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SFPMA Industry Articles | news, legal updates, events & education! 

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

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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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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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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Mobile Leasing: The transition to mobile-based marketing, leasing and resident management in 2017

Mobile Leasing: The transition to mobile-based marketing, leasing and resident management in 2017

The buzz in the property management industry right now about the transition to mobile-based marketing, leasing and resident management, with the expectation that the pervasive tech obsession sweeping America will leave no process unturned.

The reality may be a little closer to the current standard practices of renting an apartment—with a couple of notable exceptions.

Industry insiders tell us that while things are going to change a lot for some high-end apartment communities and their tenants, many of us will still be filling out paper applications. But we may get to pay our rent and submit maintenance requests, online. And while searching for that great new place, expect to be courted with apps and mobile-friendly websites.

Here’s a step-by-step look at the apartment rental process and what’s changing—or, perhaps, staying the same.

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