DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT: MIAMI LUXURY CONDO BOARD & DEVELOPER GET INTO $1.5M VALET PARKING SQUABBLE
$1.5 million valet parking dispute pits Miami luxury condo board against developer BY NICHOLAS NEHAMAS nnehamas@MiamiHerald.com In Miami’s surging real estate market, even the price of parking has hit overdrive. Residents of a downtown luxury condo have been told they must cough up $1.5 million for the 50 parking spots they’ve used for valet parking […]
DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT: HOA FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST OWNERS FOR PICKUP PARKED IN DRIVEWAY; OWNERS PICK UP & MOVE
SYRACUSE.COM: CNY couple who couldn’t park their pickup in driveway has had enough; they move out By Elizabeth Doran A couple sued by a Central New York homeowners’ association for parking their pickup truck in their driveway in the town of Manlius says the pressure from the case forced them to move. “Enough pressure was put […]
DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT: NEVADA LAWYER DEFRAUDS HOA OUT OF MORE THAN $1M IN “DESPICABLE” SCHEME
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Lawyer who stole $1M from clients gets eight more years in prison By Jeff German August 13, 2015 Suspended attorney Barry Levinson, a convicted player in the scheme to take over and defraud homeowners associations, was handed a second stiff prison sentence Thursday, this time for stealing more than $1.1 million from […]
DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT: HILTON HEAD HOA OVERREACH REACHES NEW LOW
WSAV.COM: Hilton Head neighborhood signs draw disgust By Ashleigh Holland June 12, 2015 It’s neighborhood signs found at The Villas of Summerfield that are drawing disgust from some Hilton Head Island neighbors. They ban anyone from riding bicycles, skateboards, scooters, and rollerblading there. Otherwise, there can be costly fines. Neighbors say their children are trapped indoors without being able to play outside. […]
DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT: REAL ESTATE AGENTS, HOAs & LAWSUITS, OH MY!
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Real estate agents, HOAs battle over liens By Jennifer Robison July 25, 2015 It’s a Nevada Supreme Court decision that didn’t resolve much. The court’s September ruling in SFR Investments Pool 1 LLC v. U.S. Bank gave homeowner associations the right to wipe out entire mortgages through foreclosures for late dues. But […]
BROKER BEWARE: 8 EASY STEPS TO MANAGE RISK
Real estate transactions can be fraught with risk. By following these eight simple steps, you can significantly reduce your liability, manage the risk of potential litigation and make your clients happier. Review fair housing rules and treat all prospects, customers and clients honestly, fairly and equally. Keep meticulous records of all communication throughout your […]
DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT: FIRST COAST NEWS: Spencer’s Plantation HOA Board, residents entangled in ugly fight
By Ken Amaro July 9, 2015, ORANGE PARK, Fla.– There are 222 homes in Spencer’s Plantation and some of those homeowners are in a fight with the Homeowners Association board. “It is a dictatorship,” said resident Stacia Hood. First Coast News met with about ten families on Wednesday evening to hear their concerns. “Your HOA […]
Time For Community-Governed Associations To Wake Up And Smell The Coffee!
Reprint from California Association of Community Manager’s (CACM) 2015 Summer Edition of Vision Magazine. By: Vicki MacHale, CCAM, CMCA In 1978, Proposition 13, The People’s Initiative to Limit Property Taxation, passed within the State of California. This proposition limited the manner in which municipalities could assess property taxes. With the gravy train at an end, […]
BROKER BEWARE: LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST LISTING BROKER FOR NONDISCLOSURE
Being sued is everyone’s worst nightmare. According to a Realtor.com article: A Florida appellate court has considered whether a purchaser’s lawsuit adequately stated claims against a listing broker for failing to disclose latent defects on the property. Paul and Mary Cummings (“Sellers”) entered into a contract to sell their townhouse condominium to Erik and Carol […]
35 Ways To BULLETPROOF Your Condo Association
Over the past few weeks, we’ve discussed what ALL board members and officers of community associations in America should read: the 35-point bulletproof list of financial procedures detailed in “Escaping Condo Jail“, and consider it a survival manual. Divided into four segments: Inheriting Old Books Guarding and Vigilance Cyberbanking Procedures Efficiency Maximization and Return […]