Spring has sprung! Now is a great time to start thinking ahead and making sure your homeowner association (HOA) is prepared for the season. With considerably warmer weather and longer days ahead, it’s important for HOA boards to ensure that their community is well-maintained and ready for the spring season. Below, we discuss several ways to prep your HOA for spring.
As of the time of this writing, many community members are rightfully staying indoors and staying safe from the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, there’s no reason your HOA can’t prepare for when the outbreak ends and your community is once more enjoying each other’s company. And if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed while dividing your focus between running the HOA community and tending to your residents, consider hiring one of the best Tampa homeowners association management companies, Wise Property Management, Inc.
Spring Cleaning
The start of the spring season is the perfect opportunity to devote some extra time to the maintenance of your property’s exterior. Sprucing up the landscaping will not only increase the curb appeal but also inspire residents to improve their homes. Here are a few simple tips for improving the landscaping and exterior appeal of the property for spring.
- Perform a Walkthrough: A walkthrough of the property will allow you to inspect and identify any problems that started during wintertime, such as dead or broken trees, fallen branches, cracked sidewalks, or dirty pavers. Removing any dead or fallen trees or other types of debris is especially important before the start of hurricane season in the summer.
- Inspect the Roofing: Inspecting every roof for leaks or needed foundational repairs is crucial given the amount of rain the Tampa Bay area experiences. A property manager can hire a professional to inspect the roofs of your property for any issues, such as water damage in roof valleys and eaves, gaps or cracks near pipes, and loose or cracked trim. Not only will this save you money in the long run, but it will also add to the aesthetic appeal of the property.
- Schedule HVAC Servicing: A broken-down air conditioner is not a problem you want to face in the warmer months — especially in Florida. If your community is responsible for HVAC repairs, it’s smart to have any HVAC systems undergo professional spring servicing in order to ensure that they are functioning efficiently. This can keep your residents happy in the summer months and reduce your expenses for the long haul as well.
- Clean and Service the Pool: If your community has a pool, the spring season is a great time to tackle maintenance and cleaning. A property manager will ensure that any pipes or water lines are checked for leaks, the pool is professionally cleaned and serviced, and any areas of deck or concrete surrounding the pool are pressure washed. Before the warmer weather sets in, it would be wise to handle any repairs regarding the condition of the pool’s walls or floors. This can keep future costs down, prevent injuries, and mitigate potential liability.
- Update Your Disaster Preparedness Plan: Updating your disaster preparedness plan in spring before the hurricane season in the summer gives you plenty of time to communicate any updates to the disaster preparedness plan with residents. This is a great opportunity to ensure that contact information for all residents is up to date. Moreover, a property manager will make sure that the contact information for local first responders and aid organizations is also updated.
If your HOA management company is not willing to put in the work to maintain a functioning, thriving community, a professional from our St. Petersburg HOA management company can be of assistance.
Related: Consider These Spring Maintenance Tips
Spring Events
Normally, spring is a great time to host an event in your HOA, such as a community cookout or movie night. Any of these events can boost engagement among residents and give your property that community feel they’re looking for. In the spring, the weather is not yet overwhelmingly hot or humid, so it’s a fantastic opportunity to get residents outside and mingling.
But now is the time to make resident safety a priority. As your community is no doubt taking steps to improve safety during this difficult time, here are some suggestions for potential spring events to look forward to once all of this has blown over:
- Cookouts: A cookout is an outstanding event for communities with a common area, such as a grill or pool. You can either provide food, such as hamburgers or hotdogs, or make the event a pot luck and have residents bring their own food and drinks. Plan games for all ages and make a playlist with a good variety of songs to set the tone for the event.
- Movie Night: A movie night is a family-friendly event designed to bring the community together for some light-hearted fun at the start of spring. Pick a comfortable spring evening and a fun movie that will appeal to most ages and set up a video projector on a blank wall of the common area of your HOA. Don’t forget the popcorn!.
- Community Garage Sale: A community garage sale is an excellent idea, particularly in the spring when residents may be ready to retire any household items or clothing they would otherwise be donating or discarding. Have residents gather up any household items, clothing, or children’s toys they wish to sell and organize a small garage sale or miniature flea market for your HOA.
Related: Spring Activities for Homeowners Associations
It’s important for HOA boards to prepare their communities for spring by organizing events for residents and doing some spring cleaning on the property. A Tampa homeowners association management company can assist with both of these steps. In addition to maintaining the appearance and upkeep of your HOA, a management company can provide a myriad of helpful services year round to improve your property and community. At Wise Property Management, Inc., we’re here to help you this spring and year round by offering comprehensive property management services.
Are you ready to work with one of the top St. Petersburg HOA management companies that makes life easier for you and your board members and improves the value of your property? If so, submit our proposal request form today!