HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - March 26, 2021
Published: Fri, 03/26/21
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Save Your Condo/HOA Money: Give Your Common Roof Some Routine TLC
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Here's how you can be a hero at your condo/HOA: Save the owners money. In this week's tip, we offer a few tips on how to do that when it comes to roof care.
That's what a six-flat brownstone condo building in Chicago does. It hasn't had a roof replacement for more than 25 years—which is a long time for a roof to stay snug—though the recent snowmaggedon may end that streak.
Still, the board members believe one key to this condo building's success might be the annual inspection and maintenance plan it signed with a local roofing company for less than $300 annually. For that amount, the roofers come once in the spring, do an inspection, and do minor repairs as needed.
Signing up for regular inspections and routine repairs is a great start, says Zuly Maribona, LCAM, the Bonita Springs, Fla.-based senior vice president and partner at KW Property Management who oversees the company's southwest Florida, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and North Carolina operations.
"Annual maintenance is very common, and we encourage that," she says. "We recommend a preventative maintenance plan that can include a yearly inspection and repairs of things like broken or damage materials and mitigation of any exposure to the elements. That includes cleaning the roof, too.
"Those don't have to happen every year," she adds. "But having the roof on a maintenance schedule where that's happening every two to three years depending on the area where you're living can really make a difference."
But let's back up. A reserve study can really help on the roof-maintenance front. "My first question for associations with a common roof is: Are you using your reserve study?" asks Greg Smith, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, director of leadership development at Associa®, a community association management company headquartered in Northern California. "You should have a tool telling that you have X number of years remaining before a reroof is expected.
"If boards are doing nothing for their roof, they should at least start by following the recommendations of a reserve study," he adds. "The people who do those studies aren't usually roofers, but they're typically licensed engineers, so they have knowledge that can help."
Maribona agrees. "We always recommend our associations have a proper reserve study," she states. "From a budgeting and financial management aspect, that'll tell us how long a life your roof currently is expected to have."
What, specifically, can you do to save money on your roof by stretching out its life span? There's actually a ton. Read more in our new article: https://www.hoaleader.com/members/4292.cfm
Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President
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Recent articles posted at HOAleader.com:
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HOA Board Members and Fiduciary Duties: What You Must Know to Fulfill Your Duty to Your Association and Protect Yourself from Personal Liability
Watch this insightful webinar led by two community association experts who explain in layperson's terms what it means to act as a fiduciary for your association.
Click here for info:
https://www.hoaleader.com/products/hoa-board-fiduciary-duties-b.cfm
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HOAleader.com Video: Practical Tips From the Experts on Your HOA or Condo Association's Virtual Meeting
In this extended video you'll hear from two experts in HOA/condo management and legal compliance as they explain aspects (and advantages) of virtual meetings regarding quorum, the challenges their clients have had with virtual meetings--and how to meet those challenges--with the mechanics of major meetings on remote platforms.
Click here to watch:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/HOAleadercomVideoPracticalTipsFromExpertsonYourHOAorCondoAssociationsVirtualMeeting.cfm
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What's a HOA Resale Fee, and Who Sets It?
An HOAleader.com reader asks, "In Florida, does an HOA board have the sole authority to charge a fee on resales, or do they need a member vote?" Here, we answer that question and broaden it beyond Florida. When can it be charged, and what are the pros and cons?
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/Whats-HOA-Resale-Fee-Who-Sets-It.cfm
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How Detailed Should Managers' Reporting Be to a Condo/HOA Board?
An HOAleader.com reader asks, "Should the property manager let the board members know when they or another company will be on site? Should the property manager notify the board members of any and each time a resident contacts them? Is the property manager obligated to provide contact information for all in the community?"
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/How-Detailed-Should-Managers-Reporting-Be-CondoHOA-Board.cfm
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The Discrimination Case Many Condo/HOA Lawyers Have Worried About
Think back to 2016, if you will. You may recall that we reported that many community association lawyers were concerned about just-released HUD rules that were vague and confusing. The rules essentially said associations couldn't sit back and allow neighbors to harass other neighbors on the basis of protected classes, such as race. But they didn't say what associations needed to do to meet this new obligation.
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/Discrimination-Case-Many-Condo-HOA-Lawyers-Have-Worried-About.cfm
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