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 [...]
Earthquake insurance for individual unit owners
02 January 2007
Since 1900, according to the California Earthquake Authority (CEA), earthquakes have stricken 39 states and have caused damage in all 50 states, with 5,000 quakes felt each year. On April 18, 1906, the infamous earthquake and fire that devastated San Francisco was deemed one of the worst natural disasters in the United States. “It produced [...]
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Ensuring a quality exterior paint job
23 October 2006
A repainting project of condominiums and homeowner association’s in South Florida are very sensitive to the harsh climatic conditions that become problematic to the painting contractor. In order to ensure a smooth-running and long lasting paint job, these conditions must be evaluated and dealt with at the onset of the painting project. The climatic conditions [...]
Posted in PaintingComments (0)
A new clock for water removal
23 September 2006
Restoration professionals have simple wants. They want to be able to work faster, limit structural damage and gain a competitive edge. Now those wants appear to be found in a completely new method of structural drying using thermal energy. This new process can reduce the time to dry a building from three to seven days, [...]
Posted in ConstructionComments (0)
Exterior surface preparation
23 June 2006
A clean sound surface is essential for the long-term success of any paint project. Even the highest quality paints will fail prematurely if applied to a surface that has not been prepared properly. There are some common obstacles that must be identified and properly addressed before painting can begin. Mildew Mildew is a fungal growth [...]
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Dealing with difficult people
23 April 2006
Dealing with difficult people can be a challenge in any setting. But in community associations – where you’re often dealing with volunteers and don’t have the leverage that managers have with employees – there is an entirely new level of difficulty. There’s also a new level of opportunity. The key is common interest. Where we [...]
Posted in CommunicationComments (1)
How the board can make your comm. a better place
23 April 2006
Currently, one out of every three people in California live in some type of planned community governed by a homeowners association (HOA). More than 42 million people in the United States live under HOA rules. According to recent estimates by the California Department of Real Estate, up to 80 percent of all future residential communities [...]
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Backup generators – the power to go on
23 January 2006
Two years ago, 50 million people in the Northeast spent the night in one of the largest blackouts in recent memory. Last year, the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina included a loss of power that left many residents of condominium complexes in darkened rooms without electricity for critical essentials like food, light and medication. In [...]
Posted in EnergyComments (0)
How to choose property management software
23 December 2005
Keeping track of the complex details involved in property management can be overwhelming. However, reliable computer software that combines all the components you need – accounting, spreadsheets, word processing, utilities, tenant files and management functions – can become your best friend. It can reduce constant repetitive tasks to a simple click and provide the information [...]
Posted in SoftwareComments (0)
P-A-I-N-T perfection
23 October 2005
No two painting projects are alike. Types and conditions of materials to be painted, complexity of architectural features, types and degree of weather exposures, impact of landscape features and shade configurations all make a big difference in a well-conceived painting program. Even the purpose of painting can vary from one project to the next. Painting [...]
Posted in PaintingComments (0)
Back to the basics
23 September 2005
A friend’s mother – let’s call her Helen – was about to have work done on her condo balcony as part of a major restoration. Helen didn’t understand what was about to happen, nor did the friends she talked to. The “construction people” would explain things in technical terms with words like “anodes” and “dissimilar [...]
Posted in ConstructionComments (1)
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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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