Spring Seminar Recap

Duvall CAMS Management hosted a seminar for our Board Members last night highlighting the latest insurance trends. Our guest speaker was Stewart Little of OH Walker Insurance. Mr. Little gave an update on FHA insurance requirements, loss control methods and insurance rate predictions. All very helpful information for our boards to take back to their associations and we thank all who attended!

Several key notes we have taken from last night were:

• Maintenance and Inspections- boards should encourage homeowners (especially condominium owners) to complete regular inspections on HVAC, hot water heaters, washer/dryer hook-ups, etc. This is a great loss control method!
• FHA Insurance Requirements vary for every lender. Typically they like to see are about 25% of yearly dues and all of reserves insured.
• If an association is consistently having trouble deciding whether an insurance claim should be filed under the association or the homeowner, the association should pay an attorney to read their legal documents and provide a legal opinion for all claims moving forward. An attorney should be able to make a chart for managers and board members to reference and share with all homeowners so there is less confusion moving forward.
• Insurance rates have been consistently going up every year based on many factors. One of the key factors is an increase in overall claims, especially those relating to weather/storms.

 

If you weren’t able to join us at this seminar and would like to attend in the future, please email info@duvallcams.com and ask to be placed on the invite list! Visit http://www.duvallcams.com for more information on our management services.

What Your Association Board Does for You

As a recognized homeowners association, your community has a board to help the HOA, POA or COA run smoothly. The board consists of volunteers who execute a wide variety of tasks you may not be aware of; however, their work affects every single resident.

One of the most important things the board does is create and enforce the association rules. While some residents may not like being told what they can and can’t do, ultimately the board is looking out for the greater good. By enforcing the rules, the board is doing its best to keep property values up and conflicts down. Of course, the board wants to make sure the rules are beneficial for the majority—and hopefully all—residents. You are welcome to raise concerns about the rules at open board meetings.

Another major responsibility of the board is to collect assessments from homeowners. Collecting this money is important for the stability of the association, because the assessments pay for the common elements enjoyed by all residents. Assessments also help to replenish the reserve funds, which pay for any major repairs the association may need. The board is responsible for the association’s finances, and collecting assessments is how it ensures that the association remains solvent.

Finally, the board acts on behalf of the association by hiring managers, attorneys, contractors and other professionals who help better the association. Board members also help conceive and lead many of the projects that will improve the Owners Association.

While it’s a big job, board members are happy to serve the residents and make the community a great place to call home. So why not learn more about what these volunteers do by talking to your board members, attending an open board meeting or even running for a seat on the board during our next election? The more people we have looking out for our association, the stronger it will be.

CAI-NC 2012 Law Day

Did you know The 3rd annual Law Day for Community Associations is coming up Saturday (3/3/12)?  It is an extraordinary opportunity to hear from the some of the best legal minds from all over the state at a very low cost,  and it only happens once a year.
 
Specific information, including the presentation schedule, and registration (required) is open on our website www.cai-nc.org.

Some Fun with Parliamentary Procedure

I bet you think “Fun with Parliamentary Procedure” is an oxymoron! Maybe it is, however, Duvall CAMS hosted a seminar last night for board members on parliamentary procedure and it was pretty enjoyable! Jim Slaughter, Parliamentarian and Professional Presider of Rossabi Black Slaughter, PA, Attorneys At Law, spent the evening explaining the ins and outs of Robert’s Rules of Order and how they apply to condo and homeowner associations. 

Mr. Slaughter taught us about the order of business, writing minutes, handling motions and planning effective meetings. Managers and board members found his tips very helpful and plan to implement some time saving strategies. Who doesn’t want to save time at board and homeowner meetings? Tasty refreshments and a breath taking view from the 8th floor of The VUE Charlotte were other perks to the evening in addition to Mr. Slaughter’s playful personality.

Thank you for all who attended and we hope you enjoyed yourself as much as we did. If you’d like to attend a future seminar, please leave a comment below. We plan to host an event on a different association-related topic every couple of months. If you’d like to learn more about parliamentary procedure, visit Mr. Slaughter’s site at http://www.jimslaughter.com. 

