condo management: Do you understand condo living? Part 1: What is mine? - 05/12/19 06:44 AM
So you are thinking about buying a condo, or you own one now? So what is yours? What is not yours? 
Condos generally have 3 parts or types of property: Unit, limited common area, and common area. Based on the type of area determines what is yours or not yours. Here is a short, basic explanation of each type:
UNIT is all that stuff inside your unit that serves only your unit-thats the key! Electric lines that connect only to your unit-even if outside like outlets on your patio, would be yours! Attics, crawl spaces, doors, windows-generally belong to you. Kitchen cabinets, carpet, … (5 comments)

condo management: Did you know fire hydrant colors have meaning? - 10/21/17 05:33 AM

Did you know the color of your fire hydrant means something? If a condo community owns a hydrant, it is painted red or red/white. If its owned by the City, its yellow. If the water is not drinkable its painted violet, although I have never seen one.
So why is this important? Well Ohio Fire Code section 5.7.3 requires hydrants be serviced annually or you can be subject to fines and penalties-or worse if there is a fire and the hydrant does not work. If your community has red hydrants, then they are normally the condo association responsibility to service. In some … (9 comments)

condo management: Living in a condo: What's mine? - 03/18/17 05:36 AM
Excellent question and highly misunderstood!
You would need to read the Declarations and Bylaws, a copy you can get from the title company, county recorder, or seller. But basically, most condos follow the same rules (but not always):
 
Common Area is owned equally by everyone and managed by the Association. Normally, this is structural in nature and includes anything that serves multiple units at once. Examples would be roofs, parking lots, support beams and lumber that hold up roofs and walls, greenspace, trees, common landscaping, siding, shared utility lines that span more than one unit, sump pumps if it serves multiple units, … (9 comments)

condo management: Own a condo? Do YOU have condo insurance? - 02/11/17 08:54 AM

Recently a condo owner returned from a week away to find that his condo was flooded, and their ceilings fell in, and lots of personal belongings were ruined. Why you wonder? Well his neighbor, who was no longer living in his unit, had an upstairs supply line to his toilet break and flood both units. Over $75,000 in damage to both units.
So my question to you is this: Do you have your condo interior and belongings insured?
Condos- in accordance with their bylaws-have insurance on the structure but the rub is always what is covered. Most insurance coverage will rebuild the structure … (16 comments)

condo management: Do you know the true cost of your Condo/HOA manager? - 01/23/17 03:05 AM
So every condo/HOA manager charges to manage your Association, but do you know what they really charge and how they get paid?
 
On the surface it seems pretty straight-forward, they present your Association with a contract and the price is usually so much per unit managed per month. Or maybe just a flat monthly fee? Either way it looks pretty simple-right? But what about the hidden costs-or did you know about that?
Some common costs and fees levied on owners or Associations are:
Late Fees for late dues payments- Where do these go? Does the association get the money, or a percentage … (3 comments)

condo management: Managing Your Condo Community - 08/04/16 08:20 PM
Are you looking for a new condo manager or management company? Want a better understanding of what they do and how they charge? Here is a helpful guide to choosing a new company that will solve your needs. Condo management fees depend on size, the needs of your community, how many meetings you have, and how much maintenance you require, etc. Fees in Central Ohio range from about $13 to $20 per unit per month.
First, what does a condo manager do? Well, we can break condo manager duties are down into six major management areas:
Collecting dues Financial reporting Enforcing … (9 comments)

condo management: Age Old Battle - Quality vs. Price in Property Management - 04/27/16 07:47 PM
Its the age old battle-"In this corner, representing higher prices, better service, more details, happier clients, the defending heavyweight champion: Quality" !
 
I know you have heard the announcements, witnessed the battle, heck-maybe you have had the battle yourself? Its always the same-do I pay more for the perceived better quality which in theory will last longer and make me happier, or do I pay less and accept lower quality? And there is always someone who will promise high quality and lowest price, but we really know it doesn't work that way.
I will be totally honest with you. When it comes … (8 comments)

condo management: 3 Things Investors Don't Want to Hear! - 02/07/16 07:05 PM
Own investment houses? Many times they are good investments, but there are three things investors hear that will make them cringe in their boots:
 
1.  Sir, this furnace has a cracked heat exchanger. And you never hear this mid-week, when its 70 degrees out, and have plenty of time to get estimates, quotes, and line up options. Nope-always on a weekend or 3 AM in freezing weather with tenants having nowhere to go.
 
2.  Sir, I am afraid this rent check you are depositing is written from an account with no money. Great right? Your mortgage payment is due, and may … (8 comments)

condo management: How to make a small property management problem worse in 1 easy step! - 09/13/13 09:57 PM
Easy enough to accomplish. Here is how: You start with any easy request for a easy issue, such as "Have you received my payment this month?" So all you have to do is ignore them, not a 30 second call that indicates yes or no, nor a quick email that says I will check on it, not an easy text that says I will get back to you. Just that easy.
Now the fun part is tommorrow that issue is no longer about the payment received, but is now a larger issue about why you are ignoring me? Why do I … (19 comments)

condo management: So who manages your Homeowners Association? - 04/06/13 10:24 PM
So who manages your HOA now? Is it a bunch of owners who have full time jobs and are stretched thin and don't have the time to spend working on it? Or did you find a management firm or person who was the lowest bidder and now you only see them when it's time to get a check?
And what exactly should they be doing?
 
These are the questions that many people struggle with everyday in their homeowners association. Without good association management you will quickly turn into an association where people do what they want, when they … (3 comments)

condo management: You have to be one or the other-Morning or Night? - 12/15/11 08:42 PM
So are you a morning person or a night owl? I tend to be a morning person as I can get a ton of work done before most people get up. No phones, no distractions like TV, no one to bug you. I just get up and get on the computer that never shuts off and get my blogs done, my clients emailed, my searches done. Then when the paper comes I read for a bit, hop in the shower, and off I go.
Of course I am dead by 8PM! I don't have an issue with it, but I am … (8 comments)

condo management: Condo Management: What's the little complex to do? - 12/14/11 09:12 PM
So in the world on condo management, the large communities normally have a condo office and a full time maintenance staff to handle the duties of maintenance, rent collection, tenant disputes, supervision, etc. What about smaller communities? What do they do?
Well, they normally don't have the money or enough units to have a full time manager so the option for many is to self-manage. Self management is when the board of directors, who are nomally residents of the complex, elect one unlucky person to become president and then they get to manage, normally for free.
That person then normally … (2 comments)

 
Dennis Swartz, MBA, GRI...experience counts! (Full Circle Property Management)

Dennis Swartz

MBA, GRI...experience counts!

Columbus, OH

More about me…

Full Circle Property Management

Address: 1695 Old Henderson Rd, Columbus, OH, 43220

Office: (614) 538-1717

Mobile: (614) 214-6601



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