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Find Blog Articles for Florida’s Condo, HOA and the Management Industry. 

We’re using AI to answer all your questions about Florida’s condo safety law SB-4D.

We’re using AI to answer all your questions about Florida’s condo safety law SB-4D.

  • Posted: Feb 26, 2024
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We’re using AI to answer all your questions about Florida’s condo safety law SB-4D.
+ What are the components of a structural integrity reserve study?
+ What is substantial structural deterioration?
+ Can my community waive reserves?
+ Do requirements per SB-4D apply to parking garages?
Get answers to these questions and more on our “AI for Building Safety” webpage. Check it out!

Ask our AI about 4D

Do you have questions about Florida’s building safety legislation, Senate Bill 4D? Just enter your query in the textbox below and click “Send Query”. For example, try asking, “What is the Florida Senate Bill 4D?”. This AI tool is experimental and provides no warranties regarding the accuracy of its results. Use at your own risk.

 

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SFPMA NEWS: Our Website will be down for a System Reboot Feb 29, 2024

SFPMA NEWS: Our Website will be down for a System Reboot Feb 29, 2024

  • Posted: Feb 26, 2024
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On Feb 29, 2024  SFPMA Website will be down.

We have a total reboot of our system on our server, while adding many new members our IT dept had to add new code to advance our search. We will try to conduct this late night but it might fall over to the next day…due to caching. 




In the last month we have found some of the articles, and the New listed Members were not being shared from our system Feed to our Website, there was a disconnect between our Server. Since we have our own dedicated Server and Files. We can reboot and move to a new section and pair this with our hosting provider.

Upgrades will not stop search results from showing but it will make them better. Our IT Dept has found some of the Inner workings through the WordPress CMS Plugins and our System were not linking up properly.  ie: as of Feb 22, 2024 New Member Companies were added yet did not show on the website. It came to our attn. when one of our members were sent their log in details and once they did they could not view their Membership listing.

It took a week to make all the changes, to the System, Calendar, Company Listings, and Plugins So the end of the week the system is being upgraded to a faster dedicated server.

Thank You, SFPMA

Frank J Mari / Executive Director

 

 

 

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Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Attorney at Maus Law Firm is here to support you.

Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Attorney at Maus Law Firm is here to support you.

  • Posted: Feb 26, 2024
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Suffering a personal injury is a daunting experience, and it requires an empathetic and personal approach.

Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Attorney at Maus Law Firm is here to support you.

We believe in fighting for your rights and ensuring you get the compensation you deserve, tailoring our approach to your unique situation.

Personal Injury Lawyer
205 West Davie Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States, Florida
(954) 784-6310
jmaus@mauslawfirm.com
mauslawfirm.com

 

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How long should HOA repairs take?

How long should HOA repairs take?

  • Posted: Feb 21, 2024
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How long should HOA repairs take?

We recently published an article on how communities can speed up maintenance projects. In this article, we’ll look at how long some common maintenance jobs should take to complete.

 

Table of contents

 

The obligation to maintain the property

HOAs have an obligation to maintain certain parts of the development. They must set aside a portion of the dues or fees collected from owners to pay for big and small maintenance projects. If the association fails to meet those obligations, it not only creates safety problems for members, but legal issues for the association as well.

If members feel that the board is not properly caring for the property, they can write official complaints, vote to remove board members, or even sue the HOA.

Maintenance must be taken seriously, but it is far easier to manage when you have a system or solution that enables you to organize components, schedule/assign work, and track tasks.

 

Defining maintenance obligations

The maintenance responsibilities of an association versus those assigned to individual owners depend primarily on whether the item or equipment is classified as part of a common area, exclusive use common area, or separate interest.

Common areas typically refer to shared spaces such as pools, sidewalks and roads. Exclusive use common areas are spaces or elements used by one or more, but fewer than all, of the owners. Separate interests are the separately owned lots belonging to members.

While some maintenance obligations are quite clear, others can be a little murky. This is especially true with exclusive common areas since they tend to be things like patios and windows. Roof maintenance may also be confusing; some HOAs cover roof repairs while others do not.

The association’s CC&Rs should detail maintenance obligations and define who is responsible for what. But if there is some uncertainty, boards are advised to refer to civil codes and/or consult with the HOA’s attorney.

 

Why timelines matter

There are several reasons why time matters when it comes to maintenance projects. The main one is so staff and management can plan for disruptions and costs. However, there are times when maintenance work will impact owners, and they will also need to know approximately how long the work will impact their day-to-day lives.

