Building Strong Relationships Through Effective Communication Skills

Four ways your HOA prepare the community for Spring

Spring is upon us and it’s time for the dreaded chore of spring cleaning. This can be a daunting task for most homeowners to get started.

Spring cleaning can begin in your local community. Homeowners Associations can help residents get in the mood and start thinking about their spring cleaning at home.

Here are four things your home or association can do to get the season started and encourage homeowners to jump on the bandwagon and start sprucing up for the warmer weather.

1. HOAs should start early on some of the spring-cleaning items that will make residence want to be ready for the warmer weather. The first thing the HOA board should do is call their local pool service and have the community pool uncovered from the winter, cleaned and all chemicals prepared so the residents can enjoy this amenity as soon as the warm weather breaks.

2.  HOAs should hire and engage the services of a lawn maintenance company to begin mowing, removing leaves, debris and other items left from the winter. It would be a great idea to have your landscaper start planting a few spring plants around the common areas of your community. Once homeowners hear the lawnmowers start up and see the community start to take on new life for the spring season, it will help get them in the mood to do the same. Soon you will have mowers starting up on lawns throughout the neighborhood.

3.  A newsletter should be sent out every spring with activities that are planned for the spring and summer, like tips for spring cleaning, improvements that are coming to the community and much more. After a long cold winter, homeowners begin to look forward to outdoor activities and enjoying the amenities of their community. Newsletters are a great way to get families excited about their community. Make sure to include local events outside of your immediate neighborhood, such as city athletics and sporting events, parades, cleanup days and other local town events that families can go out and do together.

4. Plan community spring and summer events within your community. Spring gatherings, egg hunts, community clean ups, spring community garage sales are just a few examples of events.

Five Ways Your HOA Shows Love to the Community

Often times residents in HOA communities are not fond of the Homeowners Association. Many times residents feel their HOA has too many rules and regulations. Let’s look at this from a different perspective. Let’s consider these 5 things a Homeowners Association does for the community.

1.    Your HOA takes care of your community in many ways to make it enjoyable and beautiful. They maintain the common area lawns and landscaping year around, including maintaining pools, playgrounds, leisure equipment and golf courses.   

2.    Your HOA provides amenities for your family enjoyment and livelihood. It provides enjoyable facilities like community club houses with recreational equipment, pools, golf courses and playgrounds. Some communities also provide golf courses for HOA members.

3.    Your HOA puts into place regulations for all members to abide by to help standardize the community and uphold property and home values. It's always important to review your CCR's and know what standards are in each community. You are required to participate in these standards to help make it a better living experience for all residents in your community.

4.    Your HOA deals with municipalities and local government's with respect to sidewalks, street lighting and other safety items within communities.   If this type of equipment needs repaired or replaced, your HOA will work with local governing bodies to handle the situations.

5.    Your HOA has a fiduciary responsibility to dues and fees paid by its members. Your HOA uses this money for the upkeep, preservation, addition and maintenance of all areas within the community where needed. It's important that members know that your HOA is responsibly using their dues and fees for the betterment of the local community and its residents. 

Location, Location, Location: How to Ensure You're Buying a Home in the Right Community

When investing in a home, one of the most important things is buying a place that you and your family can feel comfortable in. However, while a place you can envision yourself in is important, it's not worth neglecting the neighborhood you'll be moving into for the perfect home. If you're wondering what you should be looking for in the neighborhood you choose, here are a few things to consider before making an offer on a home.

Is It Safe?

It may be common to feel bowled over by a home and want to invest immediately, but the right home in the wrong neighborhood may not be the best choice for many reasons. Part of feeling comfortable in your home is being safe among its streets, so ensure you research the neighborhood and its history, and check in on the crime rate. You may even want to consult with your agent or some local neighbors to see what information they can provide about the area's history.

Are There Local Amenities?

