Think Twice Before You Deck the Halls: Holiday Decorations in Common Areas

You are blinded by twenty-five thousand bright, twinkling lights. A giant, blow-up Frosty the Snowman leisurely waves at you as you walk by. Three foot candy canes outline the front lawn, and a small scale Polar Express train races around the yard, pouring steam into the air and blowing its horn. Yes, the holiday season is right around the corner and soon decorations like these will be adorning condominiums and homes in your community. Many people relish this time of year, using it as an opportunity to express their thoughts and beliefs, show off their creative abilities by partaking in community decorating contests, or reminisce about times gone by. However, it is important to remember that condominium and homeowner associations . . . to read more of this article by Robert Hyde, Rafel Law Group, PLLC click here.

A Volunteer Arrives In Oz

As a member of the board of directors for a home owners association, the following is a short but useful guide to assist you along a new path. The course you are about to transverse is similar to the "Yellow Brick Road" that Dorothy traveled in The Wizard of Oz. My apologies go to L. Frank Baum, the author of this classic story, and also to the filmmakers at MGM if their work has been defamed in any way. Many whirlwind-like adventures accompany services as a volunteer on the "Board" of a home owners association. Someday you might find yourself unexpectedly . . . to read more of this article from Larry Crandle click here.

The State of the Industry

The Community Association industry has always been considered safe from the extreme ups and downs of the economy and somewhat protected from a recession, but the housing market and economy does affect the level of growth. For years we heard about the real estate bubble popping. Well the bubble has popped and we under estimated the magnitude of the bubble. A good analogy to the house bubble is when a kid blows the biggest bubble ever, three pieces of gum at a time and months of practicing and when he or she finally blows that unbelievable bubble . . . to read more of this article from Kevin Ducotey, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, Condominium Management click here.

Legislative Update

The 2009 Legislative Session will begin January 9, 2009, and continue for 15 week (105 days). The chief undertaking for the Legislature will be to enact a biennial (2-year) budget for the state. Legislators must adopt a balanced budget prior to July 1, 2009, for operating costs, transportation improvements and a capital budget to pay for state and local facilities. The job of producing a balanced budget just got a lot tougher with state revenue collections lagging behind expected . . . to read more of this article from Brian McLean, Leahy.ps & Kathryn Hedrick, WSCAI Lobbyist click here.

"We're Not in Kansas Anymore" - A Mortgage Market Update for Condominiums and Homeowner Associations

Nearly one year ago I wrote about how the "Sub-Prime Crisis" would affect WSCAI members. I detailed some actions for association members to take, which we'll revisit. Twelve months later, the market problems have escalated from a simple crisis or run of the mill "Credit Crunch" to a "Global Liquidity Freeze" and "Global Financial Meltdown."  Are you feeling disoriented? When this feeling hits you, are you watching the news or sitting in an association meeting? Are you looking into a rabbit hole like a girl named Alice? Perhaps you're at a tea party with a cast of motley characters, or could it be . . . to read more of this article from Rick Davis, CMPS, MetLife Home Loans click here.