For example, if a parking lot is being repaved, owners will need to be informed of the work, they will need to move their vehicles before the work begins, and know how long they will have to find temporary parking.

Contractors can’t know for sure how long maintenance work will take to complete, but they should be able to provide an educated estimate. Tracking the time it takes for professionals to complete routine and unplanned maintenance is another good way to predict future repair timelines. Having this knowledge allows those responsible for setting up maintenance work to complete projects with more confidence (plus they’ll know if a vendor is taking too long to complete certain jobs).

 

How long should HOA repairs take?

There is no way to know for sure how long any maintenance project will take. Even a standard preventative maintenance job can become lengthy if a contractor discovers additional damage to an element. Other factors, including availability of materials, permit requirements, complexity of the project, size of the community, and weather will all impact the timeline of a project.

That being said, below are some estimates of how long common HOA maintenance work takes to complete.

To get a more accurate time estimate, speak with a contractor or repair expert. They will be able to look at the specific qualities of your community and provide you with a realistic timeline.

Pool repairs

There are many different types of pool repairs. Some can be completed in a couple of hours while others will take several days.

A simple structural leak generally takes a day or two of work. Half a day is needed to complete the first step of a crack injection repair, and another half day is required to “staple” the cracks together and plaster the damaged area.

If your pool has a heater and the warming system breaks, the entire pool may be shut down for a week. The heater can be replaced in a day, but it could take longer. After the new pool heater is installed, it might be another three days before the pool is warm enough to use again.

Most plumbing leaks can be resolved in two days, but the time it takes to fix a pool leak from plumbing can vary according to the extent of the damage.

Pool resurfacing involves the removal and replacement of the top layer of the pool surface. This may be done to give the pool a clean fresh look, or to address several small cracks. In general, this renovation process takes one to three weeks.

 

Water/electricity lines

A water line is an underground pipe that transports water from a water source to a home’s or building’s service pipe. These pipes typically run beneath sidewalks and streets.

A water line pipe might crack, allowing water to spill out. This can cause many issues, including unsanitary water, higher water bills, low water pressure, and floods.

Due to the severity of this problem, a water main break needs immediate attention. Plumbing technicians will need to turn the water off while they repair the break. Once the pipe is in working order, they will flush it before reconnecting it to the plumbing system.

The good news is this type of repair only takes between four and eight hours.

If an electricity line goes out due to weather, it can generally be restored in a couple of hours. However, if an entire pole comes down, the outage could easily last a full day.

 

Roofs

In many cases, HOAs have delegated the responsibility of maintaining roofs to the individual owners. But if the association covers the costs of repairs, expect each home to take up 1-3 days of the contractors’ time. More complex designs and materials will add time to that estimate.

 

Gutters and downspouts

Routine maintenance of gutters and downspouts prevents more serious water damage from occurring. Like roofs, many HOAs have stated that owners are responsible for maintaining these items.

Minor gutter repairs can be completed in as little as one to two hours. Partial replacements can take two to four hours, and full replacements can take two to three days of work.

The timing is similar for downspout repairs and replacements.

 

Parking lots

Most HOAs can complete routine parking lot maintenance in two to three weeks, but timing will vary depending on the size of the lot and weather conditions.

Paving can take less than a week, but keep in mind that proper curing (letting the asphalt cool and settle) is an important part of the process as well. Depending on the size of the parking lot, thorough curing can take anywhere from one to two weeks.

 

General landscaping

While not a traditional repair, landscaping is a maintenance job that can be hard to plan for, at least the first couple of times. The size of the property, availability of materials, and weather conditions can greatly impact the time it takes to finish the job. Once you have found a landscaper that you like, you will become more familiar with the time it takes to do certain jobs.

From start to finish, most projects fall into the two- to three-week range, but cutting grass or trimming plans can take half a day.

 

Conclusion

HOAs have an obligation to maintain certain areas of the development. By scheduling routine maintenance, associations help prolong the useful life of elements and components, and keep the community safe and attractive too.

It’s important for staff, board members and management to have repair timelines so that they can budget for costs and time accordingly. While projects don’t always go according to plan, just having a guideline allows them to manage expectations more effectively.

 

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RSVP for free to attend a Lunch & Learn at the Weston Community Center on Feb. 21st at 11:30am. Topic: “Managing Conflict Management in HOAs and Condos”.