If you're used to getting in the car to run errands, it might not be important to not have a grocery store or pharmacy nearby. However, if there are no amenities you use frequently close by, it can start to be a bit of a drain on your lifestyle. While you don't necessarily need to have the trendiest restaurants or best shopping, it's important to have a few choice places in case you run out of something and need to make a quick run to the store. 

What's Your Neighborhood Style?

It might seem like a strange thing to ask yourself, but the neighborhood you live in is going to become a big part of your life and that means you'll have to see yourself in it. If you want neighbors you can trust and community-mindedness, you'll want to seek out an area with these qualities. On the other side, if you happen to prefer a busier urban atmosphere that offers more independence, this may be the way to go.

There are a lot of things that go into finding the right home, but it's important not to forget about the neighborhood you're living in and what it will mean for your lifestyle.

4 Tips to Keep Your Community Beautiful This Summer

Everyone wants a beautiful looking community.  With this comes the responsibility and everyone working together to achieve this goal. A clean and tidy outdoor environment benefits everyone in the community.
 
Here are 4 tips every community resident can do to be a part of the community beautification effort this summer:

1. Littering

Everyone in the community can do their part to eliminate littering.  Whether on the street, sidewalks, common amenity areas and in our own yard. Everybody can pick up any litter that is seen.  

2. Recreational Items

All residents can work together to put bicycles, toys and other items in the garage or stored neatly in their place. This will keep each home from looking cluttered.

3. Lawn and Garden

All community residents can work together and make sure water hoses, sprinklers, lawn tools and other similar items are put away safely in the garage in thier storage space. This is also crucial from community safety.

A clean and beautiful community benefits all residents.  Having a sense of pride in your community plays a vital role in enjoying where you live.  

4 Tips To Keep Your HOA Community Safe For Residents

The safety and well-being of community members is highly important to your HOA. Associations should take every measure possible to adhere to all procedures and policies that keep communities safe.

Every association wants to make sure that the best quality services are being provided to the residents to ensure maximum protection for them.  The safety and security of the homeowners’ community is in the hands of the HOA or the management company..

If your HOA is being managed by a management company there are procedures in place for the prevention of unplanned accidents on the property as well as procedures on how to respond to accidents, fires, adverse weather conditions and other unforeseen situations that may arise.  Here are a few steps to consider to ensure safety and security for the community.

Revise and update security procedures

Devise a comprehensive security policy in collaboration with board members and make it mandatory that the terms and procedures are followed to ensure maximum protection for residents. Perform an annual review of the current and past safety and security policies and identify the areas for improvement.

Investigate the areas that may be vulnerable to danger or damage and take any necessary action on what needs to be changed.

Collaborate with law enforcement agencies

It is vital to have open lines of communication with local municipalities, law enforcement, fire and medical emergency personnel. Communication with local municipalities is important when your association needs to report street light outages or road and sidewalk problems.

Your HOA may need local police and law enforcement agencies to provide security during threats, events or just patrolling the community. Each board member should know the procedures for contacting emergency personnel in case of emergencies or security issues.

Establish a close-knit community

Encourage residents to look out for each other and develop a supportive community.  A friendly neighborhood learns to look after each other, and reports to the proper authorities whenever they notice any suspicious activity happening in the community.  Neighbors should be wary of whatever is happening in the community.

A well-managed Neighborhood Watch program is an important part of maintaining a safe and secure community. Your Association should actively recruit volunteers and hold informational meetings and special events focusing on community safety.

Give tips to the community

This also comes with keeping the community informed about the latest procedures, devices and looming threats. A community newsletter is a great way to communicate. The use of technology, such as email is a fast way to notify residents on impending adverse weather threats, road closures, ice removal and other important notices that need to reach residents in an expedited manner. Regular monthly published updates along with security tips, such as securing the doors and windows, not letting children walk out alone at night, not letting strangers into the house and not giving away their house security codes to others.

Here is a list of reminders your Association can publish to your community members to assist the board and management in keeping your community safe.

