2005 Jan
2005 Jan Vol. 3, No. 1
Focus on...Management/Board Relations
Real Life Experiences of Property Managers
Adopted hamsters. Mysteriously empty pools. Secret bedroom habits of hi-rise neighbors. No, it's not next week's Desperate Housewives episode. It's more like Ripley's Believe It or Not, but all of these are true-life experiences of property managers, and they're just some examples of how managing a condominium community is not all about fixing leaky pipes and pushing papers. It can be an adventure—no matter how small the building or how civil and well mannered the shareholders and owners. Read More
Considering a New Management Company
Any number of things can happen to make an association question its choice of management company. The company the board originally hired might be making mistakes, or there might be personality conflicts that threaten the all-important management/board relationship. Or the reason to change management could be something as simple as a disconnect between the manager and the board members, who don't feel as though they are getting the service they signed up for. Even when the reasons are simple, however, changing management companies is not a transition to be undertaken lightly. It's a big decision, and a difficult process to navigate for even the most well organized, professional boards and agencies. It's important to make the decision with full knowledge of what's involved and a commitment to minimize disruption of a community's daily business. Read More
Accrediting Property Managers in New Jersey
Property managers in New Jersey are not specifically required to be licensed—although many of them do get accredited through organizations like the Institute of Real Estate Management, or IREM, and the New Jersey chapter of the Community Associations Institute (CAI-NJ). Numerous programs already exist to license and train property managers, which helps promote ethics and standards in the industry in addition to ensuring that community associations employ the best possible management staff. Read More
Gaining Access to Important Documents
Of the many responsibilities a managing agent has to fulfill for a homeowners association, one of their most vital is coordinating the flow of information between the board and the association members, and keeping that information secure. That adds up—even in a small association, there's a lot of paperwork to handle, including financial records, legal documents, homeowner correspondence and management statements from board meetings—and it's important that the documents be available to board members when needed. The flow of information between the managing agent and board is a vital part of their relationship. Read More
Skills for Effective Property Management
The term "multi-tasking" may have been coined to describe property managers: their line of work requires its practitioners to know a little something about nearly everything, to have an impeccable demeanor, lightning-quick problem solving skills, and of course the patience of a saint. Read More
High Society in Newark
Condominiums in cities often find a challenge in forging their own identity while also being part of the city. Homeowners living in Society Hill at University Heights in Newark seem to have found a balance in their community, a development that offers proximity to Manhattan at prices significantly more affordable than comparable homes in New York City. Read More
Organizing HOA Committees
It takes a lot to run a successful building—there are employees to hire, services to contract, boards to elect, new residents to review, general technical maintenance to take care of, and all the rest on that ever-present "to do" list with which both managers and board members are certainly familiar. Read More
The New Jersey Apartment Association
In a perfect world, everything an owner, manager, or homeowner's association needs would be one phone call or mouse-click away. Information about new developments in the state Legislature, lists of vendors, and policy updates would be delivered to your door. Anyone involved with the multifamily housing or development industry would have a representative at city council meetings and at national levels, voicing their concerns and suggestions. Read More
The Most Common Directors' & Officers' Claims
Community associations, whether a homeowners' association, property owners' association, cooperative, timeshare/interval association or commercial association are legal entities that are governed by bylaws and applicable statutory and governmental regulations. The directors and officers of community associations are the core infrastructure for the entities charged with the governance of the entity. These boards are virtually always comprised of volunteers who generally have the greatest intentions when serving. However, boards are confronted with some basic inherent challenges. First, boards often lack experience or training. Second, boards often succumb to a false sense of security by handling matters informally. Third, boards ignore basic rules and governing documents. Finally, boards too often shy away from professional guidance. Read More
