Property Management Blog

Taste of Home Potluck

Not only do we have some great property management professionals here at Bell-Anderson, we have some good cooks too! Our December potluck was a "Taste of Home" theme, with every recipe chosen out of a Taste of Home magazine or cookbook. Here are a few pictures!   Shannon's Chocolate Peppermint cake Stefanie's Cranberry Orange Br...

“We Have Always Done It That Way”

Courtesy of Barker Martin, Attorneys: http://www.barkermartin.com “We Have Always Done It That Way”  Is Not A Valid Answer.  As a board member or a manager are you prepared to answer the question, “What entitles the association to do that?”  The variety of answers we have heard over the years i...

10 Tips for Tackling Stress

by Jeanne Faulkner, Contributor From: Wellness Wire, myRegence.com Feeling the pressure? Try these ideas for managing stress right now—and preventing it down the road.  What's so bad about stress? When it's appropriate, it can be a healthy coping mechanism that keeps you safe, focused and aware. It's your body's emerge...

Process and Procedure Matters

Courtesy of Barker Martin, Attorneys: http://www.barkermartin.com Associations need to take note:  Process and Procedure Matter.  A Florida homeowner association was recently reminded of this fact when it was ordered to pay an owner $85,000 in damages. The owner is seeking an additional $220,000 in attorney fees.  The di...

Demystifying Board Member Conflicts

Courtesy of Barker Martin, Attorneys: http://www.barkermartin.com “The greatest crimes do not arise from want of feeling for others, but from an over-sensibility for ourselves and an over-indulgence to our own desires.”  - British Statesman Philosopher Edmund Burke.  People run for the board of directors o...

Dishwashers recalled due to fire hazard

from The Seattle Times Website  More than a million GE dishwashers are being recalled due to fire hazard. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday the voluntary recall includes about 1.3 million GE, GE Adora, GE Eterna, GE Profile and Hotpoint dishwashers. The machines' heating elements can fail and cause fires....

Giant sandbags along Green River levees are coming down

Source:  http://www.ci.kent.wa.us/content.aspx?id=21572 KENT, Wash. – June 27, 2012 – After nearly three years, removal of the giant sandbags from the Green River levees will begin in mid July.   AGR Contracting, Inc. of Monroe, Washington won the contract after submitting the lowest bid of just under $900,...

Word of the Day: Volunteer

There are a lot of volunteers in condo and homeowners' associations who work hard to help their communities run smoothly. Have you considered helping out in your community? Even if you are not living in an association, there are plenty of neighborhood groups and community organizations that could use a hand. Here is John Maxwell with some...

10 Tips for Improving Board Discussions

•  Stay engaged. Avoid side conversations and other distractions. •  Listen with an open mind. Try to understand others' perspectives. •  Consider two or more alternatives simultaneously. •  Don't debate—discuss. •  Separate facts and opinions: Discuss the facts. Vote your opinio...

Preparing Rental Properties - Curb Appeal

House-hunters typically begin their inspection of a property by previewing its "curb appeal." A surprising number of homes are eliminated from consideration before potential renters get out of their car because they find the exterior appearance unsightly or uninviting. Following are some basic suggestions for improving the "rentabili...