1.    Is the garage door closed?

2.    Are all car windows up?

3.    Are the car doors locked?

4.    If you have a garage remote in your car, remove it.

5.    Are all items in your car removed? Remember, it might be only an empty store bag, but the thief sees a bag that “might” contain something valuable. Those cheap sunglasses looked expensive in the dark through the car window.

6.    Is the door between your house and garage locked?

7.    Are all home windows closed and locked?

8.    Are all doors locked?  

As a community member know who is on your HOA Board and who should be contacted. In the event of a true emergency calling 911 as your first step.

Each Board Member should know the policies and procedures set up by the Association or management company and they should be followed precisely to avoid liability on the part of the Association or management company.

Association Management Group handles all of this for communities as your HOA Management Company. AMG also provides training for HOA's.

7 Event Ideas That Your HOA Can Plan for Community Togetherness During the Holiday Season.

The Holidays are a wonderful time to bring people together. Young and old, neighbors
gather together to celebrate the holidays with peace and joy. Most communities are very fortunate to have many diverse cultures, ethnicities, religions and traditions. One thing all people have in common is the belief that the holidays are for celebrating families, for helping one another, and for celebrating all that we have to be grateful for in life. 

 Residents who lead and volunteer on the HOA board often try to bring the community together during the holidays. They want to help residents get in the spirit of giving and sharing. 

Here are 7 event ideas that your HOA can plan for community togetherness during the holiday season.

1. A Charitable Donation Drive: Organize a toys for tots drive or canned goods drive to help needy families during the holidays.

2. Organize a White Elephant gift exchange. Have the event at the clubhouse or common area and have participating residents bring snacks to share.

3. Hold a holiday tree decorating contest. Ask residents to decorate small trees and select a winner.

4. Organize a Holiday cake bake off! Have residents get their best recipes and bake holiday cakes and have the HOA members vote!

5. Organize a community Progressive Party. Each participating homeowner provides a different item: appetizer, salad, side dish, etc and you eat "Dinner" as you move from house to house. Have a sign up for families that want to be involved in the event. Each family signs up for a time slot and opens their home to the group. First family has an appetizer, second family has first course, and so on. A few families can double up to lessen the burden of preparing the dish. 

6. Recipe Exchange - Have homeowners submit a favorite recipe for their favorite dish: chocolate dessert, favorite side dish, etc. Have the residents bring a sample of the finished dish to share and share the recipe.

7. Organize a volunteer day or evening event for your residents to participate in. Contact your local food bank or soup kitchen and arrange for your residents to help cook or feed the needy.  It's a great way for your community to give back. 

Community events come in many varieties with many different purposes. The holidays are the best time of year to get people involved.  Regardless of the purpose or the sponsor, involvement in community events can benefit all involved.

Announce a board meeting and delegate a special committee to start planning a holiday event in your community. You may be surprised how people come together. 

Association Management Group Offers Community Safety Tips For Halloween

Association Management Group Offers Community Safety Tips For Halloween

   Fall celebrations like Halloween and Harvest Day are fun times for children, who can dress up in costumes, enjoy parties, and eat yummy treats. These celebrations also provide a chance to give out healthy snacks, get physical activity, and focus on safety.

    Halloween is a popular time of year for kids and families. But Halloween comes with its own set of safety risks. Make sure you check with your homeowner's association for any specific rules pertaining to Halloween activities.

At AMG we would like to offer these 10 tips to make sure your community takes measures to help little ghosts and goblins stay safe while trick-or-treating.

1. Make sure your community has proper outdoor lighting so drivers can see costumes in the dark. It’s a startling fact that children are twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than any other day of the year.

2. If there is no lighting provide children a glow-in-the-dark costume or a reflective trick-or-treat bag. Children should use a flashlight or glow stick when walking at night.

 3. Get together with neighbors and Trick-or-treat in a group. Kids younger than 13 should go with an adult. Older kids always should go in a group on a planned route that the parents have scheduled.