RSVP for free to attend a Lunch & Learn at the Weston Community Center on Feb. 21st at 11:30am. Topic: “Managing Conflict Management in HOAs and Condos”.

  • Posted: Feb 20, 2024
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RSVP for free to attend a Lunch & Learn at the Weston Community Center on Feb. 21st at 11:30am. Topic: “Managing Conflict Management in HOAs and Condos”.

This also gets CAMS a credit in HR!

Guest panelists include Weston Commissioner Mary Molina Macfie and Kaye Bender Rembaum’s Michael S. Bender, offering their perspectives.

The instructor is Marcy Kravit, PCAM (Hotwire Communications). Lunch provided by Blue Tiger Wellness and is complimentary to those who register.

Here is the link:

ACE Lunch & Learn in Weston

Presented by Hotwire Communications’, Marcy Kravit, PCAM, “Creating Harmony: Managing Conflict Management in Community Associations”. DPBR approved credit for CAMS! Course# 9632176. Provider# 8912. One HR CEU. Panel Guests: Michael Bender, Esq. (Kaye Bender Rembaum) & Mary Macfie (Weston City Commissioner).

Where: 

Wednesday, February 21, 2024 from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM EST

Where

Weston Community Center
20200 Saddle Club Rd
Weston, FL 33327

 

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CEU course “Navigating the FFHA: Assistance Animal or Pet?” next week on Feb. 20th. Alan Schwartzseid of KBR Legal.com

CEU course “Navigating the FFHA: Assistance Animal or Pet?” next week on Feb. 20th. Alan Schwartzseid of KBR Legal.com

  • Posted: Feb 20, 2024
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We are presenting the CEU course “Navigating the FFHA: Assistance Animal or Pet?” next week on Feb. 20th. Alan Schwartzseid from KBR Legal.com will be the instructor.

Use the link to enroll for free: 

Feb 20, 2024 02:00 PM
Presented by Alan Schwartzseid, Esq., of Kaye Bender Rembaum Learn about the HUD regulations and Florida Legislation pertaining to assistance animals, as well as common issues concerning assistance animals and addressing requests by residents for reasonable accommodations. Provider #: 0005092 | Course #: 9631847 | 1 CE credit in OPP or Elective
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Please join us in Palm Beach for the Condo, HOA and Property Management Expo today!

Please join us in Palm Beach for the Condo, HOA and Property Management Expo today!

  • Posted: Feb 12, 2024
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Please join us in Palm Beach for the Condo, HOA and Property Management Expo today, Tuesday February 13th!

Drop by the Palm Beach Convention Center

Come down and meet SFPMA Members and other great companies working in the Condo & HOA industries.

 

Attention all aspiring Community Association Managers! Start your journey to success with ProLicense Florida’s pre-license course.

Attention all aspiring Community Association Managers! Start your journey to success with ProLicense Florida’s pre-license course.

  • Posted: Jan 31, 2024
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Attention all aspiring Community Association Managers! Start your journey to success with ProLicense Florida’s pre-license course.

  • Posted: Jan 26, 2024
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Our online education program is designed to give you the knowledge and skills needed to excel in this field.

Don’t miss this opportunity to earn your license and boost your career!

Become a Property Manager

sfpma has partnered with the top educational platform for Licensing and education. We offer CAM Licensing, Real Estate Licensing, Take the opportunity today to change your life! Get Licensed. Enjoy our self-paced online classes – Start your new Career – Become a Property Manager.

Florida Community Association Manager License Courses

To become licensed in Florida, you need to first meet the requirements to enter an approved educational program. Once you’ve completed the program successfully, you apply for a license.

After being electronically fingerprinted, you’ll need to take and pass the licensing exam. You don’t need a license if you are only managing personally owned properties. Some rental properties, however, need a licensing by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants.

If a property owner hires a salaried employee to manage the property no broker’s license is required, but if they are paid by commission or transactional basis they must have a license.

Community Association Managers (CAMs) differ from property managers. CAMs must hold a valid Community Association Manager license. Obtaining this FREC license follows a similar process, but requires a different educational program.


If you need to verify a License in Florida:

Check each applicant’s license status before hiring any person. Use the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Licensee Search webpage to determine their licensing.

State of Florida Requires; Property Managers to be Registered with the DPBR

Visit our Upcoming Events page and view our calendar, top events are listed for Boards, Managers and Members.

