The winter storm is blowing through the Denver area! Be Careful out there! A few things to keep in your vehicle..... carry a warm extra blanket carry water have plenty of gas keep an extra set of gloves/hats/scarves keep a good ice scraper or broom remember to take along your good snow-trekking winter boots. Stay safe
From Board Meeting to BBQ For most, the work-life balancing act leaves little time to build community. However, community associations have a built in infrastructure to help promote socializing beyond the board meeting. With social media, we live in an atmosphere where personal interaction is no longer necessary to stay connected. This makes it harder
Community Associations Institute recently released their 2014 National Research by Public Opinion Strategies. The findings again affirm what surveys have been telling us for the last 10 years - most residents are very satisfied, dare we even say happy, with their community association experience. The misconception about common interest communities stems from a) Selective media coverage. Often
Hammersmith is pleased to have another article published in the Community Associations Institute (CAI) Rocky Mountain Chapter magazine, Common Interests. Our latest article discusses the value of Vendor Relationships. In the first part of our three part blog series we will discuss Familiarity. In our personal lives, we often visit the same barber, shop at the same
In today's multi-media world, it's easy to catch the attention of many with pictures or video. If these photos or videos happen to involve a problem within a homeowners association, it's also easy to catch the attention of the local media. There was a recent story in the news of condo owners upset that their parking
As the community association management industry continues to evolve and be impacted by laws and legislation, you can't help but notice how fast things change. Which is why the theme of this year's CAI's Spring Showcase was "Staying Ahead of the Curve". At the showcase CAI invited Derek Daly, a Hall of Fame Formula One race car driver, to speak
The HOA management industry is demanding, challenging, and often thankless. Community Managers, as well as management company accountants, administrative staff, and executive teams work long hours to ensure communities run smoothly and are financially stable. Working intimately with people’s homes and money may be stressful, but it is also very stimulating and rewarding. Hammersmith is
Minimize board activity outside of scheduled meetings and working sessions. Allow the manager time to complete the action items and collect the information required by the Board to make informed decisions. Constant dialogue outside of meetings consumes time, creates confusion, and causes burnout for both the manager and volunteer Board members. Exchanging occasional emails is
As the weather turns from the cold of winter to the sunny days of spring, it is the perfect time to walk your community and note what, if any, work needs to be done to keep your association looking its best. Regular site visits are conducted by community managers, but board members and residents can also take
Disorganized and inefficient meetings represent one of the biggest challenges for HOA Boards. The monthly Board meeting should last no more than two hours, and the most productive meetings stay on a pace with an agenda. Implement the following strategies to ensure your Board meetings run smoothly and end in a timely manner: Prepare. Every Board