4. Before Halloween teach kids to cross streets at crosswalks and intersections, stop at street corners, look left, right and left again before crossing to make sure a vehicle is not coming.

5. Instruct children to only visit homes of people they know and only accept treats at the door. Enforce to children to never enter a home or car.

6. Make sure facial paints, cosmetics, masks and costumes are safe for walking. If a mask is used, make certain the eye and nose openings do not restrict vision or breathing.

7. When walking with children enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully

8. Tell your children not to eat any treats until they return home.

9. Have your neighborhood watch volunteers ready to be the eyes and ears of the neighborhood on Halloween night. Have someone on patrol.

10. Schedule an after Halloween volunteer clean up crew to go through community streets to clean up candy, paper and items from the big Trick-or-treat night.

Practice safe Halloween tips for the health and safety of families. AMG wishes your family a safe and happy Halloween

3 Key Reasons To Be A Good Neighbor And Community Member

National Good Neighbor Day is observed annually on September 28.  
 

Neighbors are an integral part of our social lives. Good Neighbor Day on September 28 is an annual holiday that promotes neighborliness and niceness towards people who surround us. 

According to a NAR Community Preference Survey, 78% of respondents said that the neighborhood is more important to them than the size of the home.  Neighbors are the ones you live within the same geographical area, share the same street, the same park, play with your children and are the closest to your family.

People are so quick to be at odds with their neighbors for various reasons. Neighborhood battles have been going on for years. There are several reasons why you should invest in getting to know your neighbor and cultivate a friendship with them.

3 Key Reasons To Be A Good Neighbor And Community Member

1. Peace and Harmony: No one really likes living a stressful life. Most of us dream of owning our home and living happily ever after. There can be no peace when you are fighting with your neighbors.  Try to accept your neighbors, respect their differences and their lifestyle. With all of the crime in America people resort to unlawful and crazy actions when challenged by neighbors. Strive to maintain a peaceful home, street, and most of all contribute to peace and harmony in your community.

2. Your Family's Safety: It's a good feeling to know that your neighbor has your back. A good relationship with your neighbor can benefit you in many ways. If you go on vacation they can watch after your home. If your child is out in the community they can have an eye on any situation you  may not see, they can come to your rescue if you have an emergency at home or offer family support in a crisis.

3. Contribute to the Community: When all neighbors are living peacefully the overall community lives at peace. Law enforcement is not frequently visiting the neighborhood and the value of the community is regarded higher. When the residents are living harmoniously the community is a better place for everyone.

Since 1985, Association Management Group (AMG) has offered clients a proven track record of excellence as the Carolinas' leading property management organization. Our goal is to preserve, protect and enhance the value of our client communities, which include homeowner Associations, condominium Associations, planned unit developments and common interest office communities. Our unique and proprietary systems keep our clients’ communities running smoothly, elevating the community Association experience for more than 30,000 property owners and community residents across North and South Carolina. 

copyright 2017© Association Management Group 

AMG Offers Tips For Community Hurricane Preparedness

In past years the Carolinas have fallen victim to devastating storms. At AMG we want to help homeowners keep their homes safe and reduce injury from storms. Hurricanes and tropical systems can cause serious damage on both coastal and inland areas. These hazards can come in many forms including: storm surge, heavy rainfall, inland flooding, high winds and tornadoes.

To prepare for these powerful storms, AMG is encouraging families, businesses and individuals to be aware of the potential risks. You should have a community preparedness plan to prepare your home, workplace and community for the storm.  When you live in an area where hurricanes are a risk, planning is essential.

If you live in a community, your neighbors can be a great help in case of an emergency, and you can also be of service to your neighbors. Working together can help keep everyone safe. A community working together during an emergency makes sense. 