Visit our Upcoming Events page and view our calendar, top events are listed for Boards, Managers and Members.

  • Posted: Jan 23, 2024
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Webinars plus Breakfast/Lunch Events This Week

Find other top events on our website


Wednesday, January 24 | 7:30am Est | Breakfast in Pompano

OPP Credit with hot breakfast.

Limited space remains | RSVP Free Here.

Info needed? Contact ACE by TSK


Wednesday, January 24 | 11:30am Est | Lunch in Pembroke Pines

Legal Update 2024 with hot lunch.

Registration Closed…this serves as a reminder for those registered.

Info needed? Contact Capriccio’s Networking Group


Thursday, January 25 | 2:00pm Est | Zoom Webinar

Importance of Updating the Governing Documents of Your Association

RSVP Free Here


Expos & Trade Shows

Register for the Expos, Sign up for the Informational Seminars. The Board Certification courses are the best in the State. The one day events are great places to meet with many of the top businesses working together in the Industry.

Feb 6TH, 2024 AT 8:30 A.M. AT THE
SIGNATURE GRAND – BROWARD COUNTY.
Tampa Bay Condo & HOA Expo
Feb 9TH, 2024 AT 8:30 A.M.
AT THE TAMPA BAY CONVENTION CENTER.
Palm Beach Condo & HOA Expo
Feb 13th, 2024 AT 8:30 A.M.
AT THE PALM BEACH CONVENTION CENTER.

YouTube Live: Condo Craze & HOA’s

On our YouTube page you can find webinar events you may have missed, these are recorded for your viewing pleasure. Education is key for Boards, Managers and Owners living in Condo and HOA’s all over the State.  You may also find the service companies that make up SFPMA have videos letting clients learn what the do and they can best help you.

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COURSE: WHAT A CAM MUST KNOW AFTER A PROPERTY LOSS

COURSE: WHAT A CAM MUST KNOW AFTER A PROPERTY LOSS

  • Posted: Jan 22, 2024
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FREE HOT BREAKFAST WITH EDUCATION IN BROWARD

 01/24/2024  7:30 am – 9:30 am
 Galuppis

Address: 1015 N Federal Hwy, Pompano Beach, FL 33062, USA
COURSE: WHAT A CAM MUST KNOW AFTER A PROPERTY LOSS

RSVP Free HERE

  • Course #: 9628960 | Provider #: 0005930 | One CEU in OPP or ELE
  • Delicious hot breakfast will be served and this event is complimentary thanks to the support of our ACE partners.
  • Presented by Water Restoration Group’s Raf Tamecki (Dir. of Field Operations) “What  A CAM Must Know After A Property Loss” offers essential insights into the critical post-property loss procedures that property managers and CAMS need to know. Panelists who will answer related questions include Terri Russo (SouthState Bank) and Andrew Massie (Plastridge Insurance).

 

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A reminder that we have a Condominium Association Board Member Certification webinar coming up Wednesday (Jan. 17) afternoon at 2pm Est. Alan Schwartzseid, Esq. will teach the class. It provides the certification required for new board members

A reminder that we have a Condominium Association Board Member Certification webinar coming up Wednesday (Jan. 17) afternoon at 2pm Est. Alan Schwartzseid, Esq. will teach the class. It provides the certification required for new board members

  • Posted: Jan 16, 2024
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Condominium Association Board Member Certification webinar

Wednesday (Jan. 17) afternoon at 2pm Est.

Alan Schwartzseid, Esq. will teach the class that provides the certification required for new board members.

ALSO offers two (2) IFM credits for licensed CAMS in Florida. Here is the link to enroll for free:This webinar covers the essentials of condominium board membership, and is updated regularly to remain current with legislative amendments to Florida’s Condominium Act. In addition, this webinar satisfies Florida’s requirement for new condominium board members. It also serves as an excellent refresher course. Licensed CAMS will receive two (2) CE credits as IFM or ELE.

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_umc0gbrIQDuT-pqj0fSWgQ#/registration

A few other events this week.

Condominium Board Member Certification (2 IFM/ELE & Board Cert)

Wednesday, Jan. 17 | 2:00pm Est | Zoom

Enroll for Jan. 17 at 2pm

Electronic Voting & Virtual Meetings with guest Kaye Bender Rembaum

Thursday, Jan. 18 | 12:00pm Est | Luncheon in city of Orlando

Enroll for Jan. 18