Land in Florida, especially South Florida, is comprised of loose, sandy soil, and low water tables. That, plus the area’s proximity to the Gulf and Atlantic Ocean have always made it a difficult place to build on. That’s why almost all …
After the four walls of a given structure, the roof is sometimes referred to as the “fifth plane”—and just like the walls that hold it up, the roof is an all-important structure that can make or break a building’s performance. Florida’s…
It’s the same dilemma that single-family households across the U.S. are facing: What bills need to be paid immediately and what bills can wait? And should we stretch ourselves thin, taking more out of our bank accounts to pay for privat…
Time was, if you said that a co-op or condo building was 'going to the dogs,' it was a bad thing. These days however, that's not always the case. According to the American Pet Products Association, 39 percent of all U.S. households own …
According to the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, the rate at which real estate professionals in Florida are seeking licenses has fallen 75 percent in the past five years. Many professionals believe the decrease…
Can’t we all just get along? Neighbors helping neighbors, associations and residents working together. When someone moves into a community, they often look for the friendliness and camaraderie that living in an association brings. But w…
Convenience and saving money are just a couple reasons why an association would choose to self-manage a property. Though, outside managing firms and property managers are hired and employed for good reason. The job requires collecting …
You may not realize it, but your building may be hemorrhaging money. Not in the form of disastrous lawsuits or maintenance crises like a collapsed roof or exploded boiler, but in a steady trickle coming from your method of ordering sup…
How can you tell whether the on-site property manager at a condominium or homeowners association community is doing a good job? And what is “a good job”? Whether a manager is well-liked and whether he or she manages well may not be the …
While the basics of preventing—and surviving—common disasters like fires or severe weather events should be well known to anybody living in a community association or planned development, the reality is that each building community is e…