Acri Greater Pittsburgh Property Management – Acri Community Realty Blog

You need to pick a Community Management Company with a dedicated Accounting Department

You think you have finally found the perfect Management Company for your homeowner’s Association. Proposals and RFP’s have been sent out. Interviews are complete, and the Board of Directors has reached a majority vote on who they want to use. All of that is great but unless you make a visit to your prospective company you might be missing some crucial details, for instance: Exactly how many people REALLY work there? Is the Company Controller also a property manager? Visiting the …

Why your Association needs to Partner With a Reserve Specialist

Whether your association board works with a professional manager or self-manages the association, it’s likely that the board will still need the services of other professionals like a Reserve specialist. The Reserve Specialist provide unique skills, should partner with the board, and will provide invaluable resources to your association. When you partner with a reserve specialist it becomes much easier to asses what capital improvements need to be addressed and the time frame in which to address them. Reserve Specialists …

Condo Insurance Explained with 3 Examples

Condo Insurance or HO6 policy may seem hard to understand at first because it is a “walls in” concept, and in most cases, you simply own the air space. Within that space, you have quite a few things that you will need to insure. Repairs on the outside of the building, exterior walls, hallways, elevators, etc., if they were ever destroyed by a covered risk, would fall under the HOA insurance. There are relatively few risks condo dwellers have to …

10 Easy Money Saving Tips to Help Lower Utility Costs

You Can Accommodate a Tight Budget AND Go Green! Sticking to a budget is never an easy task. You would think that your budget would take an even bigger hit if you were also trying to be mindful of the environment. Believe it or not, you CAN do both! Check out this list of simple actions you can take to reduce your costs and contribute to respecting the earth. Saving Costs While Protecting the Environment Unplug appliances and electronics. TVs, …

How to Run a Successful HOA Board Meeting

In order to run a successful and effective Board Meeting, board members should be well-organized and prepared. One of the most important things a board can do is to hold an effective board meeting that makes the best use of everyone’s time. Because Board Members are volunteers, it is also important for Board Members to draw the line between private and association business time. If you have a management company, request that homeowners submit questions to them via email in …

6 Ways a Homeowner Association Can Ease Parking Wars

One of the areas creating the most controversial issues in planned communities, besides Pets, is related to parking. No one can argue that having rules in place minimizes the “you took my space” problem. In a perfect world, people follow the rules and are respectful of the rules set forth by the association. However, in the real world and for whatever reason, people choose to disobey the rules and create havoc in an otherwise acceptable situation. How to Minimize Poor …

What is a Homeowner Association?

What is a homeowner Association? A homeowner association is historically a non-profit corporation created by a developer when a community is in the planning stages and before selling the first home. Membership in a homeowner association is mandatory. The association is governed by a board of directors, which initially is the developer and his representatives. We have broken down the parts of the “WHAT IS A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION?” into Four points to make it all understandable. 1. Is a homeowner …

What are HOA Fees and What do They Cover?

What are HOA Fees Are and What do They Cover? Are You Worried About a Home with HOA Fees? needs, is in excellent condition, and is the right size, in the right location and neighborhood. Your landscaping, entrance, and common areas are always guaranteed to look fabulous because your new home is part of a homeowner’s association (HOA). You can’t even make an excuse to escape working out because the amenities even include a fitness center with active programming for …

HOA Developer Control

Transitioning from a developer-controlled to a homeowner-controlled community can be a difficult process. Moving ahead after that “magic number” of homes sold requires planning. According to Alexander D. DiSanti, Esq., of Forbes Bender Paolino & DiSanti, P.C., in Media, PA. “Once the end of declarant control has happened, all responsibilities of the association are transferred from the declarant appointees to the executive board to the unit-elected board members once there has been a successful election meeting of the unit owners, …

Five Essential Safety Tips on Night Walking

Acri Realty shares Five Essential Safety Tips on Night Walking to ensure your night or early morning walks are as safe as possible while still meeting your fitness goals. Night walking is an excellent way for busy people to get more steps in their day. Some people like night walk because it is a schedule conflict, they may be too busy during the day or it is cooler in the summer months. Some people may be early risers and the …

The painful truth about controlling HOA Speeding

The Ability to Control HOA Speeding is an issue that Homeowner Association communities face. Sometimes the truth is painful. The answer depends on whether your roads are private or municipal-owned streets. Private community roads are not routinely patrolled by law enforcement. Law enforcement cannot legally control civil traffic issues on private roads. Law enforcement can investigate criminal matters, but their jurisdiction stops there. Because of that fact, the HOA itself is left to control speeding. If you live in a …