How to spot and correctly identify North Carolina’s six venomous snakes
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Original Article Source:https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article250722774.html
Article by BY BROOKE CAIN
APRIL 16, 2021 06:18 PM, UPDATED APRIL 19, 2021 03:36 PM
Excerpt (non-edited)
“For many, the sight of any snake will cause the heart to race. But of the 38 species of snakes in North Carolina, the majority are nonvenomous and not aggressive toward people unless threatened.”
5 Ways For Your HOA to Prepare For Summer
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With summer coming upon us, the time draws near for HOA communities to prepare for the season. Here are 5 tips that will make the transition into summer easier:
Prepare Amenities for Use
Prepare your outdoor amenities, so they are ready to be used by the residents in your community. This means ensuring grills have gas and are in working order, the decks are scrubbed/dry/safe for use, all the chairs/umbrellas in common areas are in good repair, etc. Doing all of this in the months leading up to the equipment and facilities being the most heavily used helps avoid headaches for the HOA from complaints that equipment was not ready for use.
Prepare to open the community pool.
Schedule an initial inspection with your pool vendor to ensure the facility passes city inspection if required. Cities can get busy the closer it is to summer, so be sure you are not delayed in scheduling an inspection. Also, be sure any repairs are made before the inspection. Barring city inspection, be sure to test emergency phone lines, test fences, and gates, update pool rules that are posted, update pool hours, and inspect any pool furniture.
Hire a professional landscaping company.
It is a good idea to look for winter damage in your HOA community, but when it comes to the dos and don’ts of landscaping for the summer, it’s best to leave it to the professionals. This option gives you top experience and unrivaled knowledge of flowers, trees, grass, and climate. It is also a cost-efficient alternative to manual labor and a huge benefit to your residents and potential buyers and renters.
Making sure common areas are safe.
After a long winter, your community’s playgrounds should be inspected before summer takes full effect. Ensure all children’s playground equipment is free of potential hazards and replace bolts and other structural pieces as needed. Watch out for any other hazards such as glass or insect infestations to remove as well. Post children at play signs near playground amenities to prevent accidents along roads.
Plan community events for the summer
Summer months are the perfect time to plan events that encourage residents to get out of their houses and mingle with neighbors. Potlucks, outdoor movie screenings, community talent shows, and dances are all memorable bonding experiences. If you are a board member, use these opportunities to introduce yourselves to residents and answer questions.
From the classic cookout to a pool party or a family fun day, the options of what type of event is appropriate are endless. When deciding what, exactly, is an appropriate event for your community association will largely be determined based on the lifestyle the people in your specific community choose to live.
How to Make Sure Your Community Stays Connected During COVID-19
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COVID-19 has hit everyone hard. One of the virus’s many unfortunate consequences is the decimation of our normal community interactions. Most people move to a community to experience the benefits of living in that community: companionship, activities, and more.
If you are a board member looking for ways to reinvigorate your community during COVID-19, keep reading. In this article, you will find the top four ways to make sure your community stays connected during COVID-19.
4 Ways for a Community to Stay Connected During COVID-19
Want to keep your community connected? Here are four ways to do just that.
1.Leverage online resources.
You likely have an online portal or email system for your residents. You may even use AMG’s AMG CONNECTS system. Leverage this technology to keep your community informed and involved.
For example, you can organize digital events using tools like Zoom. These could be meetings for the community or even concerts or virtual parties. Use email communication to determine the types of events or services that your residents prefer. Then organize them digitally, which will help keep your community cohesive.
2.Encourage your community to donate and support small, local businesses.
COVID-19 has been hard for everyone. However, some members of your local community are probably suffering more than others. Small businesses all over the country have struggled to stay open during this time. Families throughout North and South Carolina are struggling with lost wages and home-schooling.
As a community leader, you can organize food drives, donations, and even provide local, small business recommendations to your community. This will help your city thrive while also providing a sense of unity among your residents.
3.Check on elderly and ill residents.
Another group that has been hard-hit by COVID-19 is the elderly and chronically ill. Make sure to socially distance. However, visiting, bringing groceries too, and communicating with these people is great. As with donating, philanthropic work can bring everyone together. Plus, it will provide a lot of positive benefits to members of your community who are more isolated.
4.Plan safe and socially-distanced events.
Depending on the rules of your location, you can also plan safe, outdoor, socially-distanced events for your community. Make sure all safety requirements are followed. If you are part of a large community, you will also want to ensure that you are following attendance recommendations.
