eBooks, Articles, & More

Should we Reserve for Insurance Deductibles?

Many associations choose to obtain insurance against a possible significant loss: earthquake, flood, wind, or other major catastrophe. Due to the nature of this type of insurance, the deductible is often very large. While insurance is expected to cover the majority of a loss,

Reserve Planning – How Far into the Future?

Reserve planning is done so owners can avoid getting hit with special assessments when predictable major Reserve expenses occur. By planning ahead, owners pay their “fair share” of the deterioration of major components on an even and stable ongoing basis. But how far ahead is it reasonable to plan? What do you do when you replace your 20-yr old shingles with roofing material “guaranteed” for 40 years, or rebuild your seawall with a concrete structure that is designed to last 50 or 60 years?

Is it Common to Reserve for Homeowner Fences?

It is never appropriate for the association to set aside or expend association funds for assets the association is not responsible to maintain. If the fences belong to homeowners, expending association funds for maintenance would be inappropriate

Site Inspection Humor 2 – When Good Ideas Go Bad

We were recently doing a site inspection for a luxury mountain timeshare. It was relatively new, and the engineer had plenty of tales of the “kinks” that he had to work out to get the facility running smoothly. The story of the garage goes like this:

Site Inspection Humor – Interesting Interactions with Real People

Our interactions with the “real people” in this industry are always interesting and often entertaining. On what might be considered a “normal” site inspection, there is often something humorous or fascinating that happens if you just pay attention. In the last month, I came home several times with a smile and a story. Here’s a recent anecdote:

Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me!

Inspired by National Public Radio’s “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” weekly radio show, read the following three Association stories, and guess which of the three is not true. The stories, and the answers, can be found on our website.