Tips for Saving Water

Water conservation is an important issue for the association—and not just because we want to be environmentally responsible. An equally important reason is that we want to keep assessments as low as possible. Here’s how you can help:

 

In the Kitchen 

Large appliances—washing machines and dishwashers—consume the most water, so they are important places to start any water-conservation efforts. Set the water level on your washing machine to match the size of your load. Try to avoid doing frequent small loads; whenever possible, run the machine only when you have a full load.

Ÿ Like the washing machine, only run the dishwasher when it’s full. If you have only a few dishes, wash them by hand in a sink or basin—not under a running faucet. Use a second basin or dishpan for rinsing, or spray rinse all the soapy dishes at once.

 

Splish-Splash—Conserving in the Bath

After these major appliances, the bathroom offers the next biggest opportunity to save water. Make sure your toilets are all working efficiently.Ÿ Keep your showers as brief as possible or turn the water off while shaving or scrubbing in the stall. Consider installing water-saver shower heads and faucets. When taking a bath, close the drain while the water warms up then adjust the temperature. Monitor the tub as it fills, and turn the water off at the half-way mark.

 

Running Hot and Cold

Ÿ  There’s nothing as refreshing as a cold drink of water, but don’t let the faucet run to get it. Chill a container of water in the refrigerator instead. Avoid running hot tap water over frozen food to defrost it; put it in the refrigerator the night before. Rethink any tasks you usually perform under running water—like washing vegetables or brushing your teeth. (A gallon of water a minute flows through a tap that’s only half open.). Use a dishpan or bowl of water instead of letting the tap run. Then pour the water from the bowl on your house plants.

 

“Used” Water

Before pouring that half-filled glass of water down the sink, ask yourself where it could be put to good use? How about pouring it in the dog’s bowl?  And the condensate from the dehumidifier is suitable for watering plants. Other sources of “used” water are suitable for reuse—it just takes a little imagination and a change in routine.

         

Water conservation begins with each of us. If each resident makes a few simple adjustments in household routine, the association can conserve thousands of gallons of water and save thousands of dollars each year.

Season’s Greetings from Duvall CAMS Management!

Tips for a Happy Holiday Season in Every Community

The holidays are just around the corner, and for many people, that means lots of festivities with friends and loved ones. With all of the merriment that’s sure to ensue, it’s important that residents who are hosting celebrations are not only considerate of their neighbors, but also take note of the association’s rules. A complete listing of your association rules and regulations can be found in your Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs), but here are a few key items to look up that are particularly pertinent during the holiday season:

 

Decorations: Decking the halls with seasonal ornaments is a great way to bring the holiday spirit home. Many love to spread the joy by decorating, but before you scurry up that ladder to hang the decorative lights along the side of your roof, take a quick peek to find out the guidelines for outdoor decorations. This will help make sure your outdoor winter wonderland isn’t an association violation. If you live in a condominium be sure you clean up behind you when your decorations arrive and unplug lights when away or asleep.

 

Parties: We hope you all have plenty of chances to eat, drink and be merry this holiday season. If you plan on hosting a get-together or party, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. First, keep the revelry and noise to a minimum, and wind the party down at a reasonable time—you don’t want your celebrating to interfere with your neighbors’ attempts to get visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads. Find out what the association deems acceptable noise levels and what the quiet hours are, as well as guidelines for hosting parties.

 

Parking: The holidays bring many people together, and that means extra cars will need to be parked. It wouldn’t be the holidays without Uncle Marv and Aunt Ethel bunking in little Jimmy’s room. To make sure your guests are covered, look at the CC&Rs to find out the rules on visitor parking in the association, including where they can park and what kind of parking passes they may need.

 

Following the association’s rules and regulations helps ensure that all of our residents can enjoy this special time of year, so please help us by doing your part. Stay safe and have a wonderful holiday season.

DCM is growing, let’s blog about it!

Hello Readers!

Duvall CAMS is proud to announce we are growing! And with that, comes a blog. We will be posting company updates and community association-related articles. Hopefully everyone will find this useful and informative. Feel free to comment if there is a topic you’d like to learn about! In the meantime, we hope our readers all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 

Duvall CAMS Management