Spring and summer are great for outdoor events in North and South Carolina. Now is the time for your residents to get out of their homes and begin enjoying their community again. Outdoor fitness classes, socially-distanced picnics, and more are all ways to enjoy the outdoors and bring your community together.
Don’t let COVID-19 cause your community to lose cohesion. You have to be more creative than normal. However, the benefits to the mental and physical well-being of your community are immense. If you’d like to learn more community management strategies and live in North or South Carolina, contact AMG today.
Why Hiring a Community Management Company for Your HOA Will Save You Time & Money?
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Managing your HOA can be a strain on your time and money. There are seemingly infinite tasks associated with running a community. It takes money to perform all of these tasks as well. Because most HOA boards are run by volunteers, it can be hard to find the time to get everything done efficiently.
Hiring a Community Management Company can solve all of your problems. Plus, they can save you time and money as well. Keep reading to find out why.
Why Hire a Community Management Company?
Hiring a community management company can be one of the most important things you do for your HOA. The right community management company will be made up of professionals with years of experience. That expertise helps provide your HOA with the following benefits, all of which will save your board both time and money.
1.Financial help.
Because money is such an important commodity for HOAs, let’s begin by discussing the financial help a community management company can provide. At AMG Association Management Group, for example, we offer a wide variety of fiscal services. These include bookkeeping and accounting, fee collection, association banking, and association taxes.
All of the financial services offered by community management companies can be time-consuming and hard for non-specialists to complete. Unless you have an accountant with lots of time on your HOA board, it is best to bring in the professionals. Not only will they take care of these essential tasks, but they will also save you money in the long run. When everything is done correctly the first time, you will not have to pay fines or multiple fees. Plus, having a third party enforcing dues and other financial transactions for the community can solve many conflicts.
2.Facility and community upkeep.
Another big part of running an HOA involves community and facility upkeep. Depending on the type of community your HOA governs, there may be a lot of common spaces that need to be kept clean and in good repair. The better your common spaces are, the more appeal your community will have, which keeps your resident turn-over rate low.
Facility services require working with vendors. A good community management company will have existing relationships with the best vendors. They can handle these relationships and ensure the work is done properly. When high-quality work is done the first time, your HOA will not have to spend more money on repairs or replacements.
Residents of the Carolinas should consider AMG for their community management needs. We have physical offices in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Charlotte, and Raleigh/Durham, NC, and Greenville and Aiken, SC. That means we are your local Carolina source for community management. Don’t gamble on an impersonal national company. With AMG you get a company with lots of resources and community-focused priorities.
Our experts have experience running a wide range of communities. From condominiums to townhomes, life style communities, lake management, and common interest offices we can manage it all. It doesn’t matter what your HOA manages, you will love working with AMG.
Contact us today to receive more information or a quote.
Know Your Real Estate Terms. What is an HOA Fee or Assessment?
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Definition time! Today’s lexicon is “HOA Fee.”
HOA Fee stands for Homeowners Association Fee and it’s an obligatory monthly fee paid by homeowners in certain types of residential properties.
You may see this at closing as part of your buyer’s expenses and or a proration. Your cloning agent or Title Company will order an “Estoppel Letter” from the HOA management company. This document will show what HOA fees have been paid and if any assessments are due or past due. Your closing company will prorate annual fees between the buyer and seller. You may see this proration on your closing statement if the property is in an HOA community.
AMG offers services to assist with resales and documentation required by some attorneys or lenders. We're here to assist professionals representing buyers or mortgage companies requiring essential real estate data and documentation for association real estate transactions.
The Homeowners Association (HOA) collects the fee and uses it to improve the community. Condominium association fees generally pay for maintenance of the grounds and common areas, the exterior of the building, insurance, swimming pool, clubhouse, and/or other amenities. In many instances, the condo fee includes services such as garbage and water.
From the smallest condominium to the largest lifestyle community, resident amenities are a fundamental advantage to living in a community Association. These amenities may be as grand as golf courses, lakes, and pools or as humble as a unique sitting area. No matter how large or small the amenities, prompt, proper, and cost-effective operations are vital to that community.
Tips For A Stress Free Thanksgiving
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Make a Plan
Get out a notebook, your calendar, and a pen and brainstorm Thanksgiving. Start thinking about a menu, figure out when you need to go shopping and contemplate what prep can be done on what days.
Enlist Guests to Help By Bringing Something
Everyone loves to taste new items. This will give a variety and more food to go around. Another option is to delegate an entire course to a guest, like appetizers, drinks, or dessert.
Make Your Menu
Now that you know what the guests are bringing, you can begin planning your own shopping, prep, and cooking.
