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Rembaum’s Association Roundup: Florida’s Newest Non-Native Invasion – Overnight Rentals

Rembaum’s Association Roundup: Florida’s Newest Non-Native Invasion – Overnight Rentals

  • Posted: May 30, 2017
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With little doubt, purchasing a home is one of the most significant investments you can make. In order to help protect that investment, many purchasers choose to buy homes within community associations that include homeowners’, cooperative and condominium associations. Behavior within community associations is governed by a declaration of condominium or declaration of restrictions, along with the bylaws, articles of incorporation and, importantly, and more often than not, the rules and regulations generated by the board of directors. Those of us living within community associations, for the most part, did not sign up to live in a community with transient overnight housing. Yet, if left to the vices of VRBO and AirBnB that is exactly what can happen in your community. Do you know what to look for? Do you know how to prevent this from occurring? What if it is occurring in your neighborhood? What can your community association do about it?

For a variety of reasons, none which are the subject of today’s column, local governments may have difficulty in promulgating local ordinances prohibiting overnight housing offered by VRBO and AirBnB. Therefore, it is left up to your community association’s board of directors to ensure proper measures are in place to prevent homes in your community from becoming the newest unnamed hotel/motel.

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FREE CONDO BOARD CERTIFICATION CLASSES AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SEMINARS

FREE CONDO BOARD CERTIFICATION CLASSES AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SEMINARS

ROYALE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, FT. LAUDERDALE, HOLDS FREE CONDO BOARD CERTIFICATION CLASSES AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SEMINARS

Fort Lauderdale, May 30, 2017 — A series of free certification classes for condo Board members as well as educational seminars for Board members of condos, homeowners associations and co-ops take place on Monday evenings.  All sessions are held at the offices of Royale Management Services, 2319 North Andrews Avenue. 

Open to all who register, the Board certification classes and property management seminars are conducted by Steven J. Weil, Ph.D., EA, LCAM, president of the 31-year old Fort Lauderdale property management firm.  Refreshments and networking begin at 5:30 p.m. The seminars follow promptly at 6:00 p.m. and include a Q&A. Space is limited. Reservations may be made by calling 954-563-1269.

Condo Board Certification Classes are held on the second Monday of the month and cover topics such as condo law, fiduciary responsibility, governing documents, official records, financial reporting, budgeting, enforcement, elections, et al. Upcoming dates are:  6/12/2017, 9/11/2017, 10/9/2017, and 11/13/2017.

The Property Management Seminars listed below take place on the third Monday of the month: 

06/19/17       Conducting Meetings & Getting The Work Done

09/18/17       Reading & Using Association Financial Statements

10/16/17       Building a Budget That Works

11/20/17       Condo Elections – Getting It Right

Dr. Weil has appeared on Good Morning America and is frequently quoted by major media.  His bylined articles are regularly published on the South Florida Property Management Association website.  “The Condo Board Certification Classes are designed to help new board members meet the Florida 718.112 Statute requirements for Condo Association Board Members,” Dr. Weil said. “Our seminar goal is prevention — to help keep Board members of condos, HOAs and Co-ops from frequently having to call their attorney.”

ABOUT ROYALE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.

Steven J. and Theresa Weil, each of whom has earned a Ph.D. in Business Administration, are the principals of Fort Lauderdale-based Royale Management Services, Inc. A licensed, full-service Community Association Management (CAM) firm, RMS provides professional residential property management services throughout Broward County, Florida, specializing in management, consulting and accounting for Condominium Associations, Home Owners Associations and Co-Ops.

RMS has a team of 16 full-time employees dedicated to working closely with association Boards to hold down costs while improving the quality of life for their residents. RMS strives to ensure that proper procedures are followed to keep the association in compliance with all of the rules governing elections, budgeting, accounting, operation, collection and assessment. The work includes educating board members on the responsibilities, duties, and obligations involved in governing the association.

Royale Management Services, Inc. has been serving South Florida since 1984. Originally founded to provide high-quality management and accounting services for business and individuals, the company expanded into the property management business in 2000. The firm and its president are members of the Community Association Institute (CAI) and the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce.

CONTACT:
​Rose Sexton, Business Communications Services, Deerfield Beach, FL 

Phone: (954) 480-9906    Email: sextons.r@gmail.com

OR

Steven J. Weil, Ph.D., EA, LCAM

Royale Management Services, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311

Phone: (800) 382-1040  Email:  steve@rmsaccounting.com

CHECK OUR MONTHLY CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS TO FIND THESE AND OTHER EVENTS FOR THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY.

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Remember that it’s important to vet all vendors who do work at your properties!

Remember that it’s important to vet all vendors who do work at your properties!

Nothing should occupy more space in your mind than property maintenance.

And how you manage it often makes the difference between contented tenants and constant complainers, between praising your team and yelling at them. The good news is that you can avoid most of the hassles and headaches by simply taking full advantage of our property management vendors.

If you’re still handling maintenance with sticky notes, business cards taped to walls and numbers stored in your cell phone, there’s a lot you can do quickly and easily to improve not only your team’s enjoyment of their jobs, but also the loyalty and satisfaction of your tenants and maintenance providers. Here are some suggestions.

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ARE WE TOO COMPLACENT ABOUT HURRICANE PREPARATION?

ARE WE TOO COMPLACENT ABOUT HURRICANE PREPARATION?

ARE WE TOO COMPLACENT ABOUT HURRICANE PREPARATION?

Steven J. Weil, president, Royale Management Services

by Enrolled Agent Steven J. Weil, Ph.D., EA, LCAM, president, Royale Management Services, Inc.

It’s likely that we don’t have to react with any great urgency this summer to the long-term threat of sea level rising, but it’s probably a very good idea to think seriously about hurricane preparation right now.

