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

Is it time to Clean your Air Conditioning Air Ducts and Filters.

Is it time to Clean your Air Conditioning Air Ducts and Filters.

With the passing of IRMA, We suggest cleaning your air ducts and change filters.

Sitting water causes mold even when your home’s Electric has been off for a while the humid air can cause ducts and filters to collect water. We think the best way to protect your family from health concerns is to Clean Duct work and A/C Systems Filter Replacement.

A wise person told me a while back “Change your Filter every time you pay your Electric Bill” I like this but we don’t think you have to do this monthly, But Every 2 months this should be completed.

The Environmental Protection Agency recommends cleaning air ducts when:

• You suspect mold exists in the air ducts.

• You notice a vermin infestation somewhere in the home, or you see insects or rodents entering or exiting ductwork.

• You see a visible “poof” of dust released from the supply registers when air is exiting the vents.

Experts recommends taking a look inside your air vent register. “If you notice black debris around the outside, that’s pollutants that have been recycled through the system over and over again, and that’s a sign your system is excessively soiled,” he says. “Also, take a look at your system when you change your filter. If there’s a lot of dust buildup in that area, that’s another sign you’re overdue for a cleaning.”

Our A/C systems do a good job of removing this humidity. But over time, the damp air — combined with dust and debris that get past the air filter — begin to accumulate inside the air handler, blower and even through the duct system of the air conditioner. And that provides a breeding ground for mold.

 

Find Local A/C Companies ready to  help with Cleaning your Air Conditioning Ducts.

 

Featured Members:  Find Top Companies working in the Property Management Industry.

SmithCo.:  Is a full service Residential & Commercial Air Conditioning company that can provide new installations, service, and maintenance to any system for any home or business.

First Call Services:  With more than 26 years of experience in the field with expertise in Moisture Assessments, Building Diagnostics, and Residential Central Air Conditioning System Design.

JOHNSTONE SUPPLY – FORT LAUDERDALE # 36: You may wish to buy top quality A/C Parts, Filters on your own.  > Vist Johnstone Supply.

 

Become a Member: Have your company listed on our Directory, being used by over 4500 Property Management, Condo and HOA’s all over Florida.

 

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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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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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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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Pest Control for Construction Projects

Pest Control for Construction Projects

Whether you’re renovating an older-style building, or constructing entirely new, redesigning your building’s structure can be exciting. However, if the right precautions aren’t taken, new construction can also attract unwanted attention from pests.

To help prevent pest issues during construction and ensure your facility does not become home to pests once construction is complete, our member Scott Cooksey, Owner of Bug Thugs Pest Protection. Pest Control Specialist, explains how you can build pest management into your construction plans.

There are a variety of proactive measures your facility can take before, during and after the construction process to accomplish this, Let us explain:

BEFORE

hire-an-insect-control-service“Before construction even begins, it’s important to get two people on board: your pest management provider and your contractor. An experienced pest management provider can do more than prevent and manage pest infestations that pop up during construction….

“When involved from day one, he/she can also provide feedback on building materials and locations that will be the least attractive to pests, and help you build measures into your construction plan that will lead to a successful pest management program when the doors to your new facility finally open,” He Said.

 

Several tips your pest management professional may provide include:

  • Use non-cellulose building materials to deter termites.
  • Consider applying a preventive termite barrier to the property.
  • Use pest monitors to assess pest populations in the surrounding area.
  • Understanding which pest species will be a threat will help you determine what steps you need to take to deter them.
  • Understand geographic conditions.
  • Selecting a location for your facility near a water source might create additional pest pressures.
  • Sufficiently grade the property to prevent puddles from forming around the foundation.

Remember, moisture attracts pests like mosquitoes and termites. Even though your management team may be the ultimate decision maker, it will be up to your contractor to take the lead on pest management during his/her work.

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The Falcon Group Acquires Maxim Management Group

The Falcon Group Acquires Maxim Management Group

MIAMI–In July 2016, The Falcon Group completed its acquisition of Maxim Management Group, an industry-leading project management and owner’s representation firm in Miami, Florida. The recent acquisition advances The Falcon Group’s mission of providing full-service engineering, architectural and project management solutions to the multi-family residential, commercial and hospitality market sectors.

 

News The Falcon GroupAs part of said acquisition, Max Sadik joins The Falcon Group as a Restoration Specialist. He is an experienced business operator and certified general contractor in the State of Florida. “I am excited to bring my sales and management experience to The Falcon Group,” says Sadik. “And believe there is going to be great synergy between myself, the team and our clients moving forward.”

 

The combination of the two companies will increase the value The Falcon Group delivers to its client base. “We are very excited about our recent business venture, said Principal William Pyznar. “Adding the local project management and general contracting background to our already strong restoration engineering and management team will bring a deeper level of insight and service to our clients in Southeast Florida. We look forward to providing a focus on clear, constant, transparent project communication and value engineering to exceed the expectations of our clients, with long-term durability in mind.” 

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HOLIDAY CYBER SAFETY

HOLIDAY CYBER SAFETY

HOLIDAY CYBER SAFETY

 

What a beautiful time of the year when we celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa with family and friends and do our best to give each person on our shopping list THE perfect gift. To find that perfect gift we can fight the traffic and crowds at the mall or save time and aggravation by shopping online. Let’s go with the online approach. To successfully shop on line it is important for you to be aware of cyber criminals and the inventive and aggressive methods they employ to steal your
money and identity, and there are many. What are some of the popular schemes? The Fraudulent Classified Ads or Auction Sales and Nondelivered Merchandise are two that are easy to fall victim to. Let me explain; the Fraudulent Classified Ads or Auction Sales is a scam where the seller post items that are stolen or is purchased with a stolen credit card. The Nondelivered Merchandise is a scam where merchandise is sold that does not exist. The buyer purchases items online which is never delivered. How do you avoid becoming a victim and totally ruining your holiday shopping?

Well, here are a few tips to best protect yourself:

 

● Get to know as much about the seller as possible. Start with a Google search paying
special attention ratings, comments or complains. Research the BBB, many scam “artist” are listed on the FBI web site at ( www.fbi.gov/scamssafety/fraud ) or research your states business licenses sitesFlorida residents can log on to www.sunbiz.org or myfloridalicense.com.

● It is best to play it safe and buy from reputable companies you are familiar or have done business with in the past.

● Avoid companies that do not have a physical address. No company is based in a post office box.

● Send an email to make sure it is valid and call the contact number to make sure the
company even exist.

● Don’t base your decision to do business with a company on their web site. It is easy to set up a flashy web site which is just that…flash.

● When possible pay with your credit card so you can dispute the charge if there is a
problem.

● Avoid dealing with foreign companies. It is almost impossible to verify the legitimacy or get a refund from companies not in the US.

● Never respond to special investment offers because there is a real possibility the
“company” is only after your banking information to seal your identity.

● Beware of price differences, for example a designer hand bag for $19.99 which sells at Macy’s for $125.00 is, in all likelihood, fake.

● The old saying: “If it is to good to be true, it is.” applied back in the day and still does today. Shopping online can really simplify your holiday preparations if it is done with caution and due diligence.

 

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