Stick With What You Know
If you're hosting Thanksgiving, you know your guests expect to see, like turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pie. If you want a little variety here are a few sides that might be a hit.
Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Cauliflower Salad With Pomegranate
Cranberry Dip
Make a Grocery List
Organize your shopping list the way the store is laid out: produce, meat, dairy, canned goods, grains, baking, and snacks.
Get Your Serving Dishes Ready
Pull out all of the necessary serving dishes and utensils, too, and make sure they are ready to go.
Schedule Food Prep
Tasks like chopping vegetables and baking pies can be done a day or two ahead of time. Whatever you can do ahead without sacrificing quality, do it. It'll save you time, effort, and stress on meal day.
Tableware Inventory
Inventory place settings, linens, the room around the table, and chairs. Do you have enough for the number of guests you're expecting? Double-check your serving dishes too.
Beverage Station
Are you going to set up a separate area for soda, water, and wine? Since you'll be busy on Thanksgiving day, it might make sense to let your guests help themselves. It makes sense to set up a beverage station.
Plan Decorations
There's no need to go overboard. Plan your table decor, flowers, candles, and mini gourds.
Make a Thanksgiving Day Timeline
Include, at a minimum, the following elements: breakfast, appetizers, sit-down dinner, and dessert.
Chances are it will not be as perfect as you have planned. With a few early organization tips, you will feel more at ease and in control.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Working From Home? What Homeowners Need in a Home and the Benefit of Living in an HOA Community
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Since Covid-19 work has changed significantly. Where we work, how we work, the hours we work, and the enhanced safety precautions.
With major employers now stating that their employees will be working from home for the foreseeable future, many homebuyers have adjusted their existing home space and converted rooms for workspace. Buyers have also added to their list of desirables in their next home.
Some not only need to plan for a home office space but also need to accommodate the homeschooling or distance learning needs of their children as well. This includes having adequate outdoor recreation space for children to exercise.
This is where the benefit of living in an HOA community may play an important role in the work at home family. HOA’s with common area playgrounds and parks are perfect for parents to take the kids out for some much-needed sunshine and exercise.
Working from home is impacting the way homes are being built, renovated, and marketed. The type of features that have become important to buyers have changed at all price points.
Of course, homebuyers with larger budgets have the luxury of seeking homes with extra bedrooms or offices and dens already included. But many buyers are not as fortunate and need to find the needed space in more creative ways.
The easiest way to add working space is within the bedrooms. This offers the ability to close a door for privacy. Larger bedrooms (both in master and secondary bedrooms) have been a top priority for homebuyers. Another important feature is an open floorplan which features a Great Room design. For generations, kids have done their homework at the kitchen table, and a spacious kitchen/family room combo makes it easier for home learning without becoming cluttered. Another option for homebuyers is a separate formal dining room that could be converted to a workspace.
With all the changes in working and learning environments for both adults and kids, the home is even more important than ever. As needs change, homebuyers seek different features from their new dwellings.
10 Ways Community Residents Can Enjoy Halloween While Staying at Home During a Pandemic
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Halloween and other holidays might look a little different this year, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop the fun and games. It’s safe to say that going door to door trick-or-treating during a pandemic isn’t going to happen. Halloween is canceled.
HOA residents can still enjoy the holiday while staying at home with their families.
Here are 10 ways for your family to celebrate Halloween while staying safe at home.
1. Buy some traditional Halloween candy to share with the family.
2. Make Halloween themed cookies, cakes, and ghostly marshmallows. Don’t forget to use orange and black toppings and icing.
3. Carve your traditional Halloween pumpkin and put them out on the front step.
4. Decorate the outside ends inside of your home for Halloween or fall-themed decorations..
5. Have a home costume party. Have each member of the family make their own Halloween costumes and take pictures for sharing online.
6. Play Halloween games such as hide and seek in the dark.
7. Have a Halloween craft night. Make ghosts and skeletons out of craft items or food items.
8. Use your camera or phone to film a family Halloween video to share with friends on social media.
9. Cook a Halloween themed dinner using all the colors of Halloween.
10. Have a zoom call and chat with friends and family to stay in touch.
Enjoy family fun times, make new memories, and continue family traditions. You might have to get creative and find new ways of doing things.
Stay safe during the pandemic.
How To Enjoy The Holidays WIth Family During Social Distancing
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Sadly, this year may inhibit family and friends from gathering in large gatherings due to the pandemic. Most states are wearing masks and still practicing social distancing.
In the past, a family would drive across the country to get to a family member's home for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner and celebrations. This year may look slightly different. Will families be toasting their glass up to the computer screen on a Zoom or Skype virtual gathering? What will family holiday gatherings look like during a pandemic?
