Ben Franklin’s adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Nowhere is that more true than in regards to a condominium’s roof. Although it is not necessarily the most visually prominent aspect of building, a roof can account for up to 50 percent of a building’s total surface area [...]
Enhance your complex’s value with cost-effective WiFi
The condominiums along the white sand beaches of Sanibel Island, Florida, on the Gulf of Mexico are a vacationer’s dream. At least half of the residents of SunDial East and SunDial West Condominiums rent their condos to people looking for a relaxing getaway or a comfortable spot for a business gathering. Prospective renters, as well [...]
Making the laundry area livable
Now more than ever condo management professionals are working hard to make their developments more desirable by including details that make their units stand out. One major aspect many buyers consider is the laundry area. More and more consumers are selecting laundry rooms closer to their bedrooms or other living quarters. Making the laundry area [...]
Cantilevered balconies – Keep an eye on them
Providing a sleek look with minimal obtrusion and view restriction to lower levels, cantilevered balcony construction has been a popular feature with housing developers in America’s Sunbelt states for the past 25 years. Supported from the structure’s interior, they have been ideally suited to provide outdoor living in multi-family developments where space is typically at [...]
Bird prevention isn’t just for the birds
Most business owners are aware of the problems associated with birds. Canadian geese and pigeons cause the most problems. Healthy adult Canadian geese can produce one and a half pounds of fecal matter per day – sometimes more – and pigeon feathers and droppings can clog drains and ruin ventilation systems. Nothing looks worse then [...]
Defamation claims against boards on the rise
Be it a negative comment made at a meeting or a throw-away sentence in a letter from the board, if a comment made by a board member places an owner or other board member in a negative light, the association itself may ultimately be held responsible for making such a statement, whether true or not. [...]
Integrated Pest Mgmt:A trend w/staying power
Integrated Pest Management, commonly referred to as IPM, is a trend that has demonstrated “staying power” within the pest management industry. IPM, as defined by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), is a process involving common sense and sound solutions for controlling pests. The focus is upon finding the best strategy for a pest problem, [...]
Areas of responsibility
Understanding the scope of association insurance coverage is basic to protecting the vital interests of the owners. Do you understand what the association’s duties are when a fire, windstorm or burst pipe damages the common elements or unit interiors? The association’s insurance duties are addressed in the governing documents (sometimes called CC&Rs – Covenants, Conditions [...]
Three bids or something better?
Many contractors serving the HOA industry spend an undesirable amount of time submitting free estimates for jobs that will likely be awarded to other vendors. Associations may incorrectly believe that this service has no cost attached. Over the course of a year, however, these costs with no return can be substantial, and it’s the client [...]
CC&R:The enforcement process (Part two of three)
01 January 2009
The second installment of the “enforcement process” will address how a board of directors can maintain order within a community by handling infractions appropriately. Also emphasized is the importance of being reasonable when creating rules or guidelines that govern the outdoor aesthetics of a community. How to handle infractions Minor infractions range from trashcans remaining [...]
Posted in Mgmt.Comments (0)
Fire protection maintenance
23 December 2008
With cold weather looming just around the corner, now is the ideal time to begin winterizing your condo’s fire protection system. When temperatures drop, sprinkler pipes and other system components become extremely vulnerable to freezing. This is problematic not only because it makes safety systems less effective, but it also increases the risk of serious [...]
Posted in MaintenanceComments (0)
CC&R: The enforcement process (Part One of Three)
23 December 2008
To most homeowners, their residence is their single most important investment, not to mention their place of rest and relaxation. This is why the board of directors for each community association is challenged with the dilemma of protecting property values while enabling homeowners to have freedom of personal expression. How does the board of directors [...]
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Finding funding for your association’s financing
02 December 2008
Letter to the Editor, RE: Finance: Finding the right line of credit for your association’s repairs, by Karyn Mann, June 2008 edition. I read this article with great interest. However, this article did seem to omit one important facet of the type of credit that may be available to associations: What is required by lenders [...]
Posted in FinanceComments (0)
Improving condo energy usage with data loggers
23 November 2008
Low-cost data loggers can provide association managers and boards with information that helps save thousands of dollars in energy costs, while helping to ensure indoor air quality and occupant comfort are maintained throughout properties. By monitoring and recording simple variables like temperature, relative humidity (RH), carbon dioxide (CO2) and light or motor on/off, data loggers [...]
Posted in EnergyComments (0)
Building inspections now required by law
23 November 2008
On October 1, 2008, several amendments to the Florida Condominium Act went into effect. One change consisted of a sixth subsection that will require all condominiums with buildings four stories or higher to be inspected by an engineer or architect every five years. The engineer or architect will be required to write a report commenting [...]
Posted in LegalComments (0)
Preserving the future of your association
23 November 2008
More than 60 million Americans today live in 300,000 community associations across the nation. While some real estate values may decline, owners often are left with little to no equity in their property. Investors sometimes are left holding properties that do not produce a cash flow. Mortgage loans are re-pricing at higher rates and interest-only [...]
Posted in FinanceComments (2)
Backflow preventer thefts plague country
23 October 2008
By now we have all heard about scrap-metal theft in Southern California. These thefts range from copper wire at job sites to catalytic converters being removed from parked cars. As the value of scrap metal increases and the economy continues to slump, bandits are getting more creative and more brazen. There have even been stories [...]
Posted in LandscapeComments (0)
New generation cool-roof systems are hot
23 October 2008
Associations, management companies and homeowners alike are always looking for ways to trim costs while keeping facilities in top condition and easy to care for. One area of the building that tends to get little attention is the roof. Who thinks about the roof? Until there is a leak, that is. Today, however, people are [...]
Posted in RoofingComments (0)
Make certain your roof doesn’t blow w/the wind
23 October 2008
As we are in the hurricane season, there are a few tips that could ensure the roofing in your home or condominium is safe. When a house works as a unit, it stays together. The engineered truss system that supports the roof and ties it into the walls to distribute the wind load should all [...]
Posted in RoofingComments (0)
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- F&F Property Management is ready to serve your community
- Association’s private street replacement conundrum
- Inexpensive ways to rejuvenate recreational offerings for the retirement community
- Look at all the angles before deciding whether to unlock the gate
- The communication complication
- Management Monthly: What makes a successful community association manager?
- Above and beyond: Creating technology amenities residents can get excited about
- Pesticides: Know how to use them
- Managing parking garage issues before they manage you
- The Association Barrister: An association’s past-due assessments and foreclosure
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