Floridians may have become a bit complacent about hurricanes, knowing that South Florida has not been hit by a major hurricane since 2005.  However, hurricane researchers tell us that the current 11-year drought in the Sunshine State is almost twice as long as the previous one of six years’ duration (from 1979-1985).  They warn that it’s just a matter of time before storms start coming this way again.

Association residents have some options, depending upon the strength of a storm.

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Entering the Gate at The Broward County Condo & HOA Expo, Ready to meet Leading Companies working in Florida’s Property Management Industry.

Entering the Gate at The Broward County Condo & HOA Expo, Ready to meet Leading Companies working in Florida’s Property Management Industry.

The Broward County Condo & HOA Expo
Special thanks goes out to L&L Exhibition Management, Nick Vetter and his Team for putting on this event.

I stopped in to meet with many of our SFPMA (South Florida Property Management Association) Members. Starting with Multi-Housing Team Bob and Sergio with Aaxon Laundry Systems, Rodger Kopp III of Commercial Laundries, Rudy Silva and James Friedman with Sherwin-Williams, Introducing myself to Buster Cash with Coast to Coast General Contractors, Proper Introductions to Steven J Weil Owner of RMS Accounting and Royal Management Services, Getting to meet more team members Ana Echeverri and Pedro Diez with The Falcon Group and SFPMA Legal Experts for Community Associations Kaye,Bender,Rembaum Attorneys At Law where Michael Bender Pompano Beach Office was giving a “Seminar on Legal and Legislative Changes and how it affects your Communities”. Among other attorneys present was my pleasure to finally meet Lisa Magill Esq. who brings her Expertise in Community Association Laws to one of Florida’s Leading Law Firm.

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I made new sales by going to Condo & HOA Board meetings!

I made new sales by going to Condo & HOA Board meetings!

With the numbers of service companies that are competing for work in the Property Management Industry I get these questions asked almost every day. How can my company increase sales?  How can I get in front of the decision makers? 

Both are great questions, So you want to get in front of the decision makers letting them know what your company does and how your services can help them. We feel strongly about joining with others in an Industry Organization or Association, one that is committed to the industry you are trying to get work from.

First Look at how much they charge. There are so many that charge from 400 up to over 700 per year to be listed on their directory. We ask you to understand that many of these organizations and associations charge service companies more than other members, why would that be. Well they know that you want to join and get noticed they charge you more because there are more service companies looking to do this. We think this is unfair taking money out of the pockets of hard working companies. The property managers, property owners, landlords, should be the ones paying more to find the Top Professionals that are listed and ready to help save them on the services they provide.

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It’s time to begin thinking about and planning for summer.

It’s time to begin thinking about and planning for summer.

There are a few things that you can do as a property manager to prepare now for a smooth-running summer.

Now is a great time to begin formulating a newsletter for your tenants that describes all of the things that you will be doing for them as well as what they can do to make their summers as cool and uneventful as possible. Communication is key to setting expectations about what your tenant is expected to do. Open communication with your community is Key for solving problems, Tenants and Owners are your eyes and ears. They live in the buildings they see things that may need to be repaired before you. With this with everyone working together you can get things done and stay on top of repairs in your buildings.

Tenants can help you help themselves by notifying you of any maintenance issues that may best be taken care of now rather than later. Things such as leaky faucets, stuck windows, and appliances that seem to be working a little less effectively than before are key items to look for.

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So how do you get fresh? We’re glad you asked!

So how do you get fresh? We’re glad you asked!

So how do you get fresh? We’re glad you asked!

We’ve created a handy checklist of home maintenance tasks. And if you’re struggling to muster up the energy to tackle these chores, we’ve provided tips for how to do them faster and easier—or with the help of a pro.

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Some potential sources of leaks that owners need to be aware of…

Some potential sources of leaks that owners need to be aware of…

If you begin to notice consistent, elevated monthly charges without any changes in household showering, dishwashing or laundry habits, there may be a cause for concern.

Below are some potential sources of leaks that homeowners need to be aware of to ensure they are not being unnecessarily charged for excessive water usage within their homes.

• Toilet Leak(s). Regardless of how nominal, a leaking toilet can significantly increase your water bill on a monthly basis. In fact, a continuously filling toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water in a day! Check for toilet leaks by listening for running water after a toilet is done flushing and filling. To visibly check for small leaks, place food coloring into the water tank and if the coloring appears in your toilet water, you have a leak that requires attention.

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What you can’t see is often more important than what you can.

What you can’t see is often more important than what you can.

When talking about people we often say it’s what is on the inside that counts, well the same can be said for condominiums. What you can’t see is often more important than what you can.

Many associations came about when developers converted apartment buildings into condos. Others in south Florida are just getting old and while it might not always be obvious on the outside a look inside the walls, under the slab or in the elevator equipment room will give you a better picture of the problems that lurk beneath the surface. All of these things have useful life’s and tend to wear out over time.

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The short-term rental market is one of the hottest segments in real estate and property management

The short-term rental market is one of the hottest segments in real estate and property management

1.Hidden Costs – Short-term rentals are a different breed; they have many costs that traditional long-term rentals don’t have. These behind-the-scenes costs can include everything from replacing furniture to landscaping the lawn to supplying toilet paper. In essence, they’re more like hotels than rental properties. Here’s a quick list of common unforeseen costs:

  • Maintenance – garden and lawn irrigation, pool maintenance, pest control, HVAC maintenance
  • Utilities – cable, electricity, Internet, telephone, etc
  • Upkeep – housecleaning, toiletries, replacing appliances, carpet cleaning
  • Annual fees – taxes, insurance, property management fees, license fees

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