Here are a few ideas for families to feel close and enjoy the holidays during a pandemic.
Make the most of the traditions you can safely continue. You can still decorate your home inside and out for Halloween and carve pumpkins. You can bake pumpkin pies and desserts as you have done in the past. You can enjoy your favorite bags of candy and plan indoor activities with the kids to win candy. You can cook up your great-grandmother’s cornbread stuffing for Thanksgiving and use the Halloween candy to decorate a Gingerbread house.
You can gather the family to create homemade holiday cards and send sweet treats to family members by mail or shipping.
You can still safely decorate your home inside and out for Christmas. You can get a tree and celebrate as you would in holidays past. And you can definitely drive around town and look at everyone else’s holiday decorations. The best part is the traditional hot chocolate.
Keep a festive holiday spirit in your home. Play music, read stories, watch holiday movies, and keep your home bustling with sights and sounds of the holiday season.
Make a list of all the things you can do safely and sit down as a family and make your holiday plans.
Go virtual. Post images on social media so other family members can see, comment, and share.
Take selfies and start a group text and share holiday moments through text messages.
Take a picture lighting the Menorah and cook your family's great Hanukkah foods
How to Increase Your Neighborhood Engagement
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A majority of Americans are stuck in the endless loop of home-work-home. This hectic life has disallowed most of us to make new human connections. A recent survey suggests that many people don’t know their neighbors. Resolving this should be a primary concern for community leaders.
If you are a board member of any homeowners association (HOA), you are responsible for ensuring that neighbors at least get to know each other. Here are some ways through which you increase homeowner participation in your community:
1. Form Committees
From new arrivals to neighborhood old-timers, committees provide an excellent opportunity for people to come together and get to know each other. Different committees are responsible for various activities. An annual meeting will provide a perfect time for residents to come together and discuss ideas and learn more about people’s interests.
2. Welcome New Residents to the Neighborhood
Your HOA may have a person to welcome new residents to the community. This will make them feel included and get things off to a great start.
3. Recognize Your Community Volunteers
Volunteers are a big part of any neighborhood. It is important to recognize the volunteers for the work they have done to uplift the neighborhood. This recognition will not only go a long way in uplifting volunteers’ spirit, but it will also increase engagement among residents.
4. Use Technology
You can always use technology to increase social interactions. It depends on your association to choose any technological solution that can help increase neighbors’ connection. A digital newsletter notifying residents of events, awards, recognition of residents, and updates is a great way to increase engagement.
5. Have Fun Together
National holidays and festivals can give you a great chance to come together and have fun. Make sure that your neighborhood comes together to celebrate select days. If your HOA does not have a person in charge of planning events for the neighborhood you may want to volunteer to head up a committee for event planning.
The Final Word
Our hectic lifestyle has forced us not to make many connections. For most of us, home is the place where we come after a long day at work, just to sleep. This, obviously, doesn’t allow residents to come together and talk. To increase engagement, you will have to make an effort to ensure that your neighbors get to know each other.
Architectural Committee and Approval Process...Follow the Rules
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Architectural Committee and Approval Process...Follow the Rules
AMG is pleased to share with you two blog posts from the Black, Slaughter & Black law firm.
The first discusses the necessity of following formalities outlined in the association’s governing documents. In particular, approvals or denials must follow the express language of the declaration, including a properly appointed committee.
https://lawfirmcarolinas.com/blog/dont-screw-up-your-architectural-committee-approval-process/
The second blog highlights the difficulty in recovering the association’s legal costs (even when the association seems to prevail on relevant points).
AMG believes the takeaways from these two blogs are that it is:
1. Important to follow the formalities outlined in the governing documents for the community related to approving and enforcing architectural controls;
2. Educating community members on the importance of following the governing documents is crucial;
3. If the association does not approve an application, guidance should be given to the owner if possible (and not just a “declined”); and
4. The importance of communicating with owners to effectively gain compliance, before legal intervention is needed.
Not only will following these steps lead to happier communities; it will prevent the high and likely unrecoverable legal costs. AMG recommends community leaders discuss the architectural approval criteria and process (for their community) with legal counsel prior to taking action.
Association Management Group (AMG) Unveils College Scholarship Program
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Association Management Group (AMG) Unveils College Scholarship Program
School May Be on Disrupted, But Planning for the Future Doesn’t Have to Be
Application Deadline May 15, 2020
Senior year in high school this year is unlike any in recent memory. Schools are closed. Students are participating in “distance-learning,” and missing all the fun things of their final year. Although students may be “stuck at home,” they are likely still thinking of the future and the opportunities of college.