Here are some ways you can help neighbors (and they can help you) in case of a hurricane:

1. Get to know your neighbors. Think about people in your neighborhood who may need your help, for example:

·         Older people living by themselves;

·         People with physical or sensory disabilities;

·         People with a chronic illness or with a mental illness;

·         Single parents with young children;

·         Large families; 

·         People newly arrived, including tourists, refugees or immigrants.

·         Talk to your neighbors to identify those who may need assistance

If you are an HOA board member or leader of your community association, you may want to consider a community plan and how to get the information out to the residents.

• Where to go for community resources

• How to prep your home, closing and locking hurricane-proof windows, sealing all openings, securing rooftops and yard items

• Emergency phone numbers

Community associations can get residents involved and working together by holding safety and preparedness events. Use the space in your association newsletter to communicate preparedness information to the residents of the community.

Here is a list of items that might be helpful in the event of a hurricane:      

·         lanterns

·         Batteries (in different sizes!)  

·         Matches 

·         First aid kit

·         Duct tape

·         Rain gear

·         candles

·         battery operated radio      

·         Clock (wind-up or battery-powered)

·         Plastic garbage bags

·         Fire extinguisher

·         Scissors

·         Can Opener

·         Clean clothes

·         Extra blankets

·         Heavy gloves

If your community association becomes aware of impending storms, it is helpful to notify residents of some home preparedness items they can obtain to prepare.

Here is a list to share with the residents of your community:

·         Remove outdoor items

·         Trim dead branches from trees

·         Board up windows

·         Fill gas tanks and extra containers

·         Get extra cash

·         Move furniture away from windows

·         Store important documents in waterproof containers

·         Extra supply of medicines

·         prepare for the needs of pets

Another great way to get your residents involved is holding a canned food drive to collect items to distribute before the big storm arrives.

Here is a list of items residents should have on hand during any emergency:

·         Bottled water (1 gallon/person/day) 

·         Bottled juice

·         Two coolers: 
        One for drinks & one for food               

·         Canned foods

·         Manual can opener

         Dry pet food

          Tweezers

·         Medic-alert tags

·         Insect-repellent sprays

·         Feminine hygiene items

·         Sunscreen

·         Soap

·         First aid kit

·         Prescription medication

          Over-the-counter medication

·         Children's medicine

·         Bandages

·         Adhesive tape

·         Antiseptic solution

·         Thermometer

If you are having an actual emergency please dial 911 immediately. Please be aware and publish all emergency contact numbers.

For more information on how AMG helps serve community associations visit our website at https://www.amgworld.com/.

Triad HOA Management Company President Paul K. Mengert to Lead Advanced Community Management Course at the Community Associations Institute

AMG president/CEO Paul Mengert (standing) teaches the 2016 Community Management course to students at the Community Associations Institute.

On Sept. 7 and 8, Paul K. Mengert, president and CEO of Association Management Group (AMG), the leading Community Management company across the Carolinas, will share his expertise in management, teaching an advanced course at the Community Associations Institute (CAI), in Virginia.

Mengert’s course, CAI-310: Management Company Administration, will help community management professionals apply principles of organizational theory to operate a future community management organization. It will cover such topics as creating and managing budgets, contracting and management ethics.

“My course is designed to prime participants for success, guiding them through the challenges and experiences they will encounter in the community management industry,” Mengert said.

Since 1985, Mengert has taught management classes throughout the Carolinas and the nation. From Elon and Wake Forrest’s law schools, to Harvard Alumni Business School programs at Queens University in Charlotte, NC, Mengert has shared his experiences and knowledge to educate industry professionals.

“I have had the pleasure to work with not only managers, but CEOs of management groups across the country,” Mengert said.

As a long-time faculty member of the Community Associations Institute, Mengert was honored to be asked to contribute another course.

“The Community Association Institute is a leader, nationally and worldwide, in training for community association managers,” Mengert said. “I am proud to have served as a faculty member for more than 20 years. Our mission is to help managers better execute their duties to the communities they work with to increase the property value and experience for members of the communities.”

