Summer is right around the corner and that means one big part of many HOAs is about to take center stage: the community pool. Perhaps the most widely used amenity of any association, it's important that each community is prepared for pool season. Before the first splash into the water, make sure your community pool meets the checklist:
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
Curious about the history of Hammersmith Management, and all of the work John Hammersmith put into his community association management business? CAI recently published an Executive Insights article explaining how a small family business went from providing computerized accounting services to Leaders in Community Management®. Follow the link here CAI Executive Insights for the full article. Enjoy!
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
With spring right around the corner, homeowners may be contemplating doing that home repair that has been left unattended all winter. If this repair is not covered by your Association, you may be wondering where to start in your search for a contractor. Let Hammersmith help. With all the different companies and contractors out there, it’s tough to find
As we wrap up our series on Keeping the Peace in your community association, it seems that no matter how much effort is put into resolving conflicts peacefully or preemptive measures taken to welcome new neighbors and invite the entire community to events, there are the inevitable struggles that arise between neighbors. In Part 5
Talking with immediate neighbors is an easy thing to do. When you are next door, you see them most often either coming to or going from their house and you can quickly say hello, or ask a brief question. But what about those neighbors a few houses down? You may not get the chance to