“As an association management company, all of us at AMG recognize that the term community is not just a group of buildings. It is also closely held relationships,” says Paul Mengert, AMG president. “The importance of community and the value of education go hand in hand. To help share our ideas of community with the next generation, we are proud to announce the following new scholarships, which will be available for use in the 2020/2021 school year,” he adds.
In keeping with AMG’s emphasis on community, these three scholarships honor the memory of three individuals who demonstrated community by making a difference in the lives of others. You can learn more about them at amgworld.com/scholarships.
To apply and learn more about AMG’s new scholarships, please visit https://www.amgworld.com/scholarship-application.
In addition to completing the application, applicants can select to apply for one or more the scholarships. The final component of the application is a 300-word essay on one of three topics about community.
Striking the Right Balance
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When May Gayle and I founded AMG back in 1985, we did so to help clients preserve, protect and enhance their communities.
Over the last 35 years, we have been extremely blessed to build a team of professionals who have joined us in helping community Associations across North and South Carolina administer their responsibilities. Much of our work has centered around balancing of members’ rights.
This month, we find ourselves facing unprecedented challenges with the COVID-19 outbreak, trying to help our clients balance member rights. On the one hand, we want to be sympathetic and helpful to individuals in the community. On the other, we have a duty to help our clients fulfill their fiduciary duties of looking out for the rights and interests of all members.
This is most evident in enforcing covenant provisions and violations. There is a natural reaction under the current crisis to delay taking any enforcement actions. However, doing so may interfere with the rights of other members who are perhaps being damaged or inconvenienced by a violation.
Similarly, delaying fee collection from those who are experiencing financial hardship sounds like a reasonable thing to do. However, many Associations need essentially all member payments to meet the obligations of the community. If some members don’t pay, it is likely that other members may be forced to pay more. Again, this is a balancing of rights.
So, what have we learned over the last 35 years?
1. Be kind - Even when we disagree, don’t be angry.
2. Follow Governing Documents - Do what the documents state and avoid making decisions that are already made in the governing documents or by law.
3. Avoid delays - As strange as it sounds, not acting promptly seems to make things worse. Yet, if a member needs additional time to address a covenant violation, our recommendation is and always has been to be reasonable and try to work things out. Typically, an extra couple of weeks is not a big problem in the overall scheme of things, and as long as an agreement is in place to resolve the situation then the HOA has fulfilled its’ responsibility.
During this crisis, similar to past challenges we have faced (such as hurricanes and 9/11), AMG recommends being nice, following the governing documents and laws and acting promptly. It is easier to address problems sooner rather than later.
Please feel free to call on any member of the AMG team for assistance and know that our prayers for everyone are strong.
Paul K. Mengert, Chairman and CEO
Association Management Group, Inc.
The Coronavirus, Flu, and HOA/Condo Association Meetings
/This is one of three articles on dealing with the Coronavirus and its impact. This blog looks at how associations (particularly boards) transact business outside of in-person meetings. See also Coronavirus: What Should Homeowner and Condominium Associations Do? and “Let’s Have Our Meeting or Convention Online!”
Read the full story here: http://lawfirmcarolinas.com/blog/the-coronavirus-flu-and-hoa-condo-association-meetings/
What to Do When You Have Problem Neighbors
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What To Do When You Have Problem Neighbors. There’s nothing worse than problem neighbors. After long days at work, we just want to come home and relax; when our neighbors disturb our peace it can be especially challenging.
Before you hire a lawyer or list your house for sale, there are a few strategies you can employ to make things better.
•Get to Know Them Better –Take an interest in the neighbor and try to understand the issues from their end. Talk about how to resolve the differences together so you’re both happy.
•Be Proactive – If you are having a big party or scheduling some major remodeling, let your neighbors know and try to accommodate their needs as well.
•Document the Problems – Keep careful records in case you do need to address the issue legally. •Talk With Your Other Neighbors – Seek community support and assistance. If others are having similar issues, gather their information also and gain their help.
•Talk to the City/County/HOA – Often the issues you have with your neighbors are part of a municipal code or HOA R&Rs; talk to these entities and ask for help and guidance.
•Consider Mediation – Ask your neighbor if they would be willing to go to a professional mediator to try and resolve the issues.
•Take Legal Action - This should be a last resort. Contacting law enforcement or getting legal representation might be the only way in some extreme situations. Difficult neighbors can be a serious issue.
Problems range from leaves dropping on your lawn to drug dealing. Don’t feel like you have to live with the issue or move; take steps to try and resolve and know that there are ways to solve the issues.