For more information on the Community Associations Institute visit, https://www.caionline.org/

About Association Management Group: AMG is the Carolinas’ leading professional community Association management company dedicated to building effective, successful community Associations. AMG guides and assists executive boards to help protect the Association's interests, enhance the lives of community members and improve the property values of the community. With offices throughout the Carolinas in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C., as well as Greenville, S.C., AMG is a knowledgeable partner in enforcing community governing documents with a proven set of processes and techniques. AMG specializes in supporting communities with a broad range of services that can be tailored to individual community needs. Association Management Group, Inc. is a locally Accredited Business by the BBB, as well as a nationally Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC) by the Community Associations Institute. For more about AMG, visit https://www.amgworld.com or contact Joselin Paz at Jpaz(at)amgworld(dot)com

Ways Neighbors Can Help Neighbors During a Hurricane

We have just entered the 2017 hurricane season. In past years the Carolinas have fallen victim to devastating storms. At AMG we want to help homeowners keep their homes safe and reduce injury from storms. Hurricanes and tropical systems can cause serious damage on both coastal and inland areas. Their hazards can come in many forms including: storm surge, heavy rainfall, inland flooding, high winds and tornadoes. To prepare for these powerful storms, AMG is encouraging families, businesses, and individuals to be aware of their risks; have a community preparedness plan; prepare your home, workplace and community.

When you live in an area where hurricanes are a risk, planning is essential. Here are some ways  you might be able to help your neighbors. If you live in a community, your neighbors can be a great help in case of an emergency, and you can also be of service to your neighbors. Working together can help keep everyone safe. A community working together during an emergency makes sense. 

Here are some ways you can help neighbors (and they can help you) in case of a hurricane:

Get to know your neighbors. Think about people in your neighborhood who may need your help, for example:
Older people living by themselves;
People with physical or sensory disabilities;
People with a chronic illness or with a mental illness; single parents with young children; large families; 
People newly arrived, including tourists, refugees or immigrants.
Talk to your neighbors to identify those who may need assistance

If you are an HOA board member or leader of your community association you may want to consider a community plan and getting the information out to the residents:

Where to go for community resources

How to prep your home, close and lock hurricane-proof windows, seal all openings, secure rooftops and yard items

Emergency phone numbers

Community associations can get residents involved and working together by holding safety and preparedness events. Use the space in your association newsletter to communicate preparedness information to the residents of the community. Here is a list of items that might be helpful in the event of a hurricane.

Lanterns
Batteries (in different sizes!)  
Matches
First aid kit
Duct tape
Rain gear
Candles
Battery operated radio
Clock (wind-up or battery-powered)
Plastic garbage bags
Fire extinguisher
Scissors
Can Opener
Clean clothes
Extra blankets
Heavy gloves

If your community association becomes aware of impending storms, it is helpful to notify residents of some home preparedness items they can do to get ready. Here is a list to share with the residents of your community:

Remove outdoor items
Trim dead branches from trees
Board up windows
Fill gas tanks and extra containers
Get extra cash
Move furniture away from windows
Store important documents in waterproof containers
Extra supply of medicines
Prepare for the needs of pets
     
Another great way to get your residents involved is holding a canned food drive to collect items to distribute before the big storm arrives. Here is a list of items residents should have on hand during any emergency.

Bottled water (1 gallon/person/day) 
Bottled juice
Two coolers: One for drinks & one for food
Canned foods
Manual can opener
Dry pet food
Medic-alert tags
Insect-repellent sprays
Feminine hygiene items
Sunscreen
Soap
First aid kit
Prescription medication
Over-the-counter medication
Children's medicine
Bandages
Adhesive tape
Antiseptic solution
Thermometer
Tweezers

If you are having an actual emergency please dial 911 immediately. Please be aware and publish all emergency contact numbers.

For more information on how AMG helps serve community associations visit our website at http://www.amgworld.com