2010 April
2010 April Vol. 8, No.4
Focus on...Landscaping & Lawn Care
Harvesting H2O
A few generations ago, if you didn't have a well—and sometimes even if you did—your home had a rain barrel outside. It was a free, low-maintenance way to
collect fresh water for cooking, cleaning, and other household needs.
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Landscaping Harmony
For as long as humans have been planting patches of grass around their homes,
the most common method of maintaining a landscape has typically been: “mow, apply a generous and regular supply of man-made fertilizers and pesticides
to prevent weeds, water and repeat.” But just because that's the way it's been done for generations doesn’t mean it’s the healthiest process for the lawn—or for people, or for the environment. Read More
The New Jersey Cooperator's Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo
Finally, the big day has arrived: it's The New Jersey Cooperator's third annual Condo, HOA, & Co-op Expo. Yale Robbins, Inc. and The New Jersey Cooperatorwelcome you all back on Wednesday, May 5th to the Meadowlands Exposition Center.
Since its debut in 2008, the Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo has quickly established itself as a unique event that addresses the
diverse, evolving needs of the Garden State's condo and HOA communities.
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Special TREE-tment
The trees that grace the outdoor spaces of most New Jersey HOAs provide more
than just shade. Besides being integral parts of the landscape design, they
enhance the community's overall aesthetic, which in turn increases value.
Keeping your trees healthy and attractive is an important component of any
association's grounds-keeping program—so what happens if your lovely spring-flowering pear trees have lost branches
over a harsh winter? What do you do when those once-trim blue spruces are
suddenly looking scraggly and unkempt? Ailing trees devalue a community, both
by transmitting a negative message to residents and by eroding the community's
curb appeal to prospective buyers.
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Livening Up Your Landscape
Few capital improvements bolster property values as effectively as landscaping
upgrades. Real estate professionals from across the industry agree that
attractive, well-tended lawns, trees, shrubs, and plantings encourage sales and
shorten turnaround times. And installing plantings better suited to your
property’s ecosystem, including new hybrids specially developed to require less upkeep,
can pay off handsomely in reduced monthly maintenance costs for years to come.
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Pool Prep
Swimming facilities are one of the most desirable amenities an HOA can have.
They're great for socializing, getting exercise, and surviving the summer heat,
but there's a lot of maintenance, upkeep, and outright science to keeping even
a semi-private pool functioning as a pleasant, much-appreciated amenity. Add in
the issues of liability and compliance with health and safety codes, and taking
care of your association's pool is serious business that requires a
comprehensive plan and conscientious management.
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In Season
While the work of an association manager or superintendent is never truly done,
there are certain times of the year when things get even busier, with various
details that require specific attention (i.e., more work!) The arrival of
spring, for example, means an end to shoveling snow and sprinkling salt, but
warmer weather brings a host of other tasks with it, like repairing winter
damage and preparing outdoor amenities like pools and athletic courts for busy
season.
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Your Great Outdoors
As today’s cash-strapped homeowners forego vacations in favor of sticking closer to home
(the so-called "staycation") the idea of creating a relaxing, secluded getaway
outside their back door is gaining popularity. Even in a spacious HOA where
neighbors aren't wedged together cheek-by-jowl, having a sense of remove from
the urban or suburban grid is very attractive to many condo owners searching
for a quiet haven. A refreshing oasis. A secret garden. A private retreat.
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Law of the Jungle and Liability
According to a study released in January of this year by the Kaiser Family
Foundation, kids today are plugged in. Aside from the time they spend in class
at school and asleep in bed, children between the ages of eight and 18 spend
more than 7 and a half hours a day interacting with smart phones, computers, television, or other electronic
gadgets.
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The Manager's Guide to Planting Basics
How many times has a property manager been asked “What is it that you do, exactly?” The answer is really simple—a property manager wears all the hats required to administer an account and keep
a property in tip-top shape. As daunting as this may seem, there are some aspects of the job that can be
really fun. While many mangers leave their properties' landscaping up to the
landscaper or the landscaping committee, a manager with a little knowledge can
make the annual spring walk-through and the recommendation process much easier
and a